FY2020: Workplace Education Planning Grant

Fund Code: 494

Purpose:

Workplace Education Planning Continuation Grants are designed for partnerships among education providers, business partners and unions (where the workforce is unionized) to identify needs for instructional services for adult incumbent workers who must:

1. Be at least 16 years of age; and
2. Not be not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law, and:
   • Do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and have not achieved an equivalent level of education (i.e., lack the level of reading, writing, and/or computation skills expected of a high school graduate even if they already possess a high school diploma) as shown on an assessment; or
     Are basic skills deficient if they have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent (Note: Students who possess a high school credential must assess at or below 12.9 grade level equivalent (GLE) in reading, writing, or Math and seek to maintain work certification and/or pursue postsecondary education or training in order to be eligible.) (Note: Priority of services must be given to adults without a high school credential.); or
   • Are English language learners.

Priorities:

Priorities are to support applicants that propose to:

• Provide evidence of an employer and education provider partnership.
• Develop a plan and timeline to conduct a Workplace Needs Analysis (WNA).
• Include a variety of perspectives through participation in the WNA.
• Integrate ABE/ESOL with industry skills training/work readiness to develop increased economic self-sufficiency and a more productive workforce.
• Provide evidence of outreach to the local Workforce Area in which the business partner is located and demonstrate alignment with the local WIOA plans.
• Demonstrate past effectiveness in improving the English communication skills, literacy and or numeracy of eligible individuals by means of contextualizing curriculum and instruction.
• Ensure that participants progress through the National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels by offering scheduled educational activities of sufficient intensity and quality, which (a) align with the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education, (b) are based on rigorous research, (c) include the essential components of reading, (d) may include math instruction for English language learners, and, where possible, effectively use technology so that participants develop their digital literacy skills.
• Deliver activities supported by a solid organizational capacity (including providing equitable working conditions), highly qualified educational leaders and well-trained instructors who have access to high quality professional development.
  
  
• Accelerate the attainment of student outcomes, especially educational functioning level completion in the target skill area, and/or high school equivalency credential attainment.
• Engage in continuous improvement planning to enhance the quality of the services provided and determine that student and program outcomes have been met.

Eligibility:

This is a continuation grant. Three eligible recipients are those programs initially funded in FY19 and for whom FY20 is the second year of the three-year grant. See list below.

All three eligible recipients must document evidence of continuing need for Adult Basic Education instruction in the workforce.

The following three workplace education partnerships are eligible to apply for the grant awards listed.

Workplace Education Partnership	FY 20 Grant Award
Asian American Civic Association and Tufts Medical Center	$68,305
North Shore Community College and North Shore Medical Center	$94, 274
Quincy Asian Resources and China Pearl	$37,702

Funding Type:

Fund Code 494: Federal CFDA: 84.002
Fund Code 538: State

Funding:

Approximately $139,000 is available for the three grantees. All recipients awarded in the FY 19 Open and Competitive process are eligible to apply. FY 20 is the second year of the three-year grant.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding is to become available, it will be distributed under the same guideline as listed in the initial RFP document.

Fund Use:

Funds must be used for collaborations between/among an education provider and a business or consortia of businesses.

Funds must be used in accordance with the Massachusetts Guidelines for Effective Workplace Education Partnerships to provide adult education to eligible students.

Not less than 95 percent of funds must be spent on adult education direct services and literacy activities; not more than 5 percent may be spent on administrative costs (related to planning, administration, (including carrying out performance accountability requirements), professional development, providing adult education and literacy services in alignment with local workforce plans, carrying out one-stop partner responsibilities, and state approved indirect costs charged to the grant.

Programs may negotiate a higher administrative cost percentage by submitting a written request and rationale with application. The state will not grant administrative cost requests that exceed 25% of grant funds (state requirement).

The Adult Education Services is a restricted rate program that is subject to a statutory "supplement not supplant" restriction. Grantees are required to use a restricted indirect cost rate of 8%, unless your calculated indirect cost rate is less than 8%, than you must use the lower rate for your budget. If you have an approved negotiated federal indirect cost rate, it must be submitted to DESE. If you do not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement, you must apply annually to DESE for an approved indirect cost rate. The indirect cost rate is calculated using costs specified in the grantee's indirect cost plan. Those specified costs may not be charged as direct costs to the grant or to any other grant under any circumstances.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 8/31/20

Subject to continued budget appropriation, grantees will be eligible for a final year of continuation funding in FY21

Program Unit:

Adult and Community Learning Services

Contact:

Derek Kalchbrenner
Phone Number: (781) 338-3812

Date Due:

Friday, June 21, 2019

Required Forms:

Part I — General — Signatory Page

Part II — Budget and Match Narrative (designed by applicant)

Part III — Required Program Information

Schedule B if needed

Memorandum of Agreement

Workplace Education Statement of Assurances

General Education Protection Act (GEPA) Form

ISA Budget / EdGrants Budget Crosswalk (only for entities who require ISAs).

Additional Information:

Letter from AE State Director

Negotiation for Admin Costs (if needed)

Massachusetts Guidelines for Effective Workplace Education Partnerships

Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers of Adult English Speakers of Other Languages

Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education

College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education

Massachusetts Indicators of Program Quality for Workplace Education

Workplace Education Recommended Readings

This information is intended for state entities who require ISAs as part of their grant award process. Not intended for Private or Community Based Organizations.

ISA process timeline

MA Expenditure Classification Handbook

MA Comptroller's Office Fringe Information

ISA and EdGrants Amendment Requirements

Submission Instructions:

Grantees must use the online grants information system; no paper submissions will be accepted.

Submit all required grant materials through EdGrants.

In EdGrants, applicants are required to create and name the project. Please use the following naming convention for your "Applicant Project Name" in EdGrants:

FY20 494/538 (full legal name of program) (no acronyms, please)

All required forms should be uploaded in the Attachments List formlet of the Application Submission. This includes a signed / scanned PDF of Part I / Coversheet with CEO/Superintendent/Executive Director signature.

For detailed instructions, please see review the EdGrants Front Office User Guide: How to Apply .

Please note: The program must determine who to add as users of EdGrants in order to submit grant application as well as for payment request information. Please review the EdGrants: User Security Controls to make informed decisions regarding assigning your EdGrants level users.

Last Updated: June 5, 2019