NOTICES
Availability of Funds Under the Adult Education Act, Section 353 Funds for Special Experimental Demonstration and Staff Development Projects for Adult Basic Education for Program Year 1998-99
[28 Pa.B. 1142] I. Authorization
A. Section 353 of the Adult Education Act, P.L. 91-230, as amended by the National Literacy Act of 1991 (act), requires the Department of Education (Department), through its State Plan for Adult Education, to use not less than 15% of its annual Federal allotment of adult education funds from the United States Department of Education for special experimental demonstration and teacher training (staff development) adult education projects, as defined in the act.
B. The Federal objectives for these grants are to:
''1. Promote special projects which will be carried out in furtherance of the purposes of the Act and which--
a. involve the use of innovative methods (including methods for educating persons with handicaps, the homeless, and persons of limited English proficiency), systems, materials, or programs which may have national significance or will be of special value in promoting effective programs under this title, or
b. involve programs of adult education, including education for persons with handicaps, the homeless, and persons of limited English proficiency, which are part of community school programs, carried out in cooperation with other Federal, State, or local programs which show unusual promise in promoting a comprehensive or coordinated approach to the problems of persons with educational deficiencies; and
2. Train persons engaged, or preparing to engage, as personnel in programs designed to carry out the purposes of this title.''
C. The State objectives for these grants are to strengthen the Commonwealth's adult basic education programs through research, evaluation and demonstration of methods, programs, techniques or operational/administrative systems to improve adult education services (special experimental demonstration projects) and to provide training for personnel working in or preparing to work in adult basic education programs (staff development). Emphasis on staff development will be on the following:
1. Training for full-time professional adult educators;
2. Training for minority educators;
3. Training for educators of adults with limited English proficiency; and
4. Training teachers to recognize and more effectively serve illiterate individuals with learning disabilities and individuals who have a reading ability below the 5th grade level.
II. Special 353 Priorities for 1998-99
The following Section 353 priorities for 1998-99 have been developed as a result of suggestions/recommendations by adult education providers throughout the State, by Section 353 Task Force members, and by the Department's Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education staff. Priorities fall in three general categories as follows:
A. Special experimental/demonstration projects for Statewide or regional impact;
B. Staff development projects designed for Statewide or regional impact;
C. Mini-grant projects of up to $5,000 designed to assist programs with the adoption or adaptation of exemplary projects; with the development of an experimental demonstration project designed for local impact; or to address individual program needs in staff development.
Fiscal Year 1998-99 Priorities 353 Priorities--1998-1999
Section A: Special Demonstration/Experimental 1. Crossroads Cafe Curriculum: Fiscal administration, management and coordination of Crossroads Cafe materials to selected agencies for ESL instruction. Applicant will arrange for purchase and distribution of materials, for training of staff from selected agencies to pilot delivery of the curriculum with an emphasis on distance learning systems and an evaluation and assessment of the use of the program. Applicant must have an ESL program component and knowledge of distance learning technologies. Preference will be given to applicants with connections to existing distance learning initiatives.
2. Program Performance Funding: Define the factors that constitute ''performance'' for ABLE funded programs and develop a recommended funding structure adding the performance factors to historical funding methods. The project will include case studies that apply the theoretical performance factors to actual agencies and analyze the impact of programmatic and administrative levels. Preference will be given for nonABLE funded agencies, particularly institutions of higher education, educational administration field of study, or other institutions with an emphasis on educational funding.
3. Special Populations: Define and validate special population categories and determine performance accommodation needs. Using the data collected in FY 1997-98 on special populations in Pennsylvania adult basic and literacy education programs, applicant will provide recommendations to the Bureau for performance standards accommodation in agencies serving the defined special populations.
4. Performance Standards in Volunteer Programs: Expand the Oregon Project performance standards in volunteer programs to additional literacy councils in this Commonwealth. A 1997-1998 special demonstration project piloted the Oregon Project, a volunteer-based competency checklist and assessment system, in a limited number of literacy councils in the Commonwealth. The project will use recommendations for continuation made to the Bureau developed from an assessment of the use of these adult learning competencies during the 1997-1998 pilot project.
