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Narrative Report for Puerto Rico 2021

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Section 1

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)

The Puerto Rico Department of Education of Puerto Rico (PRDE) developed during the fiscal year 2021-2022 several strategies to align adult education and literacy activities with the WIOA core programs and one-stop partners. The staff of the Adult Education Program (AEP) participated actively in the following activities to coordinate services:

1.     Negotiation of the new memorandum of understanding with core WIOA partners – American Job Centers for services and shared infrastructure costs.

2.     Implementation updates of the distance learning strategy for adult participants under the continued COVID pandemic situation.  An investment approximately of $10 million in technology equipment for adult education centers, including teachers, centers directors, staff and students, to boost distance education.

3.     Acquisition and implementation of 12 Thinking Labs to foster critical thinking actitude in students.

4.     Promotion referrals between the Adult Education Program and the American Job Centers One-stop programs.

5.     Develop joint efforts to comply with the primary performance indicators and objectives established in the PR Unified State Plan.

6.     Professional development activities to eligible training services providers in the development of integrated education and training activities (IET) as per a requirement in the new Unified Plan for the 2020-2023 program year’s period.

a.     Visits to 41 local service providers to provide technical assistance in career pathways, soft skills and employability skills

b.     Eleven (11) Workshops on career pathways, participants follow-up, STEM to counselors, academic facilitators and staff with 583 participants

7.     Development of professional development training in career pathways plans development for use by the eligible service providers’ education centers.

a.     Development of a career pathways plan for 51 education centers.

b.     A monitoring/follow-up questionnaire implementation to 42 counselors on the implementation of career pathways

c.     Summit meeting to delivery of training certificates as career pathways specialist endorsed by Ohio State University school of Continuing Education for 107 teachers, counselors, education centers directors and staff

During the 2022 PY face-to-face activities of some centers were completely resumed,

The AEP used, during the PY State Leadership funds to continue promoting professional development for virtual delivery and to provide training on high-quality distance learning including professional development for remote instruction and administering remote assessments.

 

During the PY 2022 the Department continued implementing efforts to institutionalize working remotely using electronic tools to offer the educational and support services to the participants. During the program year the AEP continued offering training to center directors and teachers to use the MS TEAMS, platform to continue classes through distance education where necessary.

The AEP continued making investment on technology to provide laptop to participants to make accessible the virtual platforms to them.   The Program switched efforts to implement CASAS paper and virtual testing for pre and post-test and training staff as virtual testing administrators CASAS tests as innovative solutions to eligibility determination and conducting assessments.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(b)

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

During PY 2022 several activities were designed for the education experience of the Adult participants. The following list describes the activities:

  1. During the PY 2021-2022 the AEP implemented an intensive professional development summit for eligible providers’ education centers (first one) and another for adult education teachers focusing on how to comply with the fulfillment of the program objectives and the performance indicators. The two professional development summits were implemented on October and November 2021 with the participation teachers, councelors and education centers directors. The conferences and workshops included, among others, the following issues areas:  The WIOA Title II required activities for Adult Education. Career pathways and IET in adult education; the professional counselor role in career pathways for adult education; the management of adult information system; Performance indicators and federal compliance; the development of soft skills; the State Unified Plan for adult education; guides for academic achievement of adult students; andragogy and adult education; Adult Education Program Directives for PY 2022.
  2. A ten week intensive professional development workshop for the adult education program counselors, two hours weekly, on development and implementation of a career pathways plan for program participants, at local eligible providers’ level. The project was developed with the participation of 50 counselors and a equivalent number of eligible providers education centers. The AEP performed a final exit activity for recognition and delivery of training certificates of completion.
  3. Several short professional developments workshops to centers directors, teachers, and counselors focusing on specific issues: Techniques to access participants learning, Integration of employability skills in the learning process and Teaching strategies for the adult student
  4. Fifty two visits to individual teachers to provide assistance on career pathways implementation.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(c)

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

The PRDE provided technical assistance to eligible providers as described in section 223(1)(c). During the PY 2021-2022 the AEP Program implemented a training on CASAS testing for location, appraisal and pre and post-test for in ESL English teachers as testing administrators for CASAS tests. The AEP implemented technical assistance activities focused on the effective use of the Adult Information System (AIS) at AEP which purpose is to maintain accurate participants’ data and continuous improvement in data quality.  The AEP maintains a service log for reference and monitoring.

The AEP offered a new training session to service providers’ centers directors through two workshop on how to prepare the RFP for two new competences for providing services on ABE, ESL and IET. The training was focused on key issues such as how to gather and save data, data quality validation, data usefulness to demonstrate services effectiveness, performance levels standards negotiated with NRS and follow-up to performance indicators.

