AELA Funding Opportunity FAQ - 2023-2025

Purpose

This page provides answers to questions submitted by prospective AELA grantees.

FAQs will be posted as questions are received by AEI. Please check back regularly for updates.

Application Logistics

Q: Where are the technical assistance webinar recording and PowerPoint presentation slides located?

A: (Posted 01-28-22) The webinar recording and presentation slides from the technical assistance webinar that took place on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 are both available on the Prospective Grantees webpage, and also linked here for convenience - Recording (Passcode: 79mkri&h); Presentation (PDF)

Q: On page 5 of the Request for Applications, it states, “Public or private non-profit agencies must submit proof of nonprofit status (from the Internal Revenue Service) and evidence of financial stability (most recent two years’ annual reports and audits).” Our organization’s reports/audits are really long (35+ pages each). Should we include them in the single PDF?

A: Yes, applicants should include the most recent two years’ annual reports and audits in the single application PDF, regardless of the length of those documents.

Q: Does an institution of higher education need to provide proof of nonprofit status?

A: No, an institution of higher education does not need to provide proof of nonprofit status.

Q: May a deadline extension be granted? The board that oversees our organization will not be meeting until after the application deadline so signatures cannot be collected prior to the application deadline.

A: No, there are no extensions to the application deadline as there are timelines outlined in the state board for the application process that must be followed. An application, however, may be submitted without signatures. As outlined on page 12 of the Request for Applications, “If the grant application is approved, funding will not be awarded until all signatures are in place. Please attempt to obtain all signatures before submitting the application. The signatures...may be original, electronic or with attached email approval.” If a signature is obtained after the application is submitted, the applicant should place the relevant signed page (or the email showing approval) in the application Syncplicity folder and email AEI@cde.state.co.us and CompetitiveGrants@cde.state.co.us to notify CDE.

Q: I am working on finalizing locations for the grant application, but I may not know every exact location at the time I submit the application. May locations in the 2022-23 AELA 22-23 Locations Staff Partner Lists 01-14-22 be modified later?

A: Yes, location changes may be submitted to AEI throughout the grant cycle.

Q: How often do we have to post-test learners? Do we have to offer post-testing every month or what makes sense instructionally?

A: Grantees should schedule post-testing based on the number of instructional hours provided in the program and when learners would reasonably be able to meet the minimum number of instructional hours. As outlined in the 2022-23 AELA Assessment Assurances, “Learners are not eligible to post-test until they complete an appropriate number of instructional hours per content area. The state assessment policy allows grantees to set the hours threshold at which they will consider learners to be post-test eligible within the test publishers recommended range...indicate...whether or not the grantee will set post-testing thresholds higher than the publishers’ minimums of 40-60 instructional hours in the content area for any groups of learners (i.e. levels, subject areas, learner with attendance challenges, etc.) within the program year.”

Q: We are considering proposing two part-time staff to work on the AELA grant as the work will be a team effort. Does AEI view having two part-time staff running the grant as a disadvantage (as compared to having one dedicated full-time staff member)?

A: No, there is no disadvantage to having multiple part-time staff instead of fewer full-time staff. Neither the statute nor the State Board rules state a preference for part-time or full-time staff.

Q: If an applicant is unable to obtain a signature prior to the application due date, such as on Part IE: Financial Management Survey, may the applicant submit the application without a signature?

A: Yes, an application may be submitted without signatures. As outlined on page 12 of the Request for Applications, “If the grant application is approved, funding will not be awarded until all signatures are in place. Please attempt to obtain all signatures before submitting the application. The signatures...may be original, electronic or with attached email approval.” If a signature is obtained after the application is submitted, the applicant should place the relevant signed page (or the email showing approval) in the application Syncplicity folder and email AEI@cde.state.co.us and CompetitiveGrants@cde.state.co.us to notify CDE.

