Students & Families Adult Education
Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Clarification on Intensity for the Continuation Grant Application

April 21, 2009

Dear Program Directors and Workforce Development Partners,

This email is meant to provide clarification to the following excerpt from the continuation application's cover letter:

Please note a new emphasis in FY2010 on providing greater access to intensive instructional services to students who can benefit from such services. This year, Community Adult Learning Center programs (Fund Codes: 340 and 345) are asked to respond to questions about increased intensity in the Part III - Required Program Information section. To address challenging economic times and to respond to community needs such as rising unemployment rates, layoffs, and jobs demanding higher skills, this refunding application includes the option of regulatory flexibility in specific areas for programs that are able to increase instructional intensity. To allow programs to offer one or more classes of nine hours or more of instruction per week, ACLS has modified some of the program planning regulations, for example:

1. Approving consolidating or eliminating summer classes
2. Waiving all but the first sequence of three levels
3. Approving new Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) for part of the one required sequence of three levels
4. Waving the 20% cap on non-rates classes
5. Waving the 32-week requirement (while maintaining minimum 150 hours/year)

Community Adult Learning Centers that would like to increase intensity, but are unable to increase class instruction to the minimum of nine hours per week, should contact their Program Specialist to discuss their options.

Programs are not mandated to increase intensity. Only programs that plan on increasing intensity, but are unable to increase class instruction to the minimum of nine hours per week, should contact their Program Specialist to discuss their options.

Thank - you,
Anne Serino