Adult Basic and Literacy Education(ABLE) Instructional
Grant and EL/Civics Grant –Bidders’ Conference
Denise Pottmeyer, State ABLE Director
Purpose of
Bidders’
Conference
Provide information about:
 Purpose of the grants
 Funding of the grants
 Eligibility of applicants and
students
 Key features of the grants
 Submission details
ABLE Background
What is
ABLE?
Authorized by
Title II-Adult Education and Literacy
section of the Workforce Investment
Act
ABLE is intended to:
assist adults to
become literate and
obtain the knowledge
and skills necessary
for employment and
self-sufficiency
ABLE is intended to:
assist adults who are parents
to obtain the educational
skills necessary to become
full partners in the
educational development of
their children
ABLE is intended to:
assist adults in the
completion of a
secondary school
education
ABLE is intended to:
prepare students to
transition to
postsecondary
education and
training
ABLE and
Ohio’s
Future
University System of Ohio
ABLE and
Ohio’s
Future
For the state of
Ohio to grow
and prosper, it
must raise the
education level
of its citizens.
ABLE and
Ohio’s
Future
Raising Ohio’s Educational Level
means–
More…..
BA and graduate degrees
Associate degrees
Apprenticeships
Skill certificates
ABLE Funding
and
Grant Requirements
Instructional
Grant
Funding
ABLE Funding Sources
Federal: Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act, Title II,
Workforce Investment Act
(PL 105-220)
State: General Revenue Funds
Instructional
Grant
Funding
FY 2010 Instructional Grant
Funding
Estimated total FY 2010 funding
for instructional grants:
$17.3 Million
Instructional
Grant
Funding
Of the $17.3 million
 $150,000 for distance
education Hubs
$1,230,000 for corrections
 Remainder to local programs
for Instructional Grants
Funds Available Based on Regional Needs
Eligible Applicants
Local education agencies
Institutions of higher education
Volunteer literacy organizations
Community-based organizations
Libraries
Public housing authorities
Other non-profit agencies
Eligible Applicants
Private nonprofit applicants need to
have 501(c)(3) status
501(c)(3) status must apply to
subcontractees also
Nondiscrimination
Policy
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Applicant shall not
discriminate on the
basis of gender, race, color,
age, and/or national origin in its adult
education and literacy programs,
activities, employment or admission
policies and practices
Student
Eligibility
 18 or older and not enrolled or
required to be enrolled in secondary
school
 16-17 year olds may be served if the
student:
• Has written evidence of an age and
schooling certificate and official
withdrawal from school or
• Written evidence of a high school diploma
Student
Eligibility
Lack the basic
skills to enable
effective
functioning in
society
Student
Eligibility
Lack of a secondary
school diploma or its
recognized equivalent
Student
Eligibility
Unable to speak,
read or write the
English language
Service
Components
Four REQUIRED service
components:
1. Basic Skills--for students
performing up to the 8.9 grade level
2. Advanced Skills—for students
performing between 9 and 12.9
grade level equivalent
Service
Components
3. English for speakers of other
languages
4. Transitions services as reflected
in the ABLE Transitions
Framework
Note: All ABLE funded programs
must offer transitions services
Service
Components
Exception for ESOL Service
If an applying agency has fewer
than 500 individuals in each of
the counties in its service area,
it may choose to request an
exemption
Service
Delivery
Optional Components
Family Literacy
Workplace Literacy
Corrections Education
Distance Education
Program-only
 Hub
Service
Delivery
Optional 1—a program (fiscal
agent) that
offers instruction in all four required
components
and
flows dollars to collaborating agencies
to provide additional instructional
services in its service area
The fiscal agent assumes responsibility
for:
monitoring services,
 maintaining ABLELink database,
 reporting and
other grant requirements
Advantage of Option 1—
Offers a way for smaller agencies and
programs to provide ABLE instructional
services without having direct
responsibility for State reporting and
other grant administrative functions
site
site
site
Fiscal
Agent
Collaborating
Agency 1
site
Collaborating
Agency 3
Collaborating
Agency 2
site
site
site
site
site
site
site
site
Service
Delivery
Optional 2—a program that
offers all four required
components through
its instructors and at its
sites
Example of Option 2 Program
ABE
ASE/GED
Transitions
ESOL
Family
Literacy
ABE
ASE/GED
ESOL
Transitions
ABE
ASE/GED
ESOL
Transitions
ASE/GED
Transitions
Advantage of Option 2—
Ensures that students within a service
area have access to all of the required
components through a program directly
or through a referral mechanism
To summarize—
 All ABLE programs must provide the four
required components, unless an
exemption is requested and granted from
the providing ESOL services
 All programs must provide transitions
services as reflected in the ABLE
Transitions Framework
Service
Delivery
Formal Partnership
arrangements with
other applicant
agencies may be
developed around
optional components
Service
Delivery
 Partnerships with other agencies
are strongly encouraged. These
may be formal or informal.
