Narrative Report | National Reporting System

State Leadership Funds (Adult education and family literacy act Section 223 (AEFLA))

Describe how the State has used funds made available under section 223 (State Leadership activities) for each the following:

AEFLA Section 223(1)(a)

Alignment of adult education and literacy activities with other one-stop required partners to implement the strategies in the Unified or Combined State Plan as described in section 223(1)(a)

Alabama Adult Education programs are closely aligned with required One-Stop partners and are critical in providing academic remediation and workforce development training for Alabamians who have need of One-Stop services. Adult education one-stop services include but are not limited to: TABE testing for WIOA programs, academic remediation for certificate programs, GED and High School Option (HSO) instructional services, employability skills and career pathway development. Many of awarded providers have full-service adult education classrooms within their respective career centers. Participants are referred to our one-stop partners for WIOA funding opportunities and job placement services.

Alabama applied for and was awarded the Reimagine Workforce Preparation (RWP) grant, titled the Alabama Workforce Stabilization Program (AWSP). Many programs were restricted to virtual learning as program participants were still unsure of how to maneuver during these uncertain times. This program allows the partners to be strategic in providing support to employers and in providing training to assist low-income Alabamians displaced, dislocated, or incumbent workers to transition into new fields or to be promoted from within. The Adult Education System Office and local program providers are integral components of the AWSP and provide leadership and services to the RWP grant. Adult Education also created the Mobilizing Alabama Pathways (MAP) program which is an asynchronous online foundational training in the five AWSP targeted sector areas of Manufacturing, Healthcare, Construction, Information Technology, and Transportation/Logistics. The AWSP has strengthened partnerships between workforce, Alabama Technology Network, Alabama Industrial Development and Training, the Alabama Department of Commerce, The Alabama Career Center System, and the Workforce and Adult Education Departments of local Community Colleges. AWSP has served over 150 employers with our partnerships, reaching over 3,000 participants for skills training for 2021-2022.

This year Adult Education spearheaded a rewrite to the employability skills program (Ready to Work) and launched Alabama Career Essentials (ACE) statewide to all partners within the state. ACE is set to the be the premier workforce readiness curriculum for adult education and beyond. The System office is awarding college credit for each completer in addition to offering a scholarship for participants to enroll in additional postsecondary education. ACE will continue to be implemented throughout Alabama’s adult education system with modules dedicated to digital literacy, contextualized 21^st century skills and relative employability training for the current and future workforce.

The Dashboard for Visualizing Income Determination, (DAVID), system allows WIOA partners to discuss the “benefits cliff” with jobseekers/students that are receiving public assistance. This system was deployed in 2020-2021 and instituted statewide for all partners to use in 2021-2022. This is a joint endeavor with the state of Alabama, the Alabama WIOA partners, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (https://alabamaworks.com/david/).

Adult Education has continued traditional WIOA collaborations and using the technologies instituted during the pandemic to reach students beyond our walls to serve all populations. Contextualized academic support, workforce preparation, and high school equivalency preparation has been delivered in-person, virtually and in hybrid formats to suit the needs of students and partners around the state.

Leadership funds have been utilized to support the costs associated with adult educations participation in these and other activities related to the Alabama State Plan.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(b)

Establishment or operation of a high-quality professional development programs as described in section 223(1)(b)

State leadership funds were used to support high quality professional development to all levels of practitioners. Virtual, hybrid and face-face models have been used in programmatic, regional and statewide trainings developed based on the needs of the programs, state and National Reporting System best practices. The changes in measurable skill gains gave all practitioners the opportunity to revisit and dive deeper into the tracking of and meaning of the gains that allow students the opportunity to move forward.