Q: In the Staff List sheet of the AELA 22-23 Locations Staff Partner Lists Excel workbook, should I list staff (such as Program Director and Program Manager) even if costs are not paid for by the grant? My reason for including them is that these positions have direct oversight of the grant program and may act as one or more of the required contacts, like the LACES Administrator and Accessible Design Coordinator.

A: Yes, please list staff members that are directly related to the grant in the Staff List sheet even if they are not directly funded by the grant, such as if a staff member will act as one or more of the required contact types.

Q: In the Staff List sheet of the AELA 22-23 Locations Staff Partner Lists Excel workbook, what does “Part Time” and “Full Time” in Column C mean? Does that refer to the amount of time the employee listed will dedicate to AELA activities, or to the category of employee? As an example, the Adult Education Manager is full time but will only be dedicating part of her time to the AELA grant.

A: Column C refers to the category of employee, so whether or not that employee is employed part time or full time by the applicant organization. In the scenario above, the Adult Education Manager would be coded as full time in the Staff List sheet.

Q: In Part ID: General Program Assurances Form, item number 14 is: "Comply with all state policies and requirements." How does this affect COVID requirements about vaccination and mask wearing by instructors and program participants?

A: COVID-19 policies and requirements are determined by local county health departments, unless the governor issues an executive order that all Coloradans would need to abide by.

Q: For organizations that are or were federal AEFLA grantees, they may have obtained approval from the CDE Office of Adult Education Initiatives to use particular distance learning platforms. How will AELA applicants obtain approval for distance learning platforms?

A: Any applicant that wishes to use distance learning platforms may mention those platforms in their application. Should an applicant be awarded funds, the applicant will be asked to complete a distance learning approval form as part of the application required changes process.

Q: Is the Table of Contents only supposed to capture the information that goes into the “Adult Education and Literacy Act Grant Application Narrative” single PDF, or, should it also encompass all of the attachments that will be sent separately as their own documents?

A: The Table of Contents should only include the following items that are part of the “Adult Education and Literacy Act Grant Application Narrative” single PDF (Request for Applications page 13):

Part IA: Cover Page: Applicant Information and Proposed Services
Part IB: Workforce Development Partnership Signature Page OR Part IC: Education Attainment Partnership Signature Page
Part ID: General Program Assurances Form
Part IE: Financial Management Survey
Proof of Non-Profit Status from the Internal Revenue Service [for applicable organizations]
Evidence of financial stability (most recent two years’ annual reports and audits) [for non-profit organizations only]
Executive Summary
Application Narrative responding to the selection Criteria in the Evaluation Rubric

The following attachments that will be sent separately should not be included in the Table of Contents (Request for Applications page 13):

22-23 AELA Accessible Design Assurances (Word)
22-23 AELA Assessment Assurances (Word)
22-23 AELA Attendance Assurances (Word)
22-23 AELA Budget (Excel)
22-23 AELA Local Data Assurances (Word)
22-23 AELA Locations, Staff and Partners Lists (Excel)
22-23 AELA Outcomes & Progress Measures (Excel)
22-23 AELA Program Income Assurances (Word)

Q: Do applicants have to cite works? If so, may they be done as endnotes so they don’t count toward the 15-page narrative limit?

A: As outlined on page 26 of the Request for Applications, “Applicants may consider incorporating data and research (qualitative and quantitative) into their responses,” but they are not required to do so. If applicants choose to cite works, they may be done as endnotes so they don’t count toward the 15-page narrative limit.

Q: If an applicant is applying as an educational attainment partnership and also has additional partners beyond the two required partner types, are signatures from the additional partners required on the “Part IC: Education Attainment Partnership Signature Page?”

A: No, signatures are not required for additional partners beyond the required partner types on Part IC.

Q: Will AELA grantees be subject to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?