5. Learner Impact: Research existing practices and then develop procedures for ABLE funded programs use in documenting the impact of adult education services on enrolled students. Federal reporting requirements for impact in economic, societal and family areas must be included. Applicant must work with a set of ABLE agencies to collect and document practices and develop a set of recommendations for improving impact data beyond learning gains with enrolled students. Recommendations must include ways by which programs can collect and use impact data for program improvement.
6. Adult Learner Recognition: Manage an event that includes the technical editing of field submitted student success stories that focus on the role of adult basic education in the lives of the nominated students; facilitation of a review process to select outstanding adult learners; interview and photograph ten finalists; and prepare, publish and disseminate a Success Stories booklet that includes suggestions for adapting the process for local use. Applicant will coordinate with an identified ABLE Bureau staff person in the development of the project. Applicant must plan for a circulation of approximately 2,000 copies of the booklet across this Commonwealth with distribution as requested by the Department.
7. Recognition of Excellent Educators and Instructors: Manage an activity to recognize outstanding adult education practitioners in this Commonwealth including a means to honor them Statewide and to publicize their services through an ABLE practitioners' handbook describing the criteria used for selection. Establish a panel to develop the criteria for selection and review the nominations. Applicant should develop a guide for honoring excellent practitioners to assist local programs in sponsoring practitioners and honoring their nominees. The applicant will coordinate with an identified staff person in the Bureau of ABLE in the development of the project.
8. Adult Education Teacher Competencies: Develop teacher competencies in this Commonwealth. Review recent 353 projects that researched and listed adult basic education teacher competencies. Recommend competencies based upon exemplary practices and field-based research that includes competencies developed through other states' field-based research.
9. ABLE Workplace Manual: Review existing workplace development documents such as commercially developed products and previous workplace-related Section 353 projects to produce a Pennsylvania specific workplace manual. The manual should be viewed as a marketing tool for use by adult education providers and the workplace and describe successful adult basic education workplace programs. Project should include information on adult education providers forming partnerships with businesses and businesses with education, developing community awareness and coordination of needs and services, assessment of workplace needs and worker needs, and development of instructional programs relevant to the worker and the workplace.
10. Revise Indicators: Review, revise and update existing ABLE Indicators of Program Quality to reflect indicators associated with innovation, continuous improvement, integration of technology and other areas denoting quality practices. Project must describe how it will initiate field involvement in the revision process, as well as the consideration of exemplary practice and proven research.
11. Community Planning: Increase the number of Building Communities for Learning (BCL) community-based planning sites through expansion of field-driven mentoring outreach, training and technical assistance. Applicants must be a Statewide organization with broad-based membership and collaborate with the Professional Development Centers to encourage and support the growth and development of existing community-based planning sites.
12. ABLE Assessment Practices: Research the standardized assessment tools being used in ABLE programs as pre- and post-tests to document adult learners learning gains. Project should list the tests, their publishers and the number and type, that is volunteer, school district, CBO, of education service provider using a particular standardized test.
13. Short Term Learner Goals: In order to explore the concept of project learners, the applicant will research and define ''project learning'' as related to the adult learner who enrolls in an adult education program to accomplish an objective or set of objectives related to the completion of a task or goal. The project the learner seeks to complete is short term in nature and is related to basic skill enhancement. The applicant should define ''project learning,'' provide a project IEP format and the procedures for documenting successful completion of the project prior to the learner's separation from the program. The final product will be used by the Bureau in considering program performance standards for those short term learners engaged in ''project learning'' where standardized pre- and post-testing may not be indicated.
14. Workplace Education Standards: Convene a workgroup of ABLE funded programs that deliver workplace education programs as defined in ABLE Guidelines. The project will explore accountability measures appropriate for workplace education, including documentation of learner progress in customized workplace programs. Provide recommendations to the Bureau of ABLE for use in establishing program performance standards.
15. Alternative High School Diploma Program: Provide direction for the establishment of high school diploma programs for adults in this Commonwealth. Applicant will provide leadership and technical assistance to school districts, IUs and other approved agencies that wish to institute an adult high school degree program. Continue technical assistance to existing adult high school degree programs.