Examples—
 with colleges and universities
to further transitions initiatives
 with One-Stops and community
action agencies
Accountability:
Other
ABLE
Requirements  ABLE programs evaluated based upon
Core Indicators of Performance
 Local programs evaluated annually to
determine success in meeting the
minimum performance levels (See
Guidance for more information)
Other
ABLE
Requirements
Accountability:
 Future funding will depend on
programs’ ability to meet stateestablished performance levels
Other
ABLE
Requirements
Technology
Programs must have
or purchase
equipment that meets
the technology
requirements in
Appendix E of the
Guidance
Technology
Other
ABLE
Requirements
Programs must
have at least one
site with
technology and
connectivity to
offer instruction
Other
ABLE
Requirements
Technology
Applicants offering
distance education
must meet state
requirements for
curriculum and
personnel
preparation
Other
ABLE
Requirements
Facilities
 Must be in compliance with
Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990
 Must have appropriate exterior
and interior signage
Other
ABLE
Requirements
Facilities
 Must be safe
 Adult appropriate
 Student friendly
ABLE Instructional Grant
Instructional
Grant
Sections
Grant Parts
Part A: General Information
Part B: Enrollment Trends and
Projections
Part C: Needs Assessment
Part D: Program Components
Part E: Program Capacity and
Effectiveness
Instructional
Grant
Sections
Grant Parts
Part F: Program Design
Part G: Budget Narrative and
Budget Grid
Part H: Program Personnel
Part I: Instructional Sites
Part J: Assurances
Instructional
Grant
Sections
Grant Parts
Addendum A: Data Forms
Addendum B: Job Description
Addendum C: Map of Sites
Addendum D: Memorandum of
Understanding for Partnerships
Addendum E: Signature Page for
Collaborating Agencies
Add
IRN
No. if
you
have
one
Total
amount
should
equal total
on Budget
Grid
• EDR of fiscal
agent for the
grant
• All EDR’s served
• All counties
served
• Check service
option
• Name partners
 Make sure the dollars requested
match what appears on the Budget
Grid
Select the Service Option 1 or 2
Enter EDRs and counties to be served
List partners
 Provide all information
requested
 Double check entries for
accuracy
Applications will be judged on:
The completion and accuracy of
the information provided
Enrollment
Provide data on number of
students served in the past
Project number of students
who will be served
Data should be provided by
groups to be served-ABE,
ASE, ESOL
Enrollment
Enrollment
Calculate average cost
per student by:
Total Allocation
Requested
Total Projected
Enrollment
Use Excel Form for
Part B Enrollment
Trends and
Projections table
Enrollment
Applications will be judged on:
The reasonableness of projected
costs for services offered
Relation to average cost per pupil
Enrollment
Needs
Assessment
For each county where services will be
provided, indicate:
 Eligible population (18 and older
without a secondary credential)
 Projected enrollment
 Indicate the Economic Development
Region where county is located
Enrollment
Needs
Assessment
Needs
Assessment
Calculate the percent of eligible
population projected to be served
as follows:
Projected Enrollment
Eligible Enrollment
See Guidance, Appendix A
for Census information
EDR
County(ies) to be Served
Eligible Population
Projected Enrollment
1
Licking
17,367
500
1
Fairfield
12,327
400
10
Muskingum
12,486
400
42,180
1300
Projected enrollment
Eligible population
3%
Total
Percent of eligible population projected
to be served
Needs
Assessment
Applications will be judged on
The reasonableness of projected
enrollment in consideration of
need and funds requested
Program
Components
Three tables in this section
Table 1: Provide projected
enrollment for each required and
optional component that will be
offered
Both Option 1 and Option 2
applications complete the table
All required
should be
completed
Provide projected enrollment for
proposed optional components
Indicate
the name
of partner
and the
component
that it will
offer
Program
Components
Table 2:
Applicants list any partner who will
be providing a optional
component
Indicate
the name
of partner
and the
component
that it will
offer
Program
Components
Applications will be judged on

The completeness of the
information provided
 The availability of an attached MOU
for each partner listed
 The strength of the partnership
Program
Capacity and
Effectiveness
ABLE programs held to high
achievement standards
Minimum Performance Levels for
academic progress and goal
attainment for obtaining and retaining
employment placement in
postsecondary and GED obtainment
See Guidance, Appendix B
for MPLs for FY2009
Evaluated annually on a Desk Review
Program
Capacity and
Effectiveness
Current grantees must:
Describe experience providing adult
education services
Attach copies of Desk Review Data
Forms for FY2005, FY2006 and
FY2007
Program
Capacity and
Effectiveness
New applicants must
Describe up to three projects or
initiatives in delivering adult
education services
Program
Capacity and
Effectiveness
New applicants must
Describe experiences providing
adult education services to
eligible ABLE population within
the last three fiscal years
Program
Capacity and
Effectiveness
New applicants must
Provide evidence of student
achievement related to student
academic gains, obtaining the
GED, gaining and retaining
employment and placement in
postsecondary
Program
Capacity and
Effectiveness
New applicants must
Discuss specific strategies for
achieving the MPLs defined in
Appendix B of the ABLE
Instructional Grant Guidance
Level
completion
goals for
current year
(FY2009)
Option 1 applicants should include
information for every collaborating agency
that will be providing instructional
services.