A: As outlined on the CDE Data Privacy webpage, CDE, and CDE grantees, follow multiple laws that affect the Privacy of Coloradans, including:

The state Student Data Transparency and Security Act (PDF) (HB 16-1423; C.R.S.23-16-101 et seq.)
FERPA
The state Data Breach Notification Law (PDF) (HB 18-1128

The CDE Data Privacy webpage goes on to explain that, in addition to the Student Data Transparency and Security Act (HB 16-1423; C.R.S.23-16-101 et seq.), Colorado Schools and Parents also rely heavily upon the Privacy Guidance offered by FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act). FERPA, a Federal Law, was enacted by Congress in 1974 (November 19, 1974) to protect the privacy of students and their parents. The act is designed to ensure that students and parents of students may obtain access to the student's educational records and challenge the content or release of such records to third parties. Based on the age of the adult learners participating in AELA programs, and anything in state law that may supersede FERPA, not all elements may be relevant to AELA grantees. Grantees should also check with their parent organization about FERPA requirements as the parent organization may require FERPA compliance.

Q: Do we submit the Letter of Intent to AEI@cde.state.co.us?

A: As outlined on page 11 of the Request for Applications, state AELA application Letters of Intent are being collected via this form so the relevant contact information is collected from each proposed applicant.

Q: Are typed electronic signatures acceptable for all forms? Or is a scanned “wet” signature required?

A: Typed electronic signatures are acceptable for all forms; as outlined on page 12 of the Request for Applications, “The signatures on the contact pages and the assurances may be original, electronic or with attached email approval.”

Q: If offering English as a Second Language (ESL) or Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary Education classes – are there any requirements for weekly hours of instruction and/or length of classes?

A: There is no requirement for a minimum number of weekly hours of instruction nor minimum class length time for the AELA grant, but as outlined in the Attendance Assurance, “the grantee must ensure that programming is of sufficient intensity (such as hours of instruction per month) and duration (the months of engagement in services) for students to make progress toward the outcomes.” The Attendance Assurance goes on to say, “If providing instruction, the grantee must ensure that learners are able to meet the required hours of instruction for post-testing (as outlined in the Local Assessment Assurances) within a given term.” CDE will be reviewing the number of hours in a term for any classes outlined in the AELA 22-23 Locations Staff Partner Lists Excel spreadsheet to make sure it meets what is outlined in the Attendance Assurance.

Q: If offering ELA or ABE/ASE classes – are they any requirements for open enrollment versus managed enrollment for classes?

A: There is no requirement for managed enrollment versus open enrollment for the AELA grant.

Q: Are there questions for the narrative portion of the application?

A: Per page 13 of the Request for Applications, the reviewers will consider how well the applicant responds to the "the selection Criteria in the Evaluation Rubric [scored and has a 15-page limit]." The narrative portion can be structured in whatever way the applicant feels best responds to the rubric criteria.

Application Scoring

Q: Is other published research considered in the narrative - not just from the RFA?

A: Applicants may use resources beyond those listed in the RFA in the narrative response.

Q: Does the proposed program need to be self-sustaining? Do applicants need to outline how the program will continue on after the three year AELA grant cycle?

A: No, applicants do not need to outline how the program will continue after the four year AELA grant cycle. Neither the statute nor the State Board rules require applicants to write about program sustainability.

Purpose

Q: How is the state Adult Education and Literacy Act (AELA) grant different from the federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)?

A: Some of the biggest differences between the state AELA grant and the federal AEFLA grant are (please note, this is not an exhaustive list):