16. Marketing Campaign: Develop and implement a marketing campaign to promote adult education services throughout this Commonwealth with the goal of increasing enrollment and retention of adult learners in adult education programs. Develop promotional materials using or incorporating existing materials (such as the NIFL national campaign) that can be used by existing adult education agencies. Contact potential corporate sponsors to develop funding sources to enhance the campaign. The materials and campaign must address the various targeted populations within adult education. The successful applicant will work closely with a Bureau point of contact throughout the contract period.
Section B: Professional Development
1. Training Development and Implementation in Core Content Areas: Coordinate the review and select training materials for professional development in designated content areas. Identify and train trainers to implement the designated content areas. Continue implementation of existing training development and implementation initiatives with emphasis on quality control. Applicant will work closely with the Bureau and regional professional development centers.
2. Learning Differences: Deliver Statewide training and technical assistance on learning differences through the Professional Development Centers. The applicant should address how the training and technical assistance being done nationally through the National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center and the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning will be incorporated into this grant. The applicant must also address the means by which ABLE's Guiding Principles for Professional Development will be reflected in the project. The application should provide for the development of a cadre of trainers to assist in the provision of technical assistance and training to providers of adult education services in this Commonwealth.
3. Learning From Practice: Continue to develop and implement learning from practice activities into established adult basic and literacy education agencies. Support a variety of inquiry groups such as program-based, cross-program within a region, institutes or online; develop and strengthen the capacity of local leadership (PDC staff, practitioners) throughout the State in order to integrate learning from practice approaches into a variety of professional development activities at the program, region and State levels. Build upon models currently operating in the State and nationally. Include components addressing networking for participants and leadership development.
4. Revision, Support and Dissemination of Learning from Practice Projects: Develop and maintain a Statewide database of Learning from Practice abstracts. Applicant will facilitate an editorial board which will be responsible for selecting articles, assisting authors in revision and disseminating the journal with distribution as requested by the Department. Applicant submitting a Letter of Intent for this priority will receive guidance developed by the Learning from Practice Guidelines/Steering Committee.
5. Review and Dissemination of Special Demonstration Projects: Review current/past Section 353 special demonstration/experimental and staff development projects from this Commonwealth and other states in designated topic areas and determine their significance and appropriateness through identification of exemplary and innovative approaches/practices. Disseminate recommended projects through a Statewide publication to be published a minimum of six times a year. Applicant must plan for a circulation of approximately 3,000 copies across this Commonwealth with distribution as requested by the Department.
6. Professional Development Institutes--Physical accommodations, administrative, fiscal management and support for Statewide adult basic education professional development institutes for administrators, teachers, counselors and volunteers in adult basic education programs. Applicants should provide follow-up training through the Professional Development Centers and/or other activities as applicant designs and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the training. Applicants should state for which institute the application is made in the Letter of Intent. Interested applicants will be provided separate guidelines to be used in developing the application.
Institute Topic Areas: Corrections Education; New Teacher--ABE, GED, ESL strands; Instruction--Teaching/Learning Intensive; Workforce Education; Administrator; Family Literacy
6. Penn-Ohio Conference: Physical accommodations, administrative and fiscal management and support for an interstate adult basic education workshop for administrators, teachers, counselors and volunteers to be held in western Pennsylvania, in coordination with adult basic education personnel from Ohio at a cost not to exceed $10,000.
7. Adult Education Newsletter: A general adult basic education newsletter to be published a minimum of five times a year at a length of eight pages or longer to disseminate areas of interest to adult basic education practitioners and program supporters in this Commonwealth. The areas may include but are not limited to professional development, special demonstration projects, best practices and adult basic education awareness information. Applicants must plan for a circulation of approxi-mately 4,000 copies across this Commonwealth with distribution as requested by the Department.
8. Communications for Professional Development: Provide for the design and/or publication of newsletters, handbooks, and brochures as needed by adult education providers in this Commonwealth. The project will direct and provide systematic communication and coordination between the Bureau and professional development service providers and adult basic and literacy education practitioners. The activities will include support for online and World Wide Web communications.