If a current grantee, desk review data
forms should be provided; if new to ABLE,
the information new applicants provide
should be included.
Program
Capacity and
Effectiveness
Applicants will be judged on

Their experience serving adult
students particularly those eligible
for ABLE services
 Their documented effectiveness in
helping students make academic
gains, obtain and retain
employment, transition to
postsecondary and obtain the GED
Program
Design
Applicants
 Offer a description of how they will
operate their programs
 Provide information about each
component that will be pursued
 Respond to a series of action
steps for each strategy
Program
Design
Content for Program Design
 All strategies and action steps are
listed in Appendix C of the
Guidance
 Descriptive elements provide
guidelines for what should be
included in responses to the
action steps
Example: Strategy 3 Action Steps
Types of
information
that should
be included
in your
description
Component
Strategy
ABE
1. Improve basic skills and GED
attainment of ABE/ASE students
ASE
1. Improve basic skills and GED
attainment of ABE/ASE students
Program
Design
For Strategy 1, action steps
address:
Recruiting students
Orientation and goal setting
Assessments
Monitoring students' progress
Lesson planning
Program
Design
Stackable certificates
 Incorporating real-life contexts in
lessons
Utilizing evidence-based methods
 Utilizing various instructional
techniques and technology
Curriculum
Student record keeping capabilities
Program
Design
 How data from ABLELink will be
utilized
 Process for maintaining records
 Process for ensuring instructional
locations are safe
 How students will be helped to
access support services
Component
ESOL
Strategy
2. Improve listening, speaking,
reading and writing of ESOL
students
Program
Design
The action steps for Strategy 2 are
basically the same as those for
Strategy 1
Component
Transitions
Strategy
3. Assist students to obtain and
retain employment and to
transition to postsecondary
education/training.
Program
Design
Describe
 Partnerships to assist students to
transition
 Instructional strategies that will be used
 How the program will ensure that
students' employment and
postsecondary goals are current
Component
Family Literacy
Strategy
4. Increase parental involvement
in children's education and
literacy activities
Program
Design
Family literacy programs must have
four components
 Adult basic and literacy education
instruction for parents and/or caregivers
 Educational activities for their children
 Parenting instruction
 Parent and child together (PACT)
activities
Program
Design
Family literacy programs are
evaluated based upon:
 The increase in parents’ involvement in
their children’s education
 The increase in parents’ involvement in
children’s literacy activities
Program
Design
 List proposed partners for family literacy
and their contributions to the
partnership
 Indicate where instruction will occur,
what curriculum will be used, and how
instruction will be adjusted to meet the
needs of students in this component
Component
Workplace
Literacy
Strategy
5. Improve job-related skills
Program
Design
Workplace Literacy
Requires a formal agreement with
business, industry, government
and/or labor to improve the
productivity of the workforce through
improvement of literacy skills
Component
Corrections
Strategy
6. Improve basic skills for
criminal offenders in corrections
institutions
Program
Design
Corrections Education
Ohio supports corrections education
and has set aside $1.2 million, or
10% of the federal grant dollars,
the maximum allowed
Program
Design
Corrections Education
Funding will be limited to partnerships
that involve learners who will be
leaving the correctional institutions,
such as halfway houses, jails and
community-based correctional facilities,
within five years of receiving ABLE
services
Program
Design
Corrections Education
Projections for students served
should be reasonable and in line
with dollars requested for other
students
Component
Distance
Education
Strategy
7. Implement Distance Education
services for local programs’ ABLE
students.
