Narrative Analysis Tool
Instructions
The Narrative Report responses below can be further filtered by one or more states, as well as keywords.
For more information on Narrative Reports please see the technical assistance documents.
| State | 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. |
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| Alabama | 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. |
| Alaska | ALP relies on partnerships to achieve IELCE program goals. Partners to help place students into employment opportunities and assist immigrants to utilize their previous education. Partnerships include: the Anchorage Midtown Job Center, the Municipality of Anchorage’s World Education Services Global Talent Bridge, Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP), South Central Area Health Education Center (SCAHEC), and Providence Health Systems. These partnerships assist the IELCE students to build career pathways by providing IE, and IET for DSP, PCA, CNA and CHW certification classes. |
| American Samoa | N/A |
| Arkansas | The IELCE grant recipients base the IET programs, including workforce preparation elements, on the Local Workforce Development Boards’ plans and current labor market information to identify the high-demand industries in each provider’s service area. Local providers regularly attend Local Workforce Development Board meetings to be aware of local business needs, changes, and challenges in the area/region and to ensure Title II representation. IET enrollment has been a challenge, as reported by grant recipients. Grant recipients continue to work to ensure that IET options align with the local plan and students’ interests. In alignment with the Local Workforce Development plans and labor market information, the restructured WAGE™ program addresses career pathways most in demand in provider service areas. During the 2021-22 program year, ADWS/AES worked directly with program administrators in developing IETs that helped develop quality concurrent and contextualized training that could support ELL learners. These efforts help expand ESL programs, leading to new IELCE programs applying during the 2020-2024 Request for Proposal. Participation numbers are rebounding from the impact of COVID-19 as most local programs have returned to face-to-face classes, which provide connections with instructors and classmates that work well for students. |
| California | The CDE awarded 13 Promising Practices for PY 2021-22. Among the awarded agencies, 5 stand out for their collaboration with local Workforce Development Boards, WIOA, Title I agencies, and colleges to provide Integrated Education and Training (IET). Examples include a) Chaffey Adult Education in its collaboration with Chaffey College for a Microsoft Office Certificate, b) Garden Grove Adult Education in its workforce training mobile unit to encourage career exploration and advancement, c) Sweetwater Adult Education in its expansion of its IET program to include co-teaching and language support for all CTE classes, d) Vallejo Regional Education Center in its pathway to apprenticeship in construction and building trades, and e) Ventura Adult Education in its industry sector training programs for previously incarcerated individuals. |
| Colorado | The competition for the 2020-24 grant cycle included the review of local applications by their respective local workforce development boards. Applications were reviewed for alignment with: regional needs, strategies and goals identified in the local plan, proposed activities to reduce barriers to employment, and one-stop partnership responsibilities and referral processes. The boards were given the opportunity to make recommendations to promote alignment during the review process. In 21-22 AEI worked with the Colorado Department of Labor to hold quarterly meetings to discuss policies, strategies, and best-practices for learner engagement across WIOA partner agencies, including IELCE learners. From these meetings, topics were incorporated into grantee technical assistance regarding one-stop responsibilities and best-practices. |
| District of Columbia | OSSE AFE works closely with the District’s WIC to ensure that the adult education and literacy activities are aligned with the District’s WIOA State Plan, career pathways initiative, and local workforce development system. |
| Georgia | While all IELCE providers met the requirement of offering approved IET opportunities, not all programs had ongoing opportunities for their students to engage in IET across the full span of the year. Therefore, to further strengthen IET efforts and outcomes, changes were made to policies and procedures in FY23, including the requirement for local programs to negotiate credential attainment numbers and to have IET opportunities for students in each quarter of the program year. IECLE providers were also strongly encouraged to engage with their workforce partners through the local workforce development board meetings and one-stop partner meetings. |
| Guam | Guam does not receive IELCE funds for this program. |
| Hawaii | Integration of the Hawaii WIOA Title I program career services continues to be explored for the IET workforce training component. Regular meetings have been established with the Title I core partner to develop integrated services. The Title I services are categorized into three areas:
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| Idaho | Through relationships with Next Steps Idaho, Launch Idaho, and all sector partners and leveraging the programs available at the community colleges and the colleges of technology, IETs were continually promoted throughout the year. The AE programs continued to address regional needs for in-demand industries through local workforce boards and committees, the WDC, the DOL, and through the local colleges and career technical education programs. One of the challenges is Idaho is the fastest-growing state in the U.S. This comes with many challenges one of which is meeting the vast and fast-growing industry n PY20 Enrollment PY21 Enrollment IELCE 87 IELCE 372 IET 54 IET 289 In terms of enrollment over the prior PY, a greater number of participants enrolled in IELCE and IET programs. Additionally, several IELCE participants earned their citizenship. PY20 MSGs PY21 MSGs Earned MSG other than EFL gain or secondary diploma 19 Earned MSG other than EFL gain or secondary diploma 52 While goals were met with an increase in enrollment and in MSGs, AE services are well integrated into the workforce system. |
| Illinois | The State enforced policies through ongoing program support and review of programmatic reports to ensure IELCE providers participated in regular meetings with local workforce boards and Area Planning Councils (APC) to ensure program activities were aligned with local workforce demand and economic needs. The state has developed a process for local workforce boards to review provider grant applications during competitive funding years to ensure alignment efforts at the local and regional level. |
| Indiana | In the request for proposals, the competitive application addressed – ► The extent to which the eligible provider demonstrated alignment between proposed activities and services and the strategy and goals of the local plan, as well as the activities and services of the one-stop partners – Had the organization or program worked with the one-stop partner to ensure the efficient delivery of adult education services to eligible individuals? Did the organization or program discuss plans for co-enrollment, referral services, and infrastructure costs? Did the applicant establish, or retain, a working relationship with the one-stop partners in the communities it intended to serve? As mentioned, IDWD adult education programs are organized into regional consortia. These consortia align with the state’s local economic growth regions. WDB members have participated in these regional consortia for many years. As a result, local WDBs have been involved in the adult education WIOA implementation process including integrating IELCE with the local workforce development system. IDWD is using lessons learned from previous programming to effectively implement IET programming across the state, including IELCE programming. |
| Iowa | Providers are represented on local workforce boards or their standing committees, and have established referral processes with local one-stop centers. Iowa’s Integration with local workforce development systems presents valuable opportunities to promote IELCE as an avenue to address regional workforce needs through program updates to the LWDB and consistent engagement with workforce partners about regional workforce needs. |
| Kansas | IELCE programs have strong partnerships with area workforce representatives of KansasWorks. Participants are referred between the two agencies, and in many locations, Adult Education coordinates workforce preparation activities through KansasWorks. Workforce staff provide training, mock interviews, job search assistance, and individual career services. IELCE programs also partner with other community organizations and employers. Many programs have emphasized the benefit of being actively involved with their Local Workforce Development Boards or have expressed the intention to increase communication with the board, both to connect with partners whose clients need Adult Education services and to learn more about the workforce needs of the local area. Programs that have co-located staff with other one-stop partners are cross-trained to identify participants that may be eligible for or in need of partner services. Even in programs that are not co-located, dedicated Student Success staff or Career Navigators are trained as workforce representatives and provide certain workforce services, such as résumé building and job search assistance. These staff members are also equipped to make and receive referrals to one-stop partners and to other community agencies, including bus systems, food banks, and postsecondary financial aid and admissions offices. |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Career Centers continue to make referrals to IELCE programs, as do other community partners such as Kentucky Refugee Ministries. Those partnerships are vital to KYAE efforts to better align program activities with local workforce boards’ priorities to prepare immigrants for the workforce and a new culture. Several opportunities for growth have been identified specifically related to collaborating with local workforce boards and referral efforts among WIOA partners. |