9. Administration, Fiscal Management and Support: Provide Statewide adult basic education professional development activities and other Department activities that include: 1) provision for a series of meetings for the State Plan Task Force; 2) provision for a series of hearings on a revised State Plan; 3) provision for support of special demonstration and professional development presentations and/or activities that include honoraria for presenters at State-sponsored activities; and 4) provision for support of activities of Act 42 Council.
Section C. Mini-Grants (Grants of $5,000 or less)
1. Implement the Pennsylvania adult learner competencies developed in 353 Special Demonstration project No. 98-7008. The project must specifically relate the use of the competencies in the instructional programs delivered to adult learners as part of the agency's program improvement planning. Funds may not be used for actual instructional time but for time to determine the application of the competencies to learner selected activities, curricula, assessment and documentation of learner gains, and participation in training.
2. Develop a model that integrates basic skills instruction with the requirements of welfare reform as a preemployment strategy and/or as a postemployment strategy that enables the learner to keep or advance in employment.
3. Address either a special demonstration/experimental or staff development project of local impact.
Section D. Project Equal Training Seed Grants
1. Application for funds to support program improvement planning in agencies which did not receive expansion grant funds in FY '97-'98 and desire to participate in EQUAL training and program improvement activities. Funds may be used to support participation in external training activities and in support of internal program improvement meetings and activities. Upon receipt of a Letter of Intent for this priority, the Bureau will provide interested agencies an eligibility description and guidelines for completing a short narrative and a budget form.
III. General Instructions
A. This is a competitive grant process. Eligible applicants include State educational agencies, local educational agencies and public and private nonprofit agencies, organizations and institutions. Funding will be for programs accomplished during the period July 1, 1998, through June 30, 1999.
B. A minimum of 25% nonFederal/nonState funds is required as a local match for the grant. This local match may be cash or in-kind.
C. Applications within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for grants under Section 353 of the Adult Education Act are screened and evaluated at the Department by a Section 353 Task Force made up of experts in the adult education field. Proposals with merit which have the most potential of achieving high priority objectives of the Adult Education Act and the Pennsylvania Adult Education Plan at the most reasonable cost will be funded, subject to the availability of funds.
D. Applications must address only one of the priorities listed in the priorities in Section II. Any application which addresses more than one priority will not be considered for funding.
E. Prior to submitting an application for a Special Demonstration Project, applicants should review the literature that relates to a potential project using the appropriate State Literacy Resource Center (AdvancE or Western Pennsylvania State Literacy Resource Center) to ensure the uniqueness or applicability of the proposed project. The results of this review must be addressed in the application.
F. Section 353 proposals also should be reflective, as much as possible, of the goals, objectives and activities of the Pennsylvania--Adult Education State Plan: Fiscal Years 1990-94. Applicants should consult this plan as they prepare proposals. Copies of the plan are available at the State Literacy Resource Centers.
G. For the purposes of these Section 353 Funds, an adult is defined as an out-of-school youth who is 16 years of age or older. Adult Basic Education (ABE) encompasses instruction at the 0-8 grade level; General Educational Development (GED) encompasses instruction to enable undereducated adults to successfully pass the GED test; (9-12 grade level) and English As a Second Language (ESL) encompasses instruction of English to adults whose primary language is not English.
H. Prospective applicants who desire application forms, and application guidelines, should request those materials by submitting a letter of intent to apply for a grant to the following address by March 27, 1998 (proposal will be due May 8, 1998). The letter of intent should state which priority in Section II and the particular topic the applicant intends to address in the proposal and include a one sentence description of the purposes of the project. A letter of intent must be submitted for each separately proposed project application. These letters of intent may not be faxed to the Bureau. Upon receipt of the letter of intent at the Bureau, the applicant will be provided a copy of the guidelines to use in the preparation of the application.
Chief, Special Programs and Projects Division, Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education, 333 Market Street, 12th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126- 0333.
EUGENE W. HICKOK,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 98-339. Filed for public inspection February 27, 1998, 9:00 a.m.]
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