Additional technical assistance was provided through phone calls and electronic mail. Issues were attended through the Adult Information System (AIS) call center. This effort was implemented at central AEP offices to guide local providers in the daily operations of the data collection for adult education activities.

Also, the AEP completed 42 visits to teachers to provide tech assistance on NRS data collection compliance.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(d)

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

During the 2021-2022 PY, the AEP, through the Adult Information System (AIS) continued reviewing local activities data gathering on educational functioning level gains, and on the number of participants post-tested. The AEP maintained a service log for reference and monitoring. The AEP performed workshop for 48 education centers on data collection and upload to the AEP Participant information system (SIA – Spanish acronyms). Also maintained an incidents log to allow the education centers submit inquiries about issues and difficulties on data collection for NRS reporting. A total of 395 inquiries were attended.

AEFLA Section 223(a)(2)

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

The PRDE Adult Education Program will develop the following activities under section 223(a)(2) of WIOA:

The DEPR- AEP has performed several permissible activities under section 223(a)(2), including technology instruction investments and curriculum development, achieving performance objectives, and transition to postsecondary education. The PRDE's-AEP has worked with other core programs and partner agencies to expand access to education, training, and employment opportunities for adults, people with disabilities, and individuals facing barriers to employment. The AEP program has provided resources and services through One-Stop Centers, including orientation for Adult Education program opportunities, career pathways, transition resources, referral processes, and other joint mechanisms developed through agency partnerships.  Also, has been working on updating the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCR Standards) implementation effort. Some of the detailed activities were:

  1. Implementation updates of the distance learning strategy for adult participants. An investment of approximately $10 million in technology equipment for adult education centers, including teachers, center directors, staff, and students, to boost distance education.
  2. Promotion referrals between the Adult Education Program and the American Job Centers One-stop programs.
  3. A ten-week intensive professional development workshop for the adult education program counselors, two hours weekly, on developing and implementing a career pathways plan for program participants at the local eligible providers’ level. The project was created with the participation of 50 counselors and an equivalent number of qualified providers of education centers. The AEP performed a final exit activity for recognition and delivery of training certificates of completion.
  4. Several short professional developments workshops to centers directors, teachers, and counselors focusing on specific issues: Techniques to access participants learning, Integration of employability skills in the learning process, and Teaching strategies for the adult student
  5. Continued implementing efforts to institutionalize working remotely using electronic tools to offer educational and support services to the participants. During the program year, the AEP continued training center directors and teachers to use the MS TEAMS platform to continue classes through distance education where necessary.
  6. The AEP continued investing in technology to provide laptops to participants to make accessible virtual platforms to them.   The Program switched efforts to implement CASAS paper and virtual testing for pre and post-test and training staff as virtual testing administrators CASAS tests as innovative solutions to eligibility determination and conducting assessments.
Section 2

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.

The AEP performed an analysis of the performance data reported this year. To perform that analysis the process conducted at the State and local levels was based on the data collection done by the service providers and uploaded to the Adult Information System (AIS) at AEP central level. A detailed data review and validation for each data indicator was performed by the central office. The specific anomalies identified were checked for corrections. The errors, when identified were resolved by telephone calls and discussion of the raw data indicators with the education centers directors, teachers and counselors at each center.

The AEP completed 10 visits to education centers to provide technical assistance on compliance with data collection and data quality management for NRS purposes.

The outcome reached

The State performed adequately regarding its negotiated levels of performance and outcomes for each indicator for PY2021-2022. The targets and outcomes are the following:  (Table 4 NRS).

Performance indicator

PY 2021-2022 negotiated level (%)

PY 2021-2022 outcome level (%)

Percent achieving Measurable skills gains Average ABE and ESL

54.5

57.09%

 

COVID pandemic and post-hurricanes federal incentives impact during PY 2021-2022

The COVID pandemic effects on participants recruiting and attendance have been fading out, but during 2021-2022 program year the difficulties in participants’ recruitment continued as result of the federal economic stimulus program providing cash incentives to individuals that resulted in a lack of incentive for work in the whole economic system. In addition, Puerto Rico continues the recovery from the sequence of hurricanes that severely impacted the economic and social collective life during the PY 2021-2022. This situation provoked a challenging situation for enrollment of participants during the PY.

Adult Education Participants’ profile for PY-2021-2022

The Adult Education Program served, during 2021-2022 school year, an active participants enrollment of 3,946. The previous year 2020-2021 the enrollment was higher with 5,801 participants. In conclusion, the PY 2021-2022 has experience a reduction of 1,855 participants served in comparison with the previous year. The decrease is explained by the two-fold factors explained in previous section: the impact of hurricanes and lack of interest in workforce training due the economic cash incentives provided to low income families by the federal government.