| Louisiana | In 2021-2022 WRU served 1629 English Language Learners (NRS Table 3). This continues to be a significant drop in ELL enrollment compared to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, 79% of Louisiana’s English Language Learners enter our programs at basic levels – ESL 1 through 4 – according to Table 4. This is challenging when designing stackable career pathways programming as the vast majority of students need significant basic skills remediation. Nevertheless, local programs continue to connect all learners to IETs in Workforce Development Board-targeted industries and build out contextualized instruction for learners at all levels. |
| Maryland | Finding adequate numbers of participants to fill IETs has been difficult, particularly for more rural programs. Participant interests are diverse and often do not align with in-demand employment opportunities available in their area. Although some programs have had success using training programs outside of their local area, this is rarely possible in the more rural communities. Program data indicates that IELCE participation declined slightly in PY21, dropping to 1,157 participants from the 1,372 participants in PY20. However, despite the smaller program size, Maryland saw the MSG rate for IELCE participants increase from 21.03% to 39.54%. Maryland credits this increase to increased awareness and professional development on the goals of IELCE programming with our local grantees, which in turn results in a better-informed student population in understanding their participation |
| Michigan | There has been continued progress with ensuring that IELCE program activities are integrated with the local workforce system. LEO-WD has dedicated Title I discretionary funding to support the development of IET programs and further the collaboration between the MWAs and adult education providers. There have been challenges partnering with Michigan Works!, specifically partnering in the delivery of services. In general, many IELCE providers reported a strong partnership with Michigan Works! and regular communication and meetings between the agencies. The partnership has been valuable in identifying the training options and in-demand occupations for IET opportunities, as well as assisting with recruitment of students. |
| Minnesota | All IELCE applications are reviewed by their Local Workforce Development Board and the feedback from the board is taken into consideration. Applicants are expected to align the training to a career or industry that is in-demand in their local area. We ask that providers work with their local one-stop partners to help place and support participants. In addition, a member of the state Adult Education Leadership Team attends a monthly meeting with workforce partners and provides updates on the IELCE grant activities, among other updates. |
| Mississippi | In addition, the navigator and the program director work with CORE Partners to refer and place students in jobs related to their field of study. In collaboration with the State Workforce Investment Board and the Local Workforce Development Boards, we have expanded opportunities for Work-Based Learning, Internships and Apprenticeships. Students are introduced to career pathways at the local community college that prepare them for high demand jobs in the top job sectors of the state. It is challenging to enroll the ESL students into career pathways because: they often enroll only with the goal of learning to read and speak English better ; and a large majority are undocumented and can not enroll in college. |
| Nebraska | To ensure IELCE providers were aligning and integrating their IET activities with the local workforce development system, they were required to utilize the Integrated Education and Training (IET) Guide in the development of their IET program. Local labor market information, alignment to the workforce plan and partnerships with their local workforce were analyzed and identified in this report. Providers were required to submit the IET Guide to the State office for review and approval prior to implementation of the IET program to ensure full compliance. Nebraska’s local IELCE programs collaborated with the workforce development system to ensure they were addressing local workforce needs and were in alignment with the local plan. IELCE providers met with local workforce partners to provide information on program offerings available to adult learners and discuss potential collaboration efforts. Workforce partners were also invited to share their information with IELCE/IET students during program intake and orientation Successes in Program Year 2021-2022 included a provider collaborating with a Title I partner to provide training component support for several students. Another provider utilized career coaches to help students with career training and placement in employment in the local workforce system. By the end of the program year, Title II was successful in placing our final two representatives on the workforce development boards in Lincoln and Omaha, both of which are IELCE program providers. This achievement, which arrived seven years after the signing of WIOA into law is a major win for adult education and will certain allow for more collaboration with employers in the coming program year. |