The Alabama Association for Public and Continuing Education (ALAPCE) holds an adult education summer conference every year. The summer conference was held in person in Montgomery on June 5, 6, and 7, 2022 with over 400 practitioners in attendance. Session topics span the field of adult education: literacy, numeracy, high school equivalency, work-based learning, English as a Second Language and Civics Education, and National Reporting System Measures, data analytics, contextualized instruction, integrated education and training, and serving incarcerated learners. Participants were also encouraged to attend professional development events hosted by the state Workforce Development Board and the Alabama Community College Association, as appropriate.

Regional directors' meetings were held in all three adult education regions on a bi-monthly basis in a virtual format and quarterly in-person. Professional development for these trainings were developed from the regional needs, workforce demands, research-based practices for improving NRS performance measures along with results from compliance monitoring.

Specific national and state level professional development highlights for PY 2021-2022 include the conclusion of the LEAD Institute (sponsored by NASDAE and AIR), OCTAE’s Teaching the Skills that Matter (TSTM) training which includes a three-year sustainability plan, and OCTAE’s Virtual Training Institutes: Cultivating a Language and Content Focus for English Learners. Statewide professional development teams have been created to conduct train the trainer opportunities and to assist in the strategic implementation of content learned from participation in these events.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(c)

Provision of technical assistance to funded eligible providers as described in section 223(1)(c)

Alabama’s adult education consistently provides technical assistance based on program data and program self-evaluation. As with professional development, technical assistance is derived from national, state, and local evidence-based practices and innovative strategies designed for continuous program improvement.

As discussed in last year’s report, the state created a more defined regional approach to technical assistance and support by dividing the state into north, central, and south regions. Each region has an assigned Regional Director that is a Title II liaison to assist with collaborative growth with required and strategic partners, such as career centers, business and industry, WIOA partners and non-profit community-based stakeholders. The regional team provides technical assistance in supporting local programs to ensure equity and access to adult education services throughout all thirty-five one-stop comprehensive and satellite career center locations in Alabama.

Technical assistance is based on the results of desk top monitoring performed quarterly by the regional directors as well as the real-time data system performance reports. Areas of need are addressed and targeted with additional professional development delivered by state experts based on best practices with continuous improvement plans and performance goals established to benchmark program improvement.

Technical and program training is also provided to new directors by ACCS through the New Director Training, created in Canvas and available on-demand along with specific data and fiscal management training modules. Grant related trainings, such as expenditure reporting is also designed and delivered to ensure the accountability of grant funds. These trainings are combined with mentoring efforts delivered by regional or local program directors.

Courses from LINCS are often utilized on a programmatic level and trainings are shared from other states, adapted for use in Alabama for specific assistance in utilizing researched best practices in teaching and learning which could include: reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, English language, and workforce skills. Alabama Adult Education produces a range of in-demand resources, toolkits, and programmatic guidance through webinars and face to face training based on researched based best practices in workplace readiness, career pathway development, English language acquisition, and distance education. Within the data management system, Alabama Adult Education System for Accountability and Performance (AAESAP), resources and recordings of trainings are archived. Recordings include but are not limited to presentations on MSG reporting, IET/IELCE programs, programmatic data analysis, and retention strategies for serving the most in need.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(d)

Monitoring and evaluation of the quality and improvement of adult education activities as described in section 223(1)(d)

Regional directors are primarily responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of the quality and improvement of adult education providers and to ensure that such practices within local programs is compliant with state and federal policies. These directors conduct quarterly desk-top monitoring which includes a review of each program’s AAESAP performance as detailed in their custom dashboard. The dashboard contains NRS data regarding the program’s enrollment by educational functioning level, measurable skills gains, post-test rate, career pathway achievement, High School Equivalency attainment and certificate completion. Desktop monitoring, along with routine data collection and reports received from providers, provides insight as to how the local programs are performing against expected results. Programs not making continuous improvement receive technical assistance from their respective regional director.

