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)

The Palau Adult Education Program used the State Leadership funds to compensate teachers who teach Adult Education classes – Math, English, Social Studies and Science – and travel for the program Director and staff to attend necessary and crucial capacity building trainings and meetings.

The program had been newly acquired by the Division of Curriculum & Instruction Department. During this transition , it is clear that questions above pertain to reports that have been submitted which were the same every year. We have no access to data except student reports. The Program Officer for this grant is no longer with the Ministry.

In response to state leadership funds and how it was used , we are unable to verify or obtain information if the funding we received for the program was all state leadership funds. In addition, calculating a percentage of the funding we received (Approximately $20,000) will give us an amount of about $2,500 as state leadership funds which definitely could not have supported the activities in the report

AEFLA Section 223(1)(b)

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

During this program year, the Palau Adult Education Program director and staff were able to attend and participate in the National Meeting for Adult Education State Director and New State Directors held on Alexandria, Virginia from May 16-18, 2023. The Palau Adult Education director and staff engaged interactive group discussions that were focused on the AEFLA and matters related to WIOA.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(c)

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

Due to limitation of funding, the Palau Adult Education Program did not expend any funding on technical assistance.

AEFLA Section 223(1)(d)

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

The Palau Adult Education Program during this reporting year was able to provide service to 101 adult students. Of the 101 adult students served, 70 took the CASAS Post Test and Pre-test, 37 had gained improvement and entered into HiSet testing, and 2 graduated from the program.

AEFLA Section 223(a)(2)

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

Though lacking funding, The Palau Adult Education Program is currently working with Palau WIOA Office and Palau Community College to develop and implement feasible programs to improve its services and provide better learning opportunities for its clientele.

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 Palau Adult Education Program served 101 adult learners this program year. 37% of the adult learns will be continuing in the program and have showed gains in their assessments and will most likely – if funding permits and the program continues – graduate within less than a year. 2 of the 101 students have graduated from the program.

The program had been newly acquired by the Division of Curriculum & Instruction Department. During this transition , it is clear that questions above pertain to reports that have been submitted which were the same every year.

Employment and Median Earnings were not monitored regularly for each participant and this is where we will start working with WIOA on site.

With a gradual rise in the number of dropout students, these individuals are expected to become the future beneficiaries of the program. The Palau Adult Education program is dedicated to accomplishing its objectives through the dissemination of program information, participant identification and recruitment, and the implementation of classes focused on preparing students for the HiSET exam, computer-based learning, and corrections education.

Throughout the current program year, there has been a continual slight increase in the number of adult learners. The administrative staff remains committed to addressing key aspects during this reporting period:

Monitoring attendance
Documenting reasons for learners' absenteeism
Validating enrollment
Continuing to offer classes as required
Collaborating with teachers and the curriculum team to assess curriculum and program effectiveness

Furthermore, continued efforts have been undertaken to follow up on adult learners post high school equivalency diploma attainment and to keep track of those who have either left the program or been absent for more than three months.

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 Palau Adult Education Program, under the auspices of the Palau Ministry of Education, provided adult learners services stipulated in an MOA with Northern Marianas College – recipient of Grant Award Number V002A210069.

The program is newly acquired by the Division of Curriculum & Instruction Department overseen by Director Ida Kilcullen. In response to MOU, we have noticed that the original MOU that was created for this program initially had not been reviewed or revisited over the years and needs to be revisited and updated. Programming is now obsolete. We need to create a new MOU .

The one-stop career services in the old MOU, does not exist anymore for many years and questions may pertain to previous submissions from former program officers that are no longer with the Ministry. There is a new one stop career center within the newly created Ministry of Human Resources for the Government called Employment Office for the local community with the same purpose to research local labor markets and review the local jobs that are highly filled with foreign workers and become the focal points of training locals to be able to fill these positions in the near future but it is not the same program that was in the adult ed original MOU that has not been updated for many years.

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 Palau Adult Education Program did not IELCE activities; however, all of the classes it provided integrated English instruction in the classrooms – in the long run support IELCE activities. All of the adult learners who registered in the Palau Adult Education Program are ESL.

The Palau Adult Education Program did not participate in any competition for IELCE program funds.

Training activity

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

The Palau Adult Education Program did not have sufficient funding to initiate training activities; however, all of the classed it provided integrated English instruction in the classrooms. All of the adult learners who registered in the Palau Adult Education Program are ESL.

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 Palau Adult Education Program is currently working with Palau WIOA Office, Palau Community College, and Palau Ministry of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism, and Development (MHRTCD) to develop a synchronized, viable program IELCE program participants. The Palau Adult Education Program is committed to participate in activities that will be set forth.

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.

During this reporting year, the Palau Adult Education Program, in a collaborative effort with Palau WIOA Office, established assurances that their clientele – all of whom are ESL and are English language learners – were provided with opportunities to learn to read and write in English; and to participate and engage in activities that allowed them exercise and practice what they have learned.

In keeping with this, the Palau Adult Education program, provided all its services in English – beginning with the initial intake process to graduation out of the program. All of the classes (English reading and writing, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science) that the program offers were conducted in English. English was integrated into instruction, classroom discussions, and class activities.

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 Palau Ministry of Education Curriculum Standards (K-12) is based on and aligned with the US Common Core Standards. The Palau Adult Education Program has put diligent effort to hire and train its teachers on the same standards. Consequently, all of the part-time teachers hired to teach any of the Adult Education classes must be familiar with or have been trained on the same standards.

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 Palau Adult Education Program, under the Palau Ministry of Education, did not provide any services into the correctional institutions. This is due primarily due to lack of resources – inclusive of space and manpower.

Narrative Report for Palau 2022