Program
Design
Distance Education-two options
 Program only-programs provide
distance to own students
 Hub-program provides distance
education to its own students and to
students referred by other ABLE
programs
Program
Design
“Program Only” Distance
Component
Propose a plan for recruiting students
Identify curriculum to be utilized
 Indicate commitment for teacher to
undergo training in distance education
Identify any partners
Program
Design
Distance Hub
A program must have experience
providing distance education to
ABLE students either as a Hub or
an approved ABLE “Program
Only” component
Program
Design
Distance Hub
Programs without this experience
could apply for a “Program Only”
component and in subsequent
competitions be qualified to apply
to serve as a Hub
Program
Design
Consult Distance Education
Policy and matrix of currently
approved distance curriculum at
ABLE web site:
http://www.uso.edu/network/
workforce/rfps/
Other Grant Questions
Program
Design
Grant Support by Local Agency
 Indicate how your local agency will
contribute to the operation of the
grant
 Describe joint planning that will
occur
Program
Design
Partnership Commitment
 Describe your major partnerships with
other non-ABLE agencies, including
the purpose(s), customers served and
terms of your agreements
 A partnership is required with
postsecondary
Program
Design
Program Management
Describe your processes and
procedures to document student
and program performance
Program
Design
Program Management
Describe your processes and
procedures to document student and
program performance
Program
Design
Equitable Access
Describe the ways your program
will accommodate the special
needs of students
Program
Design
Equitable Participation
Many ABLE students have
special learning needs. Provide a
description of how your program
will adapt instructional services
to address those needs.
Program
Design
Professional Development
 Explain how will you and your
staff determine their professional
development needs
 Indicate how you will monitor
staff completion of professional
development obligations
Program
Design
Applicants will be judged on
The completeness of their plans
The quality of services proposed
 The likelihood that the plan will
lead to student academic and
goal achievement
The
Budget
Guidance contains
detailed information
about budget codes and
where expenses should be
properly placed
The five tables in the Budget
section are in the Excel forms
packet
No
funds
allowed
in Gray
Areas
Budget
 All costs should be rounded to
nearest whole dollar
 Not less than 85% of requested
dollars should be expended for
direct instructional purposes
 No more than 15% for
administrative costs
What are administrative costs?
Budget
Examples include:
Director's salary and benefits
Fiscal salary and benefits, other costs
Rent and custodial or security services
Administrative operational services
Professional development
Five Tables in Budget Narrative
Budget
 Complete budget narrative
 One-Stop Contribution subset budget
 Non-ABLE Funds supporting ABLE
grant
 Corrections subset budget
 Distance Education Hub subset
budget
Budget Narrative—Table 1
Budget
 Provide detailed information about
proposed expenditures (Exception for
salaries)
 Offer a clear understanding of how the
proposed dollars for each Object and
Purpose Code will be used
Table
1
First page of
budget narrative
Add
descriptions
of
expenditure
for each
code except
salary
Budget Narrative –Table 2
Budget
Indicate the amount of your
proposed budget that is to be used
to support your One-Stop
contribution
Table
2
Budget Narrative—Table 3
Budget
 Provide information about any
funds that will be used to support
the ABLE grant
 Include in this table any local
dollars that are contributed to the
One-Stop contribution
Table
3
Table
3
Budget Narrative—Table 4
Budget
If a correctional facility is to be
served, indicate the dollars from
the total grant proposal that will be
used for this purpose
Table
4
Budget Narrative—Table 5
Budget
Programs applying to serve as a
Distance Education Hub should
provide the budget for proposed
Hub services
Table
5
Budget
Applicants will be judged on

The reasonableness of the budget in
relationship to number of students to
be served
 The appropriateness of individual
expenditures
Program
Personnel
The Tables 1-3 in the Program
Personnel section are in the Excel
form packet
Program
Personnel
 Tables 1-3 ask for information about
instructional, support and
administrative staff
 For each known staff member, indicate
the position, the name of the individual,
his/her educational level, credentials
and years of adult education
experience
Program
Personnel
 For each staff position, indicate the
number of hours per week and weeks
per year to be worked
 Indicate the amount of ABLE funds to
be used to support the position
 Indicate the amount of non-ABLE funds
to be used to fund the position
Program
Personnel
In Addendum B, attach copies of
job descriptions for all positions
listed
Program
Personnel
 For Table 4, provide the total amounts
for ABLE funds for instructional,
support and administrative staff and the
total amounts of staff support from nonABLE sources
 These totals come from Tables 1-3
Table
4
Total should equal salaries
total on Budget Grid
Program
Personnel