AELA Applicants must be part of either a workforce development partnership or an educational attainment partnership (AEFLA does not require these types of partnerships; instead AEFLA grantees must be part of the state’s talent development ecosystem).
Unlike AEFLA, AELA funding is not distributed by local workforce development areas/sub-areas.
AELA applicants have more flexibility than AEFLA grantees in choosing their own performance outcomes and interim progress measures (all AEFLA grantees have to report the same data). Some of the AELA performance outcomes and interim progress measures are required based on how each partnership type is defined in statute.
AELA grantees may report on both current adult learners and program alumni. On the other hand, there are very limited cases defined by the federal government where adult learners may be counted after exiting an AEFLA program.
AELA applicants do not need to demonstrate prior experience at any specific level (AEFLA applicants had to demonstrate a combined 33% educational functioning level gain and high school equivalency attainment with learners); the state AELA statute instead outlines that, “At a minimum, each applicant must…Demonstrate that it is an experienced adult education provider with a strong record of providing education, career, and supportive service navigation to assist adult learners in attaining employment, enrolling in postsecondary education, engaging in civic activities, or supporting their own children or children for whom they provide care in achieving academic success,” (§ -10--104(2)(b)(I), C.R.S.).
AELA funds may be used to pay for adult learner assessments, including the GED and HiSET (AEFLA funds may be used to pay for high school equivalency practice tests, but not for the actual high school equivalency tests themselves).
AELA grantees must serve adults ages 17 and older; federal AEFLA grantees may only serve 16 year-olds if they meet one of three exception criteria.

Eligibility

Q: If we are not a current AELA grantee, may we still apply?

A: (Posted 01-28-22) Yes, the only eligible applicants are organizations that are not current AELA grantees.

Q: Is this additional funding for a new cohort of AELA participants or can existing AELA grantees apply for the funds?

A: The current Request for Applications is open to applicants who are not currently receiving AELA funds because a portion of the HB21-1264 funds are already being utilized to fully fund existing 2021-25 AELA grantees. Depending on the total amount requested in applications that score at the fundable level, there may be opportunities for existing 2021-25 AELA grantees to receive additional funding.

Q: Is this additional funding for a new cohort of AELA participants or can existing AELA grantees apply for the funds?

Q: The attendance assurance states that learners may not be enrolled in public or private secondary schools. Currently, we don't directly ask students if they are not enrolled in a public, private or secondary school. We just assume that they are not, because students reach out to us because they weren't doing well in public/private secondary school and want to get their GED instead, or they are adults and aren't within secondary school age. With the new grant, will we need to ask learners this information?

A: Yes. The statute defines "eligible adult" as a person who: is at least seventeen years of age; is not enrolled in a public or private secondary school; and lacks a high school diploma or its equivalent or is in need of English language instruction; or lacks sufficient mastery of the basic literacy and numeracy skills necessary to enable the person to function effectively in the workplace (§22-10-103(3), C.R.S.). To ensure grantees are meeting the statute they will need to ask relevant questions to collect this information during intake and orientation.

Q: May one organization submit two applications, one as a workforce development partnership and one as education attainment partnership?

A: Yes, one organization may submit two applications; neither the statute nor the State Board rules prohibit an eligible adult education provider from submitting more than one application.

Q: On page 1 paragraph 2 it states “The State Board of Education, in awarding grants, may give preference to adult education programs that serve populations that are underserved by federal funding.” If we are serving students with Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) dollars, are the students considered underserved even though AEFLA dollars are Federal? Is there a definition or a resource that identifies “underserved by federal funding”?

A: §22-10-104(1)(c), C.R.S. states that “In awarding grants payable from state appropriations, the state board may give preference to adult education programs that serve populations that are underserved by federal funding.” Neither the statute nor the State Board rules further define “underserved by federal funding.” Applicants have the ability to explain how students may be underserved by federal funding on Part IA: Cover Page - Applicant Information and Proposed Services, and, if the applicant wishes to elaborate on the information provided on the Cover Page, may do so in the Executive Summary. Adult education programs that serve students with AEFLA funds may be considered programs that serve populations underserved by federal funding. When conducting stakeholder meetings for the AELA rules, stakeholders in attendance commented that, even if a program is receiving federal AEFLA funding, students in the program may be underserved if the program does not have enough financial or instructional capacity to offer additional services to meet student needs. For example, if an AEFLA-funded program only receives federal funding for English as a second language services and there is a need for local adult secondary education (ASE) services, then the population in need of ASE may be considered underserved by federal funding.

