ABE/ESOL Concept Paper
Amount
$1.4 million
Purpose(s)
- Provide underemployed workers with the basic skills (academic) required to pursue careers in high wage/high demand occupations or to access opportunities for skill growth and advancement on the job.
- Provide businesses with workers who can contribute to the businesses’ productivity, performance or competitiveness.
Grant Amount and Length
- 3-year grants
- Maximum $75,000 per year ($225,000 for three years)
- Up to 10% administrative costs (including indirect costs)
Eligible Program Services
Workplace Contextualized Instruction for the following types and levels:
- Beginning Literacy ABE (GLE 0 – 1.9)
- Beginning ABE (GLE 2 – 3.9)
- Pre ASE/GED (GLE 4 – 8.9)
- ASE/GED (GLE 9 – 12)
- Beginning ESOL (SPL 0 – 3)
- Intermediate ESOL (SPL 4 – 5)
- Advanced ESOL (SPL 6 – 8)
- Pre-college literacy or numeracy
- Computer Literacy (taught in the context of ABE/ESOL, not “computer training;” purchase of computers not covered by the grant)
Instruction should be class-based. One-on-one tutoring is not allowable. Participants should be grouped according to class type (e.g., ABE/ESOL) with a minimum of 7 participants per class.
Required Elements:
- Contextualized curriculum
- Assessment
- Coordination of project management team
- Program Evaluation, which should comprise the following:
-- participant and employer satisfaction/feedback
-- worker performance – changes in job behaviors/competencies
-- business impact - definition of business goals and measures of success
Optional Elements:
- Support services (referral/coordination; childcare, if shown to be significant barrier)
- Brief planning phase (4-6 weeks)
Eligible Applicants
Lead agencies may include Massachusetts-based:
- Businesses
- Non-profit educational institutions
- Vocational technical high schools
- Community-based organizations
- Higher education institutions
- Labor organizations
- The following entities may apply on behalf of a consortium of small businesses/community-based organizations: career centers, business or trade associations, workforce investment boards, WIA administrative entities, and other non-profit intermediary organizations.
Partnerships must include at least one business and one adult basic education provider.
Priority will be given to new partnerships not previously funded.
Target Population
Individuals 16 and older who are workers, are not currently enrolled in school, and
- have not earned a high school credential, or
- lack the academic skill level of a high school graduate (as determined by TABE/MAPT scores), or
- have English language skills that limit their ability to advance (as determined by BEST Plus scores).
Matching Funds
- Not less than 50% of grant
- May include cash, in-kind or other means of supporting the project
- May be provided by employers and/or other project partners
Release Time
- We strongly encourage a minimum of 50% paid release time. Rationale should be provided if no release time is provided. Priority will be given to instances where 100% paid release time is provided.
Grantee Reporting and Data Requirements
Projects must establish goals and report on:
- Enrollment
- Attendance
- Learning gains (as measured by TABE, MAPT, or BEST Plus, as applicable to class offerings)
- Business impact
Data Requirements:
-> Upon enrollment:
- Participant demographics (including wages)
- Participant Social Security numbers
- Skills Assessment (using TABE, MAPT, or BEST Plus)
-> Throughout the program:
- Services provided
- Participant attendance, participation levels
-> Upon program completion:
- Learning Gains
- Business impact
Reporting Mechanisms:
- Data entry into the SMARTT system
- Quarterly narrative reports
- Monthly fiscal reports
Procurement Process
- RFP – target release September 30, 2009
- If funds remain, a second release is possible early in 2010.
- No specific regional allocation