All programs also receive at least one, on-site compliance monitoring during the state’s three-year Request for Funding Proposal (RFP) Cycle. On-site monitoring is conducted by the state team consisting of all three regional directors. The monitoring schedule follows a minimum of eight programs per year, which ensures that each local program will participate in a full compliance monitoring at least once every three years. The order in which programs are monitored is determined as a result of a federally required risk-analysis. This risk analysis is based on indicators that reflect program performance. Programs are placed in quartiles, with the fourth quartile being the “goal quartile” for all programs to reach. Programs in the first quartile, based on the risk-analysis, may have the greatest risk of not meeting performance measures and will be monitored earliest in the RFP period (the first program year (PY) of the RFP period). Programs in the second quartile will be monitored in the second PY of the RFP period, and programs in the third and fourth quartile will be monitored in the third PY of the RFP. Programs are assessed using an ACCS-approved monitoring instrument. The monitoring instrument is based on program performance and management and follows five modules aligned with WIOA standards:

Performance Accountability Standard
Program Performance Standard
Adult Education and Literacy Activities
Fiscal Considerations Standard
Supplemental One Stop Partnerships

The ACCS uses Corrective Action Plans (CAP) to support grantees in their continuous improvement efforts. A CAP is required when programs receive a score less than a "3 – Needs Improvement” (based on a five-point scale), on any part of the monitoring instrument. A score less than a “3” results in a finding. A CAP template is provided to guide local program directors/grantees in documenting strategies, improvement steps, timelines, and results. Additionally, each plan provides an opportunity for thought partnership and dialogue between ACCS and grantee. For PY 2021-22 the following providers received an on-site monitoring:

Provider Monitored	Date of Monitoring	Date CAP Closed
Lawson State Community College	10/2021	Ongoing
Shelton State Community College	10/2021	7/7/21, Closed
Wallace State Community College – Selma	11/2021	7/7/21, Closed
Central Alabama Community College	11/2021	7/7/21, Closed
Jefferson State Community College	1/2022	Ongoing
Chattahoochee Valley Community College	1/2022	Ongoing
Bishop State Community College	2/2022	7/7/21, Closed
Wallace State Community College – Dothan	3/2022	7/7/21, Closed

Targeted monitoring occurs as a follow-up to verify the satisfactory completion of findings identified during an on-site monitoring. Once targeted monitoring occurs and the program has been found to be following state and federal guidelines, the CAP is then closed.

AEFLA Section 223(a)(2)

As applicable, describe how the State has used funds for additional permissible activities described in section 223(a)(2)

Leadership funds were used to support the Alabama Adult Education System for Accountability and Performance (AAESAP) which is the state’s data management system for adult education. AAESAP is owned by ACCS and operated through an annual contract with the Alabama Supercomputer Authority (ASA). ASA programmers are assigned to the management, review, security and operation of AAESAP. ASA programmers function as an extension of the adult education state staff to ensure that all aspects of federally and state required adult education services are recordable, trackable, and provide the usability to make data driven decisions at the state and local level. Currently, efforts are underway in streamlining the data system by reducing the data entry through the development of Application Programming Interfaces (API), enhance data validity checks and increase visualization for data analytics.

Performance Data Analysis

Describe how the adult education program performed in the overall assessment of core programs based on the core indicators of performance. Discuss how the assessment was used to improve quality and effectiveness of the funded eligible providers and any plans to further increase performance in future reporting years.

Alabama’s adult education follows a continuous improvement approach with data analysis as the foundational base. Regional Directors conduct routine performance meetings with each of their assigned programs. ACCS directors use this opportunity to highlight and discuss best practices relevant to program in each of their areas. The dashboard on AAESAP provides real-time information for enrollment, progress post-test rate, MSG, credential attainment, and career pathway completions.

The ALAPCE conference provides multiple breakout sessions that cover such topics as rules surrounding MSGs and the reports to help monitor performance. Additional topics include how to understand and drill down into performance information on the dashboard and using reports for monitoring and program improvement. This conference is open to all grantees with instructors, program directors, and data entry specialist attending various sessions.