Table 5, asks for information about the
project number of volunteers in ABLE
Include information tutors, clerical aides
and advisory committee members
Table
5
Program
Personnel
Applicants will be judged on

The adequacy of staff to serve
the number of students
projected
 The adequacy of proposed staff
to provide instruction in the
components proposed
Instructional
Site Page
 The Instructional Site Page is also in
the Excel form packet
 If you have more sites than will fit on
this one page we suggest you may
insert rows
 The Excel sheet needs to be
unprotected before the rows are added
Instructional
Site Page
 Provide information about place, time
and hours of classes
 Project an enrollment for each site
 Indicate if the site(s) is handicapped
accessible
 Provide an estimated cost per site
based on staff and facility costs
Where and when classes are held
Instructors
and type of
instruction
Projected
Enrollment
per site
Indicate if
handicapped
accessible
Estimate cost
to offer
instruction for
each site
Enrollment
should be
unduplicated
Divide facility
and
personnel
costs by
projected
enrollment
per site
Total should equal enrollment
projection form Part C
Instructional
Site Page
Applicants will be judged on

The alignment of site
placement with program
service goals
 Site efficiency as determined
by projected enrollment and
costs for site
Program
Assurances
 Numerous assurances that cover a
variety of state and federal
requirements
Read the assurance carefully
 All funded programs must comply with
the assurances
EL/Civics Application
El/Civics
Grant
Improve English
skills – speaking,
listening, reading
and writing in a
civics-based
context
‘An educational program that emphasizes
contextualized instruction on the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship, naturalization
procedures, civic participation, and U.S. history
and government to help learners acquire the skills
and knowledge to become active and informed
parents, workers, and community members.’
U.S. Department of Education
El/Civics
Grant
Funding
Federal Funding:
Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act, Title II, Workforce
Investment Act (PL 105-220)
Funding
El/Civics Grant
Applicants for ABLE
Instructional Grant may
also apply for an
EL/Civics Grant, but it is a
separate application
Funding
Funds available are
based on regional and
county needs of the
target population
Funding
Funds may not be used
to provide instruction in
other languages
Funding
 Estimated total FY 2010
EL/Civics funding is
$718,000
 El/Civics applicants can
apply for a maximum of
$50,000
Eligibility
 Same eligible
applicants as for the
ABLE Instructional
grant
 Same eligible students
as for the ABLE
Instructional grant
Other
Requirements
All EL/Civics programs must:
EL/Civics programs must comply with
the Ohio Performance Accountability
System (OPAS)
Student achievement is measured by
academic gains in English skills on
standardized tests
Other
Requirements
 All EL/Civics programs must:
 Adhere to the technology
requirements appearing in the
EL/Civics guidance document
 Comply ADA
 Offer instruction in a safe,
appropriate and student friendly
environment
Other
 Type of information requested for the
Requirements
EL/Civics application is similar to the
ABLE Instructional grant requirements
that have just been explained
 The EL/Civics Guidance document
explains what is asked for in each
section
Other
Requirements
Applicants for EL/Civics
grants apply as individual
fiscal agents
Grant
Questions
Program Design:
 Only one strategy: Improve
English language acquisition of
ESOL students utilizing a civicsbased content
 Action steps must be responded
to
Grant
Questions
Professional Development Requirement
All staff teaching EL/Civics will be required to
complete the U.S. Department of Education
free, online courses to assist teachers with
incorporating EL/Civics content into their ESOL
classes. Staff will be supported financially
through the PD process for completion of these
courses
Grant
Questions
Budget
 Not less than 90% for direct
instructional services.
 No more than 10% for
administrative costs
Grant
Questions
Additional EL/Civics Assurances
Develop and deliver a minimum of
10 lesson plans using a variety of
Civics Objectives. These lesson
plans will be added to a repository of
EL/Civics lessons to help build
capacity for ESOL and civics
education throughout the state
Grant
Questions
Additional El/Civics Assurances
The programs will complete a FY
2010 EL/Civics End-of-Year Report.
Report data will help describe
EL/Civics programming in Ohio, both
quantitatively and qualitatively, to be
included Ohio’s APR to the U.S.
Department of Education
Grant
Questions
El/Civics applications will be
judged on criteria similar to that
utilized for the ABLE
Instructional Grant
Submit Intent to
Apply
Indicate which
grant
Please submit the
name of one or two
individuals who could
serve as reviewers
Review session
scheduled for May 26
for El/Civics and May
28 and 29




Proposals due May 15, 2009 by 5:00 pm
Grants must be received by that time
Send an original and (3) copies
Grants may be mailed or hand delivered to
Ohio Board of Regents, 30 E. Broad Street,
Columbus, OH 43215
Go to:
http://www.uso.edu/network/workforce/rfps/
Email: [email protected]