Q: Are non-credit English as a second language (ESL) programs, such as non-credit courses at a community college, allowable under this grant?

A: Yes, non-credit ESL programs are allowable under this grant. As outlined on page 8 of the Request for Applications: Adult education and literacy programs are defined as “programs that provide...English as a second language instruction” (§22-10-103(1), C.R.S.). Further, § 22-10-103(3)(c)(II), C.R.S states that eligible adults are those who “...are in need of English language instruction.”

Fiscal and Budget

Q: Should we include budgets for all three years? If so, does the budget summary sheet update just year 1?

A: (Posted 03-09-22) The Excel budget template provided is only for one year of the grant cycle. The amount should reflect the amount you will need per year of the grant, not the total of all years of the grant cycle. You only need to include the budget for year 1 in the application.

Q: The notice states a requirement to submit two years of audits to apply. Is that a firm requirement or will a financial history suffice?

(Posted 02-18-22) The requirement that applicants provide two years of financial audits comes from Uniform Grant Guidance, which is part of the federal grant requirements that the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) funding source must comply with. The AELA grant receives its funding from the SLFRF portion of the American Rescue Plan, and is therefore subject to Uniform Grant Guidance §200.501, so all non-federal applicants that expend $750,000 or more in federal awards per fiscal year must submit two years of audits as part of the application process to demonstrate compliance with Uniform Grant Guidance.

Q: Are the $50,000-100,000 funds per fiscal year, or is that the total amount awarded over a 3-year period?

(Posted 02-17-22) A: AEI anticipates awarding $50,000-$100,000 to new grantees each year of the 3-year grant period.

Q: Would an allowable use of funds be to cover instructor pay in a program, specifically to expand our services to more times to better serve our community? Would that be considered an administrative cost?

(Posted 02-17-22) A: Yes, salaries for instructors who will teach AELA classes and/or work with AELA learners are considered an allowable use of funds. Instructor salaries are not considered administrative costs. They would be coded as Inst. - Salaries (0100) in the budget template.

Q: Will there be funds for another RFA in 2024?

A: At this time, AEI has not been made aware of additional funding for adult education to be released in 2024.

Q: Is rent an allowable expense for the budget?

A: Yes, rent is an allowable expense. In the AELA application budget template, worksheet 3-Budget Detail, applicants would use the “Instructional - Other (0800)” budget object code for rent expenses.

Q: We can estimate how much we would spend on things that are related to the number of adult learners in the program in a given year, such as curriculum workbooks, but the number of adult learners may be different than our estimate. Is a grantee able to revise the budget?

A: Yes, grantees may revise the budget during each grant year. There is a deadline by which budget revisions may be made within a program year, usually April 30th of each year.

Q: What budget object code should be used for the staff member of a partner organization that is doing administration oversight and staff professional development on a contract basis?

A: In the scenario outlined above the contractor would be labeled as the “Administration - Other Purchased Services (0500)” budget object code.

Q: If our agency is not listed as an agency on Tab 7 - Codes of the budget worksheet, how do we enter our information?

A: If your agency is not listed on Tab 7 – Codes of the budget worksheet, you will type your agency name into cell C5 on Tab 2 – Cover Page.

Q: If an organization receives federal AEFLA funding and then is also awarded state AELA funds from this competition, may the organization make changes to the AEFLA budget, in particular changing funding sources for different staff salaries, or would that be supplanting funds?

A: Yes, an organization that receives both AEFLA and AELA funds may make changes to the AEFLA-funded salaries upon receiving the AELA award, provided that AELA funds are used for an expansion of some kind (e.g., additional services, more seats for learners, additional staff training). 1 CCR 301-98, Rule 2.03.8 states that an AELA application must include, “An explanation of the cost of the instructional and student support program that the applicant plans to implement using the grant money and an explanation of how grant funding will be used to supplement and not supplant any funding currently being used on workforce preparation activities.” “Workforce preparation activities” are not defined in the state law nor the state board rules.

