FY2023: Adult Education Virtual School System

Fund Code: 538

Purpose:

The purpose of this grant is to support a statewide Adult Education Virtual School (AEVS) system branded as MassLinks. All services must be delivered virtually.

The priority is to support one statewide stand-alone program that offers online adult basic educations services to eligible adult students annually throughout the Commonwealth.

The AEVS provider will recruit, intake, orient, enroll, instruct, assess, advise, and offer supportive services and post exit follow up to adult learners who are not served by programs currently funded by ACLS and/or whose need for services are not met by programs currently funded by ACLS.

Additionally, the provider will market, develop, manage, implement, and evaluate the AEVS.

The AEVS will:

1. assist eligible individuals in attaining a secondary school credential and in the transition to postsecondary education and training, including through career pathways;

2. assist eligible individuals to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency;

3. assist immigrants and other individuals who are English language learners— improving their reading, writing, speaking, and comprehensive skills in English; and mathematical skills;

4. assist eligible individuals who are parents or family members to a) obtain the education and skills that are necessary to become full partners in the educational development of their children and b) result in sustainable improvements in the economic opportunities for their family.

Requirements:

ACLS has not yet developed AEVS specific policies. While designed for Community and Adult Learning Centers, the FY19-FY23 Massachusetts Policies for Effective Adult Education should serve as a reference guide. The state reserves the right to (1) set policies and requirements to support the purpose and intent of the grant and (2) identify and apply state and federal regulations as needed.

The AEVS funds to be used to:

1. manage educational operations and deliver all services virtually to adult students across the state of Massachusetts.

2. deliver a program design which includes synchronous instruction and asynchronous instruction.

3. serve ASE students (NRS Levels ABE 5 and 6 ). Additional NRS Levels to be proposed by the applicant.

4. serve a minimum of 50 participants on a monthly basis.

Eligibility:

FY2023 is the first continuation year of the FY22 – FY24 funding cycle. The recipient awarded funding in the FY2022 open and competitive funding process is eligible to apply.

Funding Type:

State Fund Code 538: Adult Education Virtual School (AEVS)

Funding:

Approximately $1,000,000 of state funding is available to support the Adult Education Virtual School System services, subject to the appropriation of state and federal funds. See below.

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.

Mount Wachusett Community College

$1.000,000

Fund Use:

The provider selected would operate as a service provider under Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) funding whose charge is to provide adult basic education and English language skills acquisition to eligible students.

Eligible students are:

1. at least 16 years of age; and
2. not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law, and
3. do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent and have not an equivalent level of education or are basic skills deficient or are English language learners.

Applicants should use the FY19-FY23 Massachusetts Policies for Effective Adult Education as guidance until ACLS has developed policies specific to the AEVS System. Funds must be used to:

1. provide all virtual services described in the grant Purpose
2. develop and deliver virtual instructional services that are aligned with the Massachusetts Adult Education standards: CCRSAE and MA ELPS
3. deliver instruction that incorporates
   1. cultural competence
   2. diverse audiences
   3. need for multilingual support

Funds may not be used to support in person activities.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval (no earlier than 7/1/2022) through 6/30/2023

Program Unit:

Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Contact:

Paula Jurigian

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3837

Date Due:

Friday, June 3, 2022

Required Forms:

Required documents to be submitted through EdGrants:

• Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

• Part II — Budget Workbook — entered directly in EdGrants

• GEPA Statement

• Statement of Assurances

Required forms for Colleges/State Agencies Only:

In addition to the above documents, Required in EdGrants:

• FY2023: ISA Crosswalk Federal & State — State Colleges and Universities

• State Agencies with ISAs: Waiver filed with ANF to reduce the amount of indirect charged to these grant funds in MMARS. It is the responsibility of the applying entity that is a state agency to file an indirect waiver request with ANF and send a copy of the approved request to CTR. DESE cannot request indirect waivers on behalf of state agencies. (See Fund Use section for more info; See Additional Information for Colleges/State Agencies section for the ANF Waiver Request Form)

Additional Information for Colleges/State Agencies:

The information below is intended for state entities that 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:

All grant materials listed in the Required documents to be submitted through EdGrants section of this RFP must be submitted through EdGrants.

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

• FY23 538 ACLS (applicant's full legal name)

All items listed under the required forms section of this RFP should be uploaded / attached in the Attachments List formlet of the Application Submission in EdGrants. This includes a signed / scanned PDF of Part I (Part I signatures must be scanned uploads of wet signatures; we can also take electronic signatures such as Adobe or DocuSign, but we cannot take digital signatures where the name is typed in with script font). Coversheet with CEO/Superintendent/Executive Director signature. The final budget the applicant is requesting will be entered directly into EdGrants as part of the application submission process.

For Guidance Documents regarding EdGrants, visit EdGrants: User Guides and Information.

Please note: It is up to the applicant to determine who they want to add as EdGrants Front Office users to submit grant application as well as payment request information. Please review the EdGrants: User Security Controls to make informed decisions regarding assigning your district level users.

Last Updated: June 2, 2022