| Nevada | The state office sent the local area workforce boards the section on alignment for each application for funding prior to the review committee convening. The feedback received from the local boards was considered during the committee review. However, limited feedback was received and did not include significant findings in most cases. Our one extremely rural program has struggled with alignment due to a lack of resources in the rural community. One local non-profit program has received Title I Out-of-School Youth funding through their LWDB and has a staff member located at the program providing services to out-of-school youth, including those in IELCE. An IELCE funded program in Northern Nevada is co-located with the One-Stop to coordinate services to all eligible participants. Referrals are still much fewer than we would expect, but efforts are continuing to build relationships and communication. The work on the state plan will continue to be led by the AEFLA State Director which will facilitate discussion among partners. Cross-training occurs monthly in the southern workforce area which includes almost 75% of the population of Nevada, and the northern board has started the Northern Nevada Workforce Alliance that meets monthly. Both the State Director and the Business Process Analyst for AEFLA attend. The primary challenge has been the difference in eligibility between partner programs. Work is taking place to provide data match beyond UI data to determine co-enrollment between Title II and Title I and III. This will help identify those IELCE students receiving services integrated with other Titles. |
| New Jersey | As previously discussed, NJ OLA has employed a rigorous IET and IELCE monitoring tool. This monitoring of 243 programs (or any area funding an IET) is not based on risk at this time as it is an absolute. The regional coordinators, after reading and approving the annual required IET planning forms use this information in tandem with federal regulations to ensure IELCE program activities are occurring and integrated with the local workforce system. Part of monitoring requires regional coordinators/OALs staff to attend each Title II provider's literacy meetings, which include members from the area and the local workforce system. Finally, annual "report cards" show where each Title II agency stands in terms of meeting required metrics and negotiated targets. These progress cards often help lead the conversations between Title II agencies and locals about needs, co-enrollment, and funding. Finally, the MOU/IFA process went under a revision in late 2021 and continued into 2022 based on USDOL corrective action for NJDOL. It is understood that Title II, along with other partners, need a seat at the table and to be included in trainings, planning, and guidance set forth. The State Director is an active part of the MOU/IFA NJDOL working group and will ensure Title II is fully represented and will attend MOU/IFA meetings for Title II areas and local boards/OSCCs. |
| New Mexico | The eight IELCE programs work towards the program goal of ensuring that IELCE program activities are integrated with the local workforce development system in a variety of ways. UNM-V integrates information on high-demand industries, especially health care, and labor market information, as a part of career exploration in IELCE classes. ENMU-Rui uses state and local labor market information to identify local in-demand occupations and guides IELCE students into certificate programs in the Career Technical Education program such as Certified Nursing Assistant and Cyber Security. They assist students with resumes, applications, and post-secondary credentials. CC also incorporates labor market analysis in their IELCE classes but takes it a step further and trains all students to use the Workforce Connections online portal where they can upload resumes and explore career options. Similarly, ENMU-Ros invites WIOA Partners to attend IELCE class orientation and present information on eligible training providers, labor market information, and requirements for entering each program of interest to the students. UNM-LA works with local providers to educate and involve IELCE students in pursuing local jobs with good earning potential. IELCE classes receive live presentations from the local One-Stop representatives. A challenge for the program has been getting outside agencies and employers to visit the IELCE program and give live presentations. DACC is building a partnership with the Career Services Department on its campus in order to help guide help guide students through the process of foreign credential evaluation and allow students with credentials from their native countries to transfer their skills to the job market in Southern New Mexico. SFCC describes its IELCE population as already at work in the local community and sees that as proof of integration into the local workforce development system. UNM-T, SFCC, and other programs expressed concern and frustration in PY 21/22 about barriers that IELCE students have with integrating with the local workforce system because of a lack of social security numbers. They have found that to be a barrier that keeps their IELCE students from accessing workforce services and resources from HELP New Mexico, the WIOA Title I provider in their area. |