The distribution by gender in participants served was as follows: 1,565 males, equivalent to 39.7% of total and 2,381 females, equivalent to 60.3%. The males’ relative participation decreased by 6.5% in relation to previous program year when it was 46.2% of total, while female participants increased by an equivalent percentage.

Participants by services was as follows:

    1. Basic Education (ABE 1 thru ABE 4) – 132 participants.
    2. Secondary Education (ABE-5 thru ABE-6 and Equivalency Exam Tutoring) - 2,066 132 participants.
    3. Conversational English - 1,748 132 participants.
    4. The participants in ABE 5 and 6 represented the greater share, 52.3% of total participants, followed by the share of conversational English, equivalent to 44.3%.

Correctional education program: A total of 683 were served while in the correctional education program or in rehabilitation. (Table 6 - NRS)

 

Demographic Characteristics

The Composition of participants by age, during school year 2021, showed that: (Table 2 - NRS)

    1. The greatest participation in the program was among participants between 16-18 years of age, a total of 1,348 participants which represented 34.2% of the enrollment.
    2. The 2nd group in relative importance was the 25-44 years of age for a total of 1,290 participants making up 32.7% of the enrollment.
    3. The 3rd group was the 45-54 years of age group with 498 participants, representing 12.6%.  
    4. The 4th group in relative importance was the group age of 19-24 with 465 participants representing 11.8% of the total.
    5. The 5th and 6th groups were the 55-59 and 60+ age representing 345 participants, a combined 8.7% of total participants.

In aggregate, these groups represented the 100% of the participants served. The 99.6% of the participants identified themselves as Hispanics or Latinos.

The employment rate: The employment rate was 33.2% (greater than previous PY when it was 19.4%) with 1,310 participants. The previous PY 2020-2021 the employed participants were 1,125 participants. The unemployed were 1,156, representing 29.3% which is a lower rate in comparison with the 35.4% during the previous year. There were 1,480 participants in the category of not in the labor force, representing 37.5% of the total participants served, a significant lower percentage in comparison with the 45.2% in this category the previous year. (Table 6- NRS)

The level of schooling: The level of schooling of the participants before registering in AEP is divided in nine schooling levels. The frequency of levels is as follows: (Table 6- NRS)

  1. The largest frequency was in the 9th-12th grade with no high school diploma. This group included 1,556 participants, representing this represented 39.4% of the total participants.
  2. The second most important group was the categories of participants with some or a completed university or professional degree with 1,230 combined participants, representing 30.2%.
  3. The third group in relative importance was the category of grades 6-8, with 285 participants, representing 7.2%.
  4. The fourth group was the secondary school diploma or alternative credential with 273 participants, representing 7%.

These five groups accounted for 83.8% of the total participants served.  

Measurable Skill Gain (MSG) achieved.

The Adult Education Program achieved the general objectives in skill gains: A total of 1,953 participants, (49.5%) achieved at least one functioning level of measurable skills gains, ABE and ESL level. (Table 4 - NRS). 

A total of 1,445 participants, out of 1,748 on ELS program, equivalent to 82.7%, achieved an average level of ESL measurable skills gains. (Table 4 – NRS) In ABE, the average percent of MSG is 59.87%. Overall MSG total for ABE and ESL is 69.96%   (Table 4 – NRS)

The number of participants who attained a secondary school diploma or its equivalent at ABE levels was 808 participants, out of a total 2,198 participants in total ABE levels, representing 37% of total, more than one on each 3 participants.

Quality and effectiveness of the funded eligible providers and any plans to further increase performance in future reporting years.

The Adult Education Program (AEP) implemented a plan to improve quality. The plan is based on a quarterly review performed by the central level staff and informing each provider on their performance. Each service provider must submit a plan explaining how it propose to improve the services. The AIS at the central office prepared a review documents that was used by the facilitators’ staff appointed at central office to visit the local service providers to discuss the deficiencies found and how to draft a correction plan.  

The program staff visited 41 local services providers implementing adult education activities to provide support, technical assistance

Section 3

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.

During the program year the AEP continued executing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the OneStop Partners. The program participated in a joint process for reviewing infrastructure agreements (IFAs) among State workforce partners and was directly involved in the local level negotiation. The primary methods used to determine proportionate share and relative benefit was square footage of location space in the one-stop center, actual use, and staff involved. The negotiation process was a challenge and negotiations involved several months during the Program Year, but all parties reached an agreement and the MOUs were signed and are under implementation.

The AEP recruited and appointed three staff members as liaisons between the AEP and the 16 One Stop Centers with the task of visiting on a weekly schedule the OneStop centers to provide information and help in the initial needs assessment of Title II participants, including cross referrals to services in the partners agencies. A total of 402 participants were attended for screening and referrals to services.