Program year 2021-22 saw a 20% increase in the number of participants served over the previous PY 2020-21. There was also a 24% increase in the number of contact hours in PY 21-22. These indicators show signs of recovery to pre-pandemic enrollment. Additional recruitment plans are in place to increase enrollment and services in PY 2022-23 by increasing our student computer equipment loan program and increasing distance learning opportunities with remote assessment and access to a library of career centric curriculum.

Of the 14,351 students enrolled, 12% were English Language Learners (ELLS). The ELLs attended an average of 62 hours. The Adult Basic and Adult Secondary (ABE and ASE) students attended an average of 57 hours. Retention for all students is an area that requires constant attention by the providers. Defining and assisting with barriers that inhibit attendance by the participant is an area that is addressed by the local programs and state staff through professional development and targeted technical assistance. Enrollment increases in serving incarcerated and institutionalized participants stemmed largely from corrections facilities once again allowing instructors to reconvene classes in PY 2021-22.

Local providers can analyze information on the real time information dashboard of our management information system, AAESAP. The demographics provided in the NRS tables can be used to design curriculum and customize classes for age ranges and ethnicity. Dashboard information allows providers to self-analyze their program data to identify potential problems and proactively work to resolve the issues. The system provides a multitude of reports for targeting various aspects of programmatic performance.

The educational functioning level completion percentage for PY 2021-2022 was greatest in the ABE Beginning Literacy and ABE Beginning Basic levels. For ESL students the strongest areas of level completion were Low and High Beginning ESL. Local program providers are using technology to create synchronous and asynchronous instruction for all levels of learners and employing interactive hybrid approaches. These flexible instructional methods are assisting other educational functioning levels of learning to advance and achieve a skill gain.

The AAESAP system also allows students to self-enroll online for Adult Education services. Classes are offered on-site, virtually, or in a hybrid format. An auto alert notification allows a local program to know when a public inquiry or enrollment has been created.

Alabama Adult Education Core Performance Measures for PY 2021-2022:
Employment 2^nd QTR after exit	49.30%
Employment 4^th QTR after exit	42.77%
Attained HSE and enrolled in postsecondary within one year of exit	8.68%
Attained HSE and employed within one year of exit	33.17%
Attained a postsecondary credential while enrolled or within one year of exit	39.05%
Attained any credential	39.32%
Measurable Skill Gain	50.15%

Alabama’s MSG percentage continued to see improvement with the extension of tracking gains specific to Workplace Literacy and Integrated Education and Training programs. Increased enrollment in postsecondary education has been tracked and data reflects…

Integration with One-stop Partners

Describe how the State eligible agency, as the entity responsible for meeting one-stop requirements under 34 CFR part 463, subpart J, carries out or delegates its required one-stop roles to eligible providers. Describe the applicable career services that are provided in the one-stop system. Describe how infrastructure costs are supported through State and local options.

The Alabama Community College System, Adult Education Division is responsible for the requirements under 34 CFR part 463, subpart J, and carries out this responsibility throughout the state in the designated one-stop comprehensive career centers. Adult education has fulfilled a vital part of the assessment and training role in the career centers. The relationship between the partners is one that fosters and demands collaborative teamwork. On-site basic skill assessment is provided to all our career center partners to determine WIOA eligibility for career center clients who want to enter workforce training programs. Career Pathway development, Short Certificate Training (such as Manufacturing Skills Standard Council Certified Production Technician Certification (MSSC, CPT), National Council for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Occupational Safety and Health Administration training, (OSHA 10) and ServSafe) and transitional counseling are also collaborative services provided through adult education for the Career Center partners.

Infrastructure costs are directly charged to each partner based on square footage for those that are co-located. The state adult education office provides the financial support for each local program’s fair and equitable share of the infrastructure costs based on benefit received and as determined through the funding formula created by the Alabama Department of Labor. The local adult education provider is responsible for proportional sharing of the lease, communications, utilities and supplies which is adult education’s fair share each of the comprehensive career center costs where adult education has a presence.

Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education

Describe how the state is using funds under Section 243 to support the following activities under the IELCE program:

IELCE Funds and grants

Describe when your State held a competition [the latest competition] for IELCE program funds and the number of grants awarded by your State to support IELCE programs.

Alabama held a multi-year competition for IELCE funding in early 2021 for PY2021-24. The IELCE Request for Funding Proposal (RFP) was released on February 24, 2021 and proposals were due on April 5, 2021. Announcements of the competition were posted, and a bidder’s webinar was held. Questions from the field were received and responded to during the bidder’s webinar and listed in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document which was posted on the Request for Funding (RFP) website for all interested parties to see. Eight IELCE proposals were received and reviewed. A key component of the review was the demonstration of sufficient need for IELCE services in the community to warrant additional programming. All eight applicants were selected for funding based on a demonstrated need in their service area and the ability to provide IELCE instruction and services to English language learners. The total amount awarded for IELCE in PY 2021-22 was $305,189.

Training activity

Describe your State efforts in meeting the requirement to provide IELCE services in combination with integrated education and training activities;

To meet the requirement of providing IELCE services in combination with integrated education and training, the State team has provided training to the programs regarding the requirements, as well as access to resources and toolkits available through LINCS and other sources. Eligible providers have designed programs that deliver high quality instructional activities, such as the integration of literacy and English language instruction with occupational skill training, which lead to employment. Local program activities have reflected the local, regional, and state specific workforce sector strategies.

Incorporating work-based learning opportunities into IELCE services, such as pre-apprenticeship, worksite tours and scaffolding stackable certifications such as the MSSC CPT helps to retain IELCE participants into integrated education and training activities. By demonstrating strong partnerships with recognized regional manufacturers such as Mazda Toyota, Y-Tech Keylex Toyotetsu Alabama (YKTA), and Matsu that hire non-English speakers into their workforce encourages continued participation in adult education services and the acquisition of digital literacy, work skills literacy and additional manufacturing certification through an IET that will lead to job placement.

Local program providers use the regional labor market information and other tools such as Lightcast (formerly known as EMSI) a national, state, local labor market and community data assessment tool to help place English Language Learners in unsubsidized employment for in-demand industries and occupations that lead to economic self-sufficiency. ACCS has a statewide contract with Lightcast which is used by adult education practitioners to augment program design and career navigation. The integration of language and workforce skills enables the English Language Learners to achieve competency in the English language and acquire the skills to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States.

IELCE Section 243(c)(1)

Describe how the State is progressing towards program goals of preparing and placing IELCE program participants in unsubsidized employment in in-demand industries and occupations that lead to economic self-sufficiency as described in section 243(c)(1) and discuss any performance results, challenges, and lessons learned from implementing those program goals; and

In PY2021-2022, there were 2,415 IELCE participants statewide. Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs in PY2020-2021 were offered in occupational clusters including manufacturing, healthcare, construction, information technology, transportation/logistics, and hospitality/customer service. Some examples of credentials earned include Certified Nursing Assistant, ServSafe, MSSC CPT, OSHA 10, Training for Construction, U.S. Citizenship, Medical Assistant, Forklift Operator, NCCER, and Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) class A, B, and C.

Regarding how the State is progressing towards program goals of providing and placing IELCE participants in employment, leading to self-sufficiency as described in 243(c)(1), please see the data below:

Alabama’s IELCE Core Performance Measures for PY 2021-2022:
Employment 2^nd QTR after exit	26.27%
Employment 4^th QTR after exit	21.75%
Attainment of postsecondary credential while enrolled or within one year of exit	19.8%
Measurable Skill Gain	34.24%

Alabama’s goal of producing 500,000 skilled workers by 2025 will incorporate all residents, none are more important than the English as a Second Language population. Professional development and technical assistance focused on expanding integrating English literacy civics education with Integrated Education and skills Training (IET) based on the demand occupations in alignment with the state workforce system goals as established by the Governor.