Q: If an applicant wishes to include funds to pay for a Data Manager's salary in the AELA budget, would the data manager be coded as instructional or administration in the budget? In this scenario, the Data Manager would be entering adult learner information into LACES.

A: No, a Data Manager with the responsibility of entering adult learner information into LACES should be coded as “Support - Salaries (0100),” not administration.

Q: Will the LACES subscription be provided by CDE or does the subscription cost need to be included in the budget?

A: CDE is purchasing LACES for all grantees, so funding for a LACES subscription does not need to be included in the budget.

Q: Is there a matching requirement with this grant?

A: There is not a funding match requirement with this grant.

Q: May AELA funds be used as matching funds for other federal awards an applicant receives?

A: AELA funds may not be used as matching funds for the federal AEFLA grant. If an AELA grantee wishes to use AELA funds as matching funds for other, non-AEFLA, federal awards, the grantee would need to review the documentation associated with that particular grant. Please note that on page 9 of the Request for Applications it states, “pursuant to 1 CCR 301-98, Rule 2.03.8, funds for the AELA program must supplement and not supplant any funding currently being used on workforce preparation activities.”

Q: When teachers are providing adult education instruction, what is the correct budget object code?

A: If a teacher is providing instruction to adult learners, the correct budget object code would be “Inst. - Salaries (0100),” or “Inst. - Employee Benefits (0200),” depending on the type of proposed expenditure.

Q: Do teacher salaries count as administrative costs?

A: No, salaries for instructional staff that are working directly with learners would have the “Inst. - Salaries (0100)” budget object code (or “Inst. - Employee Benefits (0200),” depending on the type of proposed expenditure). As outlined on page 9 of the Request for Applications, administrative costs are “costs that do not directly involve a learner, but instead support the program delivery and development activities. It includes but is not limited to planning; administration (including performance accountability); professional development; and promoting co-enrollment.”

Q: What budget object code should be used for outreach services (such as printing outreach materials)?

A: Outreach services would be in the labeled as the “Support - Other (0800)” budget object code

Q: Are translation services (for flyers, translators, etc.) allowable expenses? If so, what would the correct budget category be?

A: Yes, translation services are allowable expenses under the AELA grant. The budget object category depends on the type of translation services. For example, if a grantee is printing flyers, those would be considered advertising and would be labeled with the “Administration - Supplies (0600)” budget object code. If there is live translation happening with learners (e.g., in the classroom, during orientation), that would be considered an Instructional expense. More information about allowable AELA expenses may be found in the Fiscal Definitions section of the Grantee Handbook.

Q: Is navigation an allowable expense? If so, what is the correct budget object code?

A: Yes, navigation is an allowable expense under the AELA grant and is considered an instructional expense. The budget object code would be “Inst. - Salaries (0100)” to pay for the navigator’s salary. More information about allowable AELA expenses may be found in the Fiscal Definitions section of the Grantee Handbook.

General Performance Outcomes and Progress Measures

Q: On page six of the funding opportunity it seems to indicate that Education Attainment Partnerships have a list of nine possible performance outcomes to use, from which we are directed to choose two (also there are 11 outcomes described on the list, not nine as mentioned in the text). However, during the recent webinar on the grant, it seemed to be indicated that there were only three outcomes to choose from, of which two must be chosen.

(Posted 02-17-22) A: Those applying as Educational Attainment Partnerships (EAPs) must select a minimum of 2 out of these Outcomes options:

Post-test Educational Functioning Level (EFL) Gain,
Secondary Equivalent Credential Attainment,
Secondary Credential Attainment,
or 2-Generation Strategies.

Those applying as EAPs may also select additional, optional Outcomes:

Post-secondary Entrance,
Post-secondary Credential Attainment,
Military Entrance,
Obtaining Employment or Employment in an In-demand Sector or Industry,
Earning a Livable Wage or Leaving Public Assistance,
Work-Based Learning Completion,
Civic Engagement, and/or
Wrap-Around Services.

