Literacy and WIOA
Brian Frazier
Talent Investment Agency
Office of Adult Education
Stuff to Know
 What’s different between WIA and WIOA?
 What are the new performance measures?
 One big, integrated workforce system
 Opportunities for literacy programs
Changes - WIA to WIOA
 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act of 2014
 Replaces the Workforce Investment Act
of 1998
 New grant competition for PY 2017-2018
Changes in Adult Education
and Literacy Activities
WIA
1. Adult Education
2. (English) Literacy
3. Workplace Literacy
4. Family Literacy
WIOA
1. Adult Education
2. Literacy
3. Workplace Adult
Education and Literacy
4. Family Literacy
5. English Language Acquisition
6. Integrated English Literacy and
Civics Education
7. Workforce Preparation Activities
8. Integrated Education
and Training
4
What is an English Language
Acquisition Program?
A program of instruction (a) That is designed to help eligible individuals who are English language learners
achieve competence in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension of the
English language; and
(b) That leads to-(i)(1) Attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent; and
(2) Transition to postsecondary education and training; or
(ii) Employment.
Preamble Discussion
 “We do not believe that the statutory
requirement that the English language
acquisition program must lead to . . . precludes
serving eligible individuals whose primary
motivation for participating in the program is to
support the educational development of their
children.”
Preamble Discussion
 “We believe that it is clear that English language
acquisition programs should not discourage or
exclude eligible individuals from participation,
regardless of whether they are seeking a
secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent, or transition to postsecondary
education or training or employment.”
Section 463.32
How does a program that is intended to be an English
language acquisition program meet the requirement
that the program lead to attainment of a secondary
school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
transition to postsecondary education and training or
leads to employment?
Three Options
1) Have implemented State adult education content standards that are
aligned with State- adopted challenging academic content standards, as
adopted under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA) as described in the State’s Unified or Combined State
Plan and as evidenced by the use of a State or local curriculum, lesson
plans, or instructional materials that are aligned with the State adult
education content standards; or
2) Offer educational and career counseling services that assist an eligible
individual to transition to postsecondary education or employment; or
3) Be part of a career pathway.
Integrated English Literacy and
Civics Education (IELCE) Services
a)
Education services provided to English language learners who are adults,
including professionals with degrees or credentials in their native
countries, that enable such adults to achieve competency in the English
language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to
function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States.
b) Integrated English literacy and civics education services must include
instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on
the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation and
may include workforce training.
Services provided with a General Instruction grant
WIOA Common
Performance Measures
1. Percentage of program participants in unsubsidized employment
during the 2nd quarter after exit
2. Percentage of program participants in unsubsidized employment
during the 4th quarter after exit
3. Median earnings during the 2nd quarter after exit from the program
4. Percentage of participants who obtain a postsecondary credential
or diploma during participation or within one year of exit
5. Percentage of participants achieving measurable skill gains
6. Effectiveness in serving employers
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Measurable Skill Gains
(MSG)
 Five types of gain to measure progress toward
academic, technical or occupation credential, or
employment
 Two types of gain apply to adult education:
(1)Educational functioning level gain—three ways to document EFL gain
(2)Receipt of a secondary credential
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Five Types of Measurable
Skill Gains for WIOA
Used in Title II
Measurable
Skill Gains
Secondary
diploma/
equivalent
Secondary or
postsecondary
transcript
Pre-post test
Educational
functioning‒l
evel gain
Completion
of Carnegie
Units
Progress
toward
milestones
Passing technical/
occupational knowledgebased exam
Program exit + entry
into postsecondary
education
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Educational Functioning
Level Gain
An educational functioning level (EFL) gain may be
measured by the following:
1. Comparing the participant’s pretest with the
participant’s posttest, using an NRS approved test
2. Awarding of Carnegie Units or credits in an adult
high school program
3. Enrollment in postsecondary education and training
after exit
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Counting Measurable Skill Gains
All participants are included for MSG for each period of participation.
Only one type of gain can be counted for each participant per period of
participation, the last achieved.
Entry into postsecondary education is measured only after participant exits.
Receipt of secondary credential and entry into postsecondary education must
occur by the end of the program year (June 30).
Participants in adult high school can complete Adult Basic Education
(ABE) Level 5 by earning enough Carnegie Units or credits to move to 11th- or
12th-grade status according to state rule.
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Measurable Skill Gains
What’s New?
EFL gain is expanded to include
postsecondary entry after exit for
all participants.
Receipt of a secondary diploma
counts as type of gain for any
participant
Entry into postsecondary and
receipt of a secondary diploma
counted until the end of the
program year (June 30).
Only one type of gain can count per
period of participation
What’s Not?
Pre- and posttesting, and
assessment procedures and policy,
remain the same.
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One Workforce System
Core partners include:
 Title I and Title III-Michigan Works! and reemployment services
 Title II-Adult education
 Title IV- Vocational Rehabilitation Services
One Workforce System
 Working towards common intake
 One set of performance measures for all core
partners
 Improves the connections to employment,
education and training opportunities that lead to
family sustaining employment
 Intended to increase access to services, including
support services, for those with barriers to
employment
Opportunities for Literacy
Organizations
 Partner with core partners to support individuals:
–
–
in adult education classrooms
in Michigan Works! programs
 Work with employers to provide workplace literacy
 Work with all WIOA partners to establish a system of
referrals
 Any examples programs want to share?
Questions?
Brian Frazier
[email protected]
Patty Higgins
[email protected]
RFP Questions
[email protected]