IELCE Section 243(c)(2)

Describe how the State is progressing towards program goals of ensuring that IELCE program activities are integrated with the local workforce development system and its functions as described in section 243(c)(2) and discuss any performance results, challenges, and lessons learned from implementing those program goals.

Alabama has identified five major sectors (Manufacturing, Healthcare, Construction, Information Technology, and Transportation/logistics) that are critical for the success of our state. All sectors are important, but these five high demand/high wage sectors in our state have been negatively impacted by the COVID pandemic. Basic foundational training for these areas as well as the other remaining 16 career clusters are used in the IELCE classes to prepare English Language Learners (ELL) with the ability to attain and/or retain employment.

Regarding obstacles in integrating IELCE participants with the local workforce development system, in many cases, the paperwork and documentation are not available and literacy skills are below the level needed to participate in some training. In fact, most participants (including the recent influx of refugees) lack a foundation in basic literacy. Curriculum must be developed and presented in such a way that the IELCE learner acquires English language skills, while also learning and applying workplace and employability training. Instructors must be prepared and equipped to deliver a wide array of instructional techniques to learners with many different modalities including digital literacy capabilities to allow maximum flexibility for service delivery. Ongoing professional development for integrated, virtual, and distance education instruction is critical and will be a focus in 2022-23.

As mentioned, local program providers are making a consistent effort to develop connections with companies to employ or retain ELL and IELCE participants. Such collaborations, like with Tyson Food Corporation’s Upward Academy and Upward Pathways can continue to be an example of how IELCE integrated education and training is occurring with incumbent workers.

Adult Education Standards

If your State has adopted new challenging K-12 standards under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, describe how your Adult Education content standards are aligned with those K-12 standards.

Alabama’s adult education has adopted the College and Career Readiness (CCR) standards promulgated through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE). Based on the rigorous national K-12 standards, these standards were developed for adult education in the areas of Reading Language Arts (RLA) and Mathematics. These standards serve as the instructional blueprint for instructors to create plan(s) of instruction for students and to provide accountability for student results. Each local program provider utilizes a Plan of Instruction (POI) document for each student allowing for a structured, targeted path for successful outcomes.

Standards in Action and Teaching Skills That Matter reinforces the use of the CCR and English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards by instructors as implemented during statewide train the trainer events. On-line courses, developed by experienced lead teachers from various programs, allows ongoing support of the use and integration of the standards in adult education’s curriculum.

Programs for Corrections Education (AEFLA Section 225)

What was the relative rate of recidivism for criminal offenders served? Please describe the methods and factors used in calculating the rate for this reporting period.

Alabama measures recidivism of an offender by rearrests, reconviction, and return to prison during a three-year period following the offender’s date of release. Alabama is making a strong investment in adult education and workforce training for the Department of Corrections. This investment in educational programming is working to reduce the rate of recidivism.

During Fiscal Year 2019-2020 (October - September), there were 3,771 correctional students served in the Alabama Adult Education Program. The fiscal year is used to better align the data with the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) reporting period. Of this number, 2,789 students were matched by the Alabama Department of Corrections. There have been 1,770 incarcerated students served in FY 2019-2020 who were released back into society and only 5 of those have been reincarcerated. This gives us a 3-year recidivism rate of 0.3%, which is an exceptionally low rate that reinforces the role education performs in reducing recidivism. The 2020 Alabama Department of Corrections Annual Report listed across all cohorts a 3-year recidivism rate of 28.74%.

Access to direct instruction has once again become available to incarcerated individuals at pre-Covid levels. Instruction has included access to enhanced distance education opportunities along with the ability to once again provide approved, proctored NRS assessments. Increases in adult education services is expected to be reported with the approval of Second Chance Pell and greater opportunities for accessing postsecondary education for the incarcerated population in PY2022-23.

Narrative Report for Alabama 2021