| North Carolina | In addition to working with local employers, funded providers were required to work with other stakeholders such as their Local Workforce Development Board to determine the need in the area. Programs were required to determine if their role on the Local Workforce Development Board was making a meaningful impact as it pertained to the IELCE program. Additionally, programs worked with local transportation agencies to ensure that students had safe and reliable transportation to class, or the location where the classes were to be facilitated. According to many of the funded providers, most of the IELCE curriculum and IET courses were developed around the appointment requirements of the students enrolled in the program. Many programs worked closely with their local Health and Human Services agencies to ensure that students received adequate wrap around services such as nutrition, childcare, and other subsidies. Programs indicated that by providing holistic services to the student, this helped to ensure that the student would remain engaged in the program. |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Not Applicable. |
| Ohio | The goal is that all local ESL programs work with the community partners, such as other training providers, OhioMeansJobs centers, employers, and support service agencies to provide IELCE activities that align with the local workforce needs. One of the required questions on the IET checklist for Ohio asks how the IET program reflects the criteria of being a part of a career pathway aligned to the local workforce plan and how it supports the requirements that a career pathway helps an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster. The incorporation of the OCTAE IELCE Self-Assessment Tool helps programs self-evaluate if they are integrating IELCE program activities that meet the needs of the local workforce development system. |
| Oklahoma | To meet the needs outlined in the local workforce development plan, programs have a long-standing collaborative relationship with their workforce boards and industry. They utilize their career navigators and collaborate with their workforce boards to determine skills needed for in-demand industry sectors. Information on opportunities with both partnering agencies is available to students on a continual basis. As a result of this collaboration, a new IET is being developed. It will be geared toward IT fields as the demand for IT related jobs are growing. This will prepare ELL participants for, and place them in, unsubsidized employment in in-demand industries and occupations that lead to economic self-sufficiency. The program did have difficulty with retention of students as the rigor became more challenging. The program is planning to implement a plan to better orient students that will assist with reducing the attrition rate among students in their respective IELCE program. |
| Oregon | By the end of program year 2021-2022, which was also the end of the grant cycle, five of the six providers had spent between 97-100% of their IELCE grant funds; the sixth provider spent 77% of their funds. In the spring of 2022, Oregon again competed Section 243 funds, and, again, six providers were awarded funds. The funds awarded in this competition will fund IELCE services in Oregon beginning on July 1, 2022, and will therefore be addressed in the 2022-23 Oregon Narrative Report that will be submitted in Fall 2023. |
| Puerto Rico | 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. |
| South Carolina | The OAE ESL Consultant communicated with many of the adult education sites offering ESL services, including all of those awarded with IEL/CE grants, in order to offer Technical Assistance and to monitor the programs informally. Additionally, an IEL/CE Interim Report and Final Annual Report (IEL/CE FAR) were completed and submitted by each grant recipient. Both reports contained information on program performance and documented progress toward full implementation of the IEL/CE program, including IET and other occupational goals. These reports were reviewed, and technical assistance was delivered as needed. The OAE ESL Consultant and other state staff conducted multiple trainings for directors and ESL practitioners, both regionally and statewide, specifically directed at sharing information and strategies on the implementation of WIOA regulations as they relate to the Adult ESL population and IEL/CE. Specific technical assistance and training was delivered individually and at statewide meetings regarding individual program planning and implementation of an IET, with particular emphasis on the challenges presented by COVID. For IEL/CE programs that were not yet in the IET implementation phase, OAE staff provided information and technical assistance necessary to complete the process for submitting an IET proposal to the OAE for approval. Criteria for approval included:
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| South Dakota | The IELCE subrecipient’s Education Coordinator consulted monthly with workforce stakeholders [including the local provider’s employer-network, Job Developer, and Program Director] to align instruction with immediate workforce needs. The IELCE subrecipient’s coordinator also participated in monthly WIOA Core Programs’ Meetings and quarterly One-Stop Partner Meetings. Furthermore, STEP [class] offerings were communicated to the local One-Stop Office to support referrals and to enhance services for co-enrolled participants. Technical Assistance and staff-training opportunities continue in an ongoing effort to promote referrals and to increase co-enrollments between the subrecipient and the local One-Stop Office. The collaboration between the Career Navigator and Job Developer in connecting with employers both before and after each STEP class serves as a promising practice. Employers and community partners now often directly contact the IELCE subrecipient about job openings, job fairs, and onsite interview-opportunities. These tandem approaches support the integration of IELCE program-activities with the local workforce development system. |
| Tennessee | TDLWD provides continuous oversight and guidance to the local IELCE programs. After extensive evaluation of our IELCE programs, we determined more technical assistance was needed to educate the local workforce development boards to increase understanding of the IELCE program and how it fits into the local workforce development system. It is imperative for our local programs and local boards to understand how to ensure seamless integrated services to all job seekers, workers, and businesses, and to include IELCE programming in their strategic planning. The director of ESL services continued assisting local IELCE programs to align with local plans and to integrate with the local workforce development system in each local area. |
| Texas | Texas has implemented several strategies to enhance services under Sec 243. This includes but is not limited to:
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| Virgin Islands | Currently this is not a funded program offering in the USVI. |
| Washington | The relationships between SBCTC and the Workforce Development Councils is under continuous development. With many of the One-Stop centers closed during the pandemic, system wide alignment and collaboration was a challenge. We are currently in the process of strengthening our partnerships with the WDC’s and One-Stop centers. Early conversations have proved promising and we look forward to reporting on our successes in next year’s report. |
| Wisconsin | The WTCS has worked with IELCE providers to ensure that the programming for IELCE and IET is aligned with the strategic directions of local WBDs. All funded AEFLA grantees are required to work with their local WDBs and become familiar with their local planned activities to ensure that adult learners are benefitting from occupational training services that are planned and coordinated at the local level. Student outcomes of these efforts among IELCE participants are presented in Table 6. As described in the Wisconsin AEFLA grant guidelines, providers of IELCE programs must be connected and aligned with services offered by Title I to facilitate the concurrent enrollment and training for all participants of IELCE. The WTCS monitors these efforts through tri-annual grant reports and the AEFLA Program Review Process to ensure that instruction in English literacy is meeting the instructional standards to facilitate transition into postsecondary education and/or unsubsidized employment. Additionally, the WTCS monitors IELCE providers through the Wisconsin AEFLA IET Planning Tool to ensure that adult learners are receiving instruction in workforce preparation and occupation skills training within IELCE. |
| Wyoming | The ACES program continued to address regional needs for in-demand industries, as identified through the State WIB by promoting its IECLE program offerings through local employers, the Wyoming Business Development Council, Regional Economic Development offices, the Cheyenne Workforce office, and through the local college. In terms of performance over last year, the program had a 11% reduction in enrollment the rate for unknown reasons. Other notable differences can be seen in table 4. Table 4: Two Year IELCE Performance Trends FY 20/21 FY 21/22 Enrollments 17 15 Employed-2nd Quarter After Exit 50% 20% Employed-4th Quarter After Exit 60% 33.33% Median Income $2,856.82 $4,480.85 Achieved Citizenship 3 2 Credential Attainment 1 3 MSG: EFL 1 7 MSG: Milestones 1 11 MSG: Secondary or Postsecondary Transcript 1 1 Perhaps the most noteworthy change in performance can be seen in the employment outcome measures. Because these measures are tracked a year behind, it is clear that the pandemic had a large impact upon the IELCE population as employment rates took drastic dives. Median income also shows a drastic movement over the previous year due primarily to several former students getting well paying jobs. Overall MSG rates for IELCE participants rose substantially from a rate of 58.82% in FY 2020/21 to 80%, due primarily to increased State and local monitoring on pre/post testing for this provider. The provider applied for and received, State approval to utilize ‘milestone MSG’s’ for their IELCE/IET participants; consequently resulting in an increase in MSG rates for this population. |