The AEP has instructed eligible education services providers that, they must fulfill the required roles and responsibilities with one-stop partners. To determine that the delegated eligible provider is carrying out its roles and responsibilities, the AEP provides to each eligible service provider a copy of the MOU’s with the corresponding One Stop partners and review with them the MOU and infrastructure funding agreement. Also, the AEP program requires a narrative report to each service provider about the activities performed and has established a monitoring procedure that is implemented by the Federal Funds Division of the Department of Education. The federal funds division perform desk review monitoring on how local programs provide access to career services and the types of services provided through the one-stop system.

Describe the applicable career services that are provided in the one-stop system and how infrastructure costs are supported through State and local options.

The services provide in the AJC One Stop Centers in partnership between the AEP include the followings:

  1. Determination of eligibility to receive services under the activities of the WIOA Title II Adult Program, of the Adult Education Program of the Department of Education.
  2. Initial evaluation of the participants skill levels, including aspects related to literary and numerical skills and level of fluency in English as a second language (ESL), as well as initial evaluation of the aptitudes, attitudes and needs of support services.
  3. Services to change an individual's employment status, including job search and placement services and when an individual needs it; career counseling services, including providing information on industrial sectors and occupations in demand; and information on job opportunities in non-traditional sectors.
  4. Referrals for service activities with other programs available in the Adult Education Program (AEP), and on other workforce development programs.
  5. Information on the characteristics and conditions of the labor market, including statistical information on the local, regional, and state employment market, such as:
  1. List of vacant occupations in the labor markets. (2)Information on the employment skills necessary to obtain a job described in the job vacancy listing. (3)Information related to occupations in demand in labor markets and income levels, required skills and opportunities to access and obtain these occupations.
  1. Information on the level of unemployment and costs on training activities for service providers.
  2. Provide information on the unemployment level and any other unemployment information related to the Local Area.
  3. Provide information on available support services and assistance on the process for their referral.
  4. Assistance in meeting the eligibility requirements for programs that provide financial assistance for training and educational activities not provided under WIOA.
  5. Provide information and assistance related to filling out applications for services under the Unemployment Insurance Program.
Section 4

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.

The AEP didn’t implementing IELCE activities under section 243(c)(1) because the service provider in the competitions that were held requested these funds.

Training activity

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

The AEP didn’t implementing IELCE activities under section 243(c)(1) because the service provider in the competitions that were held requested these funds.

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

The AEP didn’t implementing IELCE activities under section 243(c)(1) because the service provider in the competitions that were held requested these funds.

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.

The AEP didn’t implementing IELCE activities under section 243(c)(1) because the service provider in the competitions that were held requested these funds.

Section 5

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.

The Adult Education Program of the PRDE continued during PY 2021-2022 the development of a new curriculum aligned with the State K-12 standards and plans.  The new curriculum design will be completed during PY 2022-2023. The new curriculum will include:

  1. Alignment to the College and Career Readiness Standards.
  2. Integration of Workplace Preparation Activities (also known as soft skills, employability skills, work readiness skills); contextualization activities to life and careers.
  3. Attention to instructional shifts, including focus, coherence, rigor, evidence, complexity and knowledge.
  4. Use of relevant materials and technology.
  5. Integrated education and training (IET) curriculum lessons for in-demand occupational and industrial clusters using OCTAE IET curriculum guidelines.

The AEP hired a professional curriculum specialist to facilitate and guide the effort with the assistance of a team of teachers hired by the AEP. The curriculum documents drafts are under review for final approval and implementation. The Program completed 90% of a new conversational English six (6) modules curriculum.

Section 6

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.

The DE-AEP implement an adult education effort for justice involved persons, island-wide in Puerto Rico. During the 2021-2022 program year a total of eight (8) prisons had adult education services for inmates, including the following: Ponce Correctional facility, Guayama, Correctional facility – 1000, Guayama, Correctional facility – 500, Guayama, Correctional facility – 296, Rio Grande, Zarzal, Correctional facility, Mayagüez Correctional facility, Aguadilla, Correctional facility and Arecibo, Sabana Hoyos, Correctional facility-216. During the PY 2021-2022 a total of 683 participants were served while in the correctional education program.  

The AEP has a cooperative operations agreement with the Puerto Rico Correction Department to provide services to these adult participants. The services are provided to inmates who are expected to leave the correction institution in less than five (5) years. All the academic and career services provided to the regular participants are offered to this population, including ABE, ESL, and High School Equivalency testing and career services. After the pandemic COVID-19 this area of services has suffered a severe impact and challenges because visits to prisons were suspended and the distance education alternative is not a viable strategy because inmates are not allowed to use internet connection. During the PY2021 there was cero recidivism rate in justice involved offenders served.