Q: Regarding the AELA performance outcomes and progress measures, are we required to achieve all of the progress measures listed under each performance outcome? Likewise, are we to create aspirational and threshold goals for the just the actual performance outcome or for each selected progress measure?

A: For any selected performance outcome, a grantee will be expected to make progress on that performance outcome. The applicant also selects the associated progress measures that they wish to track and work toward achieving. For example, if selecting Post-Secondary Entrance as a performance outcome, the applicant may select any one or more of the following associated progress measures: Taking an Admissions Tour; Completing an Academic/Career Interest Inventory; Completing an Enrollment Application; Applying for State of Federal Financial Aid; and/or Passing an Entrance Exam. Applicants are not expected to track nor achieve all of the progress measures listed under each performance outcome, it is up to them to determine which one or more they wish to work toward and be held accountable to achieving.

Applicants will set committed and aspirational goals for both progress measures and performance outcomes as follows. All applicant-selected progress measures are considered as one group and all applicant-selected performance outcomes are considered as a separate group for the purposes of goal-setting. This is shown at the bottom of the 4-WDP Selection and 5-EAP Selection worksheets in the 202221-2322 AELA Outcomes & Progress Measures Excel workbook:

Percent of learners who will achieve 3 or more Progress Measures from the options selected above in year 1 [this is 3 or more Progress Measures out of all of the total Progress Measures identified by the applicant in that same worksheet]
Percent of learners who will achieve 5 or more Progress Measures from the options selected above in year 1 [this is 5 or more Progress Measures out of all of the total Progress Measures identified by the applicant in that same worksheet]
Percent of learners who will achieve 1 or more Performance Outcomes from the options selected above in year 1 [this is 1 or more Performance Outcomes of all of the total Performance Outcomes identified by the applicant in that same worksheet]
Percent of learners who will achieve 2 or more Performance Outcomes from the options selected above in year 1 [this is 2 or more Performance Outcomes of all of the total Performance Outcomes identified by the applicant in that same worksheet]

Q: As outlined in (§2322-10-104(1)(c), C.R.S.), “A grant recipient that receives a multi-year grant must annually submit to the office the necessary information to determine whether the grant recipient is making sufficient progress toward achieving the goals of the adult education and literacy program that were specified in the grant application. If the office finds that a grant recipient is not making sufficient progress toward achieving the goals, the state board shall not renew the grant for subsequent fiscal years. How will “sufficient progress” be defined and measured? Is there a certain percentage of learners that meet performance outcome targets a grantee has to achieve each year?

A: As outlined in the “1-Rationale” sheet in the 2022-23 AELA Outcomes and Progress Measures Excel workbook, “Applicants will also set achievement rates for the percent of adult learners served who attain the outcomes and progress measures which the applicant selects from the menu of options. To support programs in setting both committed and aspirational goals, applicants will set an achievement rate target for outcomes and progress measures at a higher (aspirational) and lower (committed) threshold for the first year of the grant. These targets, established by the applicant, will be used in determining the effectiveness of each program that receives a grant as well as to determine whether the grant recipient is making sufficient progress toward achieving the goals of the adult education and literacy program that were specified in the grant application.” The percentage of learners that should meet progress measures and performance targets in the first year will be set by the applicant within the 2022-23 AELA Outcomes and Progress Measures Excel workbook, and in subsequent years within the continuation application.

Q: Most of the performance outcomes listed under Civic Engagement in the 2022-23 AELA Performance Outcomes and Progress Measures Excel workbook on worksheet 3-Definitions (row 40) may take a long time to accomplish, and some of them may not be relevant to the adult learners we plan to serve (e.g., we may serve adults that are already U.S. citizens with driver’s licenses, but we may want them to volunteer or participate in local meetings). If we select Civic Engagement as one of the allowable performance outcomes, do we have to meet all of the outcomes listed under it?

