FY2019: Adult Education: Primary Instruction By Volunteers

Fund Code: 287

Purpose:

The purpose of this Competitive grant program is to provide access to highly effective adult basic education services to eligible adults who cannot or will not enroll in class based instructional services at a Community Adult Learning Center.

Priorities:

The priority is to support one statewide stand alone program that offers volunteer tutoring services annually to approximately 1,000-1,100 eligible adult students in cities and town in the Commonwealth including Gateway cities and that:

1. demonstrates past effectiveness in providing one on one academic instruction for ABE or ESOL students;
2. provides one-on-one adult basic education instruction through the use of well-trained and well-supported volunteer tutors;
3. for ABE services, ensure the program implements a curriculum that is aligned with the standards of the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE)
4. for ESOL services, ensure that the program implements a curriculum that is aligned with the standards and benchmarks of the Massachusetts ABE Curriculum Framework for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and the standards of the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE) at all levels; and,
5. provide services that are effective in assisting adults to develop the college and career readiness skills needed to successfully transition to higher education and stable jobs that provide a family-sustaining wage.
6. Provide services that are aligned with the strategy and goals identified in the Local Plan Packages.

Eligibility:

Eligible applicants may include, but are not limited to:
(a) A local educational agency;(b) A community-based organization or faith-based organization; (c) A volunteer literacy organization; (d) An institution of higher education; (e) A public or private nonprofit agency; (f) A library; (g) A public housing authority; (h) A nonprofit institution that has the ability to provide adult education and literacy activities to eligible individuals;(i) A consortium or coalition of the agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries, or authorities described in any of paragraphs (a) through (h) of this section; and (j) A partnership between an employer and an entity described in any of paragraphs (a) through (i) of this section.

Funding Type:

State

Funding:

The total allocation available for one statewide primary instruction by volunteers program is approximately $400,000. Funds are contingent upon satisfactory performance, the appropriation of state and federal funds, and the continuance of federal authorizing legislation.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding is to become available it will be distributed under the same guideline as listed in the initial RFP document.

Fund Use:

Funds must be used to provide Adult Basic Education instructional services, delivered by well-trained volunteers, including basic skills, pre- adult secondary education, adult secondary education, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

Personnel costs may include paid staff time for: recruitment; volunteer/student orientation; volunteer training and ongoing support; required and ongoing assessment of student progress; establishing and maintaining tutor/student matches; advising; follow-up; referral; professional development data collection/entry; and, administration. A portion of the funds may be used to support non-personnel related costs.

Eligible students are

1. at least 16 years of age; and

2. b. are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law, and either:

   • do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent;
   • are basic skills deficient if they have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent (Note: Students who possess a high school credential are required to assess at or below 10.9 grade level equivalent (GLE) in reading, writing, or mathematics and seek to maintain work certification and/or pursue postsecondary education or training in order to be eligible.); or
   • are English language learners.

All students need the skills to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency.

Not less than 75 percent of funds must be spent on adult basic education direct services; not more than 25 percent may be spent on administrative costs, including indirect costs.

Agencies with an approved federal indirect cost rate shall not receive more than an 8% indirect rate for adult education programs. Agencies with an ESE-approved indirect cost rate (IDC) shall not receive more than a 5% indirect rate for adult education programs. The total of direct and indirect costs may not exceed the total grant award. In lieu of charging for indirect costs, grantees that provide an appropriate and detailed allocation of agency wide costs to their grant programs may receive DESE approval to include them as direct costs.

Project Duration:

Upon approval through 6/30/2019; conditionally renewable annually for up to four (4) years.

Adult Basic Education Primary Instruction by Volunteers grants are renewable for the duration of a maximum of four (4) years, subject to satisfactory performance, the appropriation of state and federal funds, and the continuance of federal authorizing legislation.

Program Unit:

Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Contact:

All inquiries must be submitted in writing to VOLRFP@doe.mass.edu; all answers will be posted to the Adult and Community Services webpage.

Phone Number:

Telephone inquiries for assistance utilizing the RFP mailbox and/or the ACLS webpage may be directed to the ACLS receptionist at (781) 338-3850.

Bidders Conference:

A Bidders' Conference for the ABE Primary Instruction by Volunteers grant program is scheduled for 9/26/17 between 9:00 a.m. and 4: 00 p.m. at One Ashburton Place, Boston, 21st floor. For more information, see Bidders' Conference and Related Trainings, posted to the ACLS webpage.

Date Due:

December 22, 2017

Proposals must be delivered in PDF format to the Department via email at the following email address: VOLRFP@doe.mass.edu by 3:00 p.m. on due date.

Required Forms:

  

Submit an optional Letter of Intent to Apply (note separate due date): emailed to VOLRFP@doe.mass.edu by 3:00 p.m. on October 6, 2017)

Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

Part II — Project Expenditures Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages.)

  

Budget Narrative (designed by applicant; see instructions in Part III, Section V)

  

Match Narrative (designed by applicant; see instructions in Part III, Section V)

Schedule B — Cost Sharing or Matching Schedule

Part III — Required Program Information

Planned Volunteer Tutors and Tutor-Student Matches Form (Appendix C)

FY 2018 Statement of Assurances for Primary Instruction by Volunteers

  

Copy of the applying agency's latest completed audit report

Required Appendices:

Appendix A: Roster of board officers and members, with any relationships to agency staff noted and Organizational Chart as specified in Part III, Section III.A, Agency Background.(to be created by applicant)

Appendix B: Current job descriptions, including minimum required qualifications, for key staff positions as specified in Part III, Section III.B, Qualified Staff. (To be created by applicant.)

Appendix C: Planned Volunteer Tutors and Tutor-Student matches Form in Part III, Section IV.B, Proposed Volunteer Tutoring Services: Student Services.(complete template provided)

Appendix D: A list of participating CALCs in Part III, Section IV.B, Proposed Volunteer Tutoring Services: Student Services. (To be created by applicant.)

Appendix E: A map of services in Part III, Section IV.B, Proposed Volunteer Tutoring Services: Student Services. (To be created by applicant.)

Appendix F: An Example of the Memoranda of Agreement to be used with collaborating CALCs in Part III, Section IV.B, Proposed Volunteer Tutoring Services: Student Services. (to be created by applicant)

Additional Requirements:

Compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, As Amended, is a pre-requisite to receipt of a grant award.

Applicants are required to provide an auditable matching share of 20% of the total amount of the requested grant award. Currently funded grantees must provide a matching share that is not less than their FY 2017 matching share (maintenance of effort amount) or 20% of the requested amount, whichever is greater.

Upon notification of funding, successful applicants will be required to enter the approved number of tutors and tutor-student matches in the Primary Instruction By Volunteers screen in SMARTT Successful applicants must comply with Adult and Community Learning Services' assessment policies and reporting requirements.

With the exceptions noted below, no entity may receive an award unless the entity has provided a copy of the applying agency's latest completed audit report, issued by an independent certified public accountant. If this audit report is not included, the proposal will not be considered. Excepted from this requirement are state and local entities whose audits the Department accesses directly, such as state colleges, community colleges, and universities, state and county correctional facilities, local public educational authorities and city- or town-operated public libraries.

Additional Information:

College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education

Massachusetts Adult Basic Education Curriculum Framework for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

ACLS Assessment Policies

Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers of Adult English Speakers of Other Languages: What ESOL Instructors Need to Know and Be Able to Do

New England Learner Persistence Findings

ProLiteracy Tutor Preparation Resources

Center for Adult English and Literacy Acquisition ESL Teacher Resources

Center for Applied Linguistics Adult English Language Education Resources

Review Form for Alignment with Local Plan Packages: This form to be used after the proposals are submitted. WIOA requires that LWDBs review all applications submitted by eligible providers for alignment with local plan packages.

Letter of Intent to Apply Form Due:

The Letter of Intent to Apply Form must be received at the Department by 3:00 p.m. on October 6, 2017. It should be sent via email to the following email address: volrfp@doe.mass.edu.

Proposal Submission Instructions:

Application Packages must be in PDF format and emailed to the following email address volrfp@doe.mass.edu with required elements in the following sequence:

1. Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)
2. Part II - Budget Documents:
   1. Budget Pages
   2. Budget Narrative
   3. Match Narrative
   4. Schedule B
3. Part III - Required Program Information. This part should not exceed 10 pages, single space, and 12 point Times New Roman font.
4. Planned Volunteer Tutors and Tutor-Student Matches Table
5. FY2018 Statement of Assurances for Adult Basic Education Instructional Grants
6. Required Appendices
7. Separately (unless exempted - see "Required Forms"), email a copy of the applying agency's latest completed audit report.

Proposal Due:

Proposals are due on December 22, 2017 by 3:00 p.m.

Last Updated: June 30, 2017