A: Applicants may choose which of the performance outcomes within Civic Engagement they wish to track and report progress on. Grantees may choose to add performance outcomes in future years of the grant.

Q: How should AELA grantees code funding streams in LACES? Are there rules around selecting “WIOA Title II – Approved” and “AELA Only (Not NRS Fundable)?”

A: Learners receiving services funded by AEFLA, federal, funds or any funds being used for AEFLA match, but not by any AELA, state, funds must be reported in LACES with the funding stream of “WIOA Title II - Approved.” Learners receiving services funded by AELA, state, funds but not by any AEFLA, federal, funds or any funds being used for AEFLA match must be reported in LACES with the funding stream of “AELA Only (Not NRS Fundable).” Any learners receiving services funded by both AEFLA, federal, funds or any funds being used for AEFLA match and AELA, state, funds must be reported in LACES with the funding stream of “WIOA Title II & AELA – Approved.” For learners in this third category the AEFLA funds / AEFLA match and AELA funds could be blended or could be used for discrete services the learner is receiving. In either case, if the services the learner is receiving are funded by both the state and federal grants, they must be reported under the combined, “WIOA Title II & AELA – Approved,” funding stream in LACES.

Q: If a training provider offers an industry recognized credential (i.e. CDL) but doesn’t require a high school diploma or equivalency to enroll, can it be considered a post-secondary credential attainment outcome?

A: Yes, a training program leading to an industry-recognized credential where the industry standard does not require a secondary school diploma or equivalent for employment can be used as a post-secondary education and training program under the AELA grant, and the industry-recognized credential earned during or at the end of the program can count as a post-secondary credential attainment outcome (as long as all required documentation about the credential is reported in LACES). Applicants are encouraged to work with partners within the Workforce Development System to research employment requirements for industries and credentials they are considering offering under the AELA grant program to ensure learners are earning all credentials necessary to enter into and advance along the career pathways within the industry.

Partnership

Q: We want to make sure that in enlisting possible partners we did not run into any conflicts with AEFLA funding. Is the AELA grant completely separate from AEFLA?

(Posted 02-17-22) A: The AELA grant is a separate grant from AEFLA. Note that AEFLA grantees are eligible to apply for AELA funds. For more information on the difference between AELA and AEFLA, please see the relevant FAQ under “Purpose” below.

Q: Do industry-recognized credentials count as "post-secondary credential attainment"?

A: Yes, industry-recognized credentials count as post-secondary credential attainment outcomes. As outlined in the “3-Definitions” sheet in the 2022-23 AELA Outcomes and Progress Measures Excel workbook, “Two and four year degrees and industry-recognized credentials from any post-secondary education or training institution will count as a positive outcome. Learners may be co-enrolled in AELA programming and services when they attain the post-secondary education or training program credential.”

Q: Do grantees have to use LACES as the data system of record?

A: As outlined in the Request for Applications on page 11, AELA grantees must use LACES. AEI has heard some concerns about requiring the use of LACES and those concerns were carefully considered when writing this Request for Applications. The ability to collect data about individual learners over time will allow AEI to show a more specific return on investment for the use of state funds. By using LACES this data collection will be done more consistently across all AELA grantees, allowing AEI to track progress over time. In addition, the statute requires the reporting of information required by Title II of the federal "Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (22-10-105(1)(c), C.R.S.); the federal grant has a large data reporting burden, so requiring the use of LACES was one of the ways AEI tried to create something that meets the statute but minimizes the data burden for individual grantees collecting the same information in the same way in the same system. The intention is to make the data burden as minimal as possible while simultaneously treating grantees equitably.

Data Management

Q: We are interested in applying for the state AELA grant, but are wondering about the requirement of entering student information in LACES. Can you tell me what kind of information needs to be entered (i.e. Name, DOB, address, etc.)?

A: Information entered into LACES can be found in the AELA 22-23 Local Data Assurances included in the AELA RFA. More detailed information on this data can be found in the following resources: