STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Transcription

1 STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Workforce Investment Act of 1998, (Public Law ) Title II, Adult Education and Literacy Consolidated Adult Basic Skills And Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Grant Programs Year 2 Continuation Application Fiscal Year 2015 (July 1, 2014 June 30, 2015) Announcement Date: May 9, 2014 Technical Assistance Workshop Date: May 19, 2014 Application Due Date: June 6, 2014 Harold J. Wirths Commissioner

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS A Name of Grant Program 1 B Purpose of Grant 1 C Available Funding 1 D Eligible Entities 1-2 E Requirement of Applicants 2-3 E1 Program and Planning Requirements 3 E1a Standards of Service 3 E1b Roles and Responsibilities of Participating Entities 3-4 E1c Project Description 4-5 Expected Outcomes/Goals and Objectives 5 F Application Process 5-6 Evaluation Criteria 6 DUNS Number (hyperlink) 6 Federal I.D. # (hyperlink) 6 Standards Assurances and Certification/General Provisions (hyperlink) 6 Tax Clearance Certificate (hyperlink) 6 Board Resolution to Apply (hyperlink) 6 Planning and Needs Assessment Process 7-8 Funding Levels 8 Project Location 8 Consortium Partners 8 Executive Summary 8 Statement of Need 8 Program Narrative 8 Achievement/Outcome Indicators 8-9 Professional Development Plan 9 Organizational Commitment and Capacity 9 Attendance Policy 9 Budget Guidelines (hyperlink) 9-10 *Lead Agency Coordination Fee --- *Professional Development Award --- *Budget Summary/Allowable Costs/Itemized Lists --- *Personnel Costs/Non-Personnel Costs --- *Client Information --- Page(s)

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page(s) Workforce Investment Board Local Integration Documentation Form 10 Board Resolution 10 Consortium Partner Agreements 10 Class Schedule 10 Reporting Requirements G Address for Mailing Proposals 11 H Application Submission 11 I Date Which Applicants will be Notified 11 Award Process 11 Panel Review Process 11 APPENDIX (hyperlink) 11 FY 2015 Award Amounts Sample Class Schedule Educational Functioning Level Tables Definitions pertaining to Title II Program Goals Helpful NRS/Title II Program Definitions

4 Take Notice that, in compliance with N.J.S.A. 52: et seq., the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (hereinafter LWD ) regularly publishes on its website at all notices of fund availability pertaining to Federal or State grant funds, which may be awarded by the Department. The notices of fund availability may be found on the Department s website under the heading Public Notices and the subheading Notice of Availability of Grant Program Funds. A. Name of the Grant Program Consolidated Adult Basic Skills (ABS) and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Grant Program. B. Purpose of the Grant The purpose of this Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO) is to provide adult education and literacy services to assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and selfsufficiency; to assist adults who are parents to obtain the skills necessary to become partners in the education of their children; and assist adults in the completion of a secondary school education. C. Available Funding The Consolidated ABS and IELCE Grant Program is federally funded under Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 (P.L ), Title II, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA). For fiscal year (FY) 2015, the total amount of federal funds available for this grant program is $12,965,320. This award amount is tentative and contingent upon final approval from the US Department of Education. The anticipated 17 continuation awards will range from $274,350 to $1,457,030 (refer to Appendix to view the FY 2015 Potential Award Amounts document.) The funding formula for this discretionary grant program is based upon the selected weighted demographic characteristics listed below by county/region and the available federal award funds allocated to this grant program. The weighted value, or score, is based upon educational attainment level for each local area using the following guideline: Individuals with Grade 8 or less basic educational skill level (50 percent weight) Individuals with Grade 9 to 10 basic educational skill level (33 percent weight) Individuals with Grade 11 to 12 basic educational skill level (17 percent weight) All grant applications require a financial match of 25 percent. An eligible agency s non-federal contribution may be provided in cash or in-kind contribution which is fairly evaluated and shall include only non-federal and non-state funds that are used for adult education and literacy activities in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of P. L , Title II, Section 222. D. Eligible Entities This is a one-year continuation, competitive grant program open to eligible providers. In accordance with Federal requirements WIA, Title II (Sec. 203, (5) (A)-(I)) the term eligible provider means: A. A local educational agency; B. A community- or faith-based organization of demonstrated effectiveness; C. A volunteer literacy organization of demonstrated effectiveness; 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 is not described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (G) that has the ability to provide literacy services to adults and families; or Page 1 of 11

5 I. A consortium of the agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries or authorities described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (H). Eligible Training Provider List In accordance with New Jersey state requirements, all approved entities must be on the Eligible Training Provider List prior to any contract award resulting from the application process. All qualified entities listed on page 1 need to apply to participate as a service provider for this program. For additional information please go to [S] E. Requirements of Applicants to be Considered for Funding Under the Grant Program The awarding of continuation grants to eligible applicants will be based upon educational attainment level for each local area (see Section C) and the following 12 elements listed below as specified in AEFLA, Section 231(e) of the WIA of The degree to which the eligible provider established measurable goals for participant outcomes; 2. The effectiveness of the eligible provider in improving the literacy skills of adults and families, and, the success of an eligible provider receiving funding under this grant in meeting or exceeding performance measures, especially with respect to those adults with the lowest levels of literacy; 3. The commitment of the eligible provider to serve individuals in the community who are most in need of literacy services, including individuals who are low-income or have minimal literacy skills; 4. Whether or not the program a) is of sufficient intensity and duration for participants to achieve substantial learning gains and b) uses instructional practices, such as phonemic awareness, systemic phonics, fluency and reading comprehension that research has proven to be effective in teaching individuals to read; 5. Whether the activities are built on a strong foundation of research and effective educational practice; 6. Whether the activities effectively employ advances in technology, as appropriate including the use of computers; 7. Whether the activities provide learning in real life contexts to ensure that an individual has the skills needed to compete in the workplace and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; 8. Whether the activities are staffed by well-trained instructors, counselors and administrators; 9. Whether the activities coordinate with other available resources in the community, such as by establishing strong links with elementary schools and secondary schools, postsecondary educational institutions, one-stop centers, job training programs and social service agencies; 10. Whether the activities offer flexible schedules and support services (such as child care and transportation) that are necessary to enable individuals, including individuals with disabilities or other special needs, to attend and complete programs; 11. Whether the activities maintain a high-quality information management system that has the capacity to report participant outcomes and to monitor program performance against the eligible agency performance measures; and 12. Whether the local communities have a demonstrated need for additional English literacy programs. [S] Denotes New Jersey requirements, policy, or standards not included in federal law or regulations but required by New Jersey code or regulation. Page 2 of 11

6 Additional eligible population to be served. Adults who have a high school diploma or its equivalent and who demonstrate skills at or below 8.9 as measured by tests approved for this purpose by New Jersey s AEFL Assessment Policy and require specific improvement in academic or basic learning skills in order to pursue postsecondary education, training, or obtain or maintain employment. [S] E1. Program and Planning Requirements Detailed below are the program and planning requirements which constitute the essential elements that must be addressed in grant applicants narratives. Applicants must prepare their responses to the NGO using the numbering sequence as listed in E1b. E1a. Standards of Service Each applicant is required to provide the comprehensive services which are described in this NGO. E1b. Roles and Responsibilities of Participating Entities 1. Workforce Investment Board (WIB) Planning and Coordination Responsibility: The relationship between the WIB and the Title II ABS grant consortia is one of collaboration and cooperation. The WIB is not vested with the authority to oversee, determine or approve the adult education and literacy program and services contracted for under the Federal Title II ABS and IELCE grant program. It is recognized that the WIB is responsible for the planning and coordination of literacy services and programs within their county/multi-county WIB areas, and it is important that all literacy service providers in the WIB area be aware of the literacy needs in their service area and how their particular programs and services can assist in responding to area literacy needs. In developing a proposal for this grant program, applicants will consult with the local WIB to determine priorities and gaps in service for the education levels defined above and identify opportunities for collaboration as well as the overall fit of the proposed program with the WIB area plans. [S] 2. Role of Lead Agency: The lead agency is expected to act on behalf of its partners in both a programmatic and fiscal capacity by providing management and leadership for the conduct and implementation of the adult education and literacy program across the consortium of partners. In the event of other entities receiving WIA Title II funding and providing WIA Title II services in the respective WIB regions, the lead agency of the consortium is required to include those service providers National Reporting System (NRS) data into the consortium database. The lead agency is also required to provide the necessary fiscal information to the state for reporting purposes both to the state and the federal government. Quarterly meetings during the contract period shall be hosted by the lead agency and attended by all consortium partners. Such meetings should include county and regional One-Stop Career Centers (OSCC) representation and the state Technical Assistant Representative from the LWD, Division of Workforce Grant and Program Management, Literacy Services. The lead agency will: Coordinate all planning for the delivery of programs and services across the consortium; Collect, analyze and report to the State agency all fiscal and program data across the consortium on the schedule and timelines determined by the State; Provide additional information on the unified program, as requested; Page 3 of 11

7 Provide additional leadership, training and management support, as necessary and/or as requested by the partner agencies; Coordinate any professional development activities, as required by the State; and In consultation with each partner, develop an articulation agreement with other members of the consortium to which funds will be transferred during the contract period covered by this NGO. Each articulation agreement must clearly: 1. Detail all services to be provided by the collaborating agency; 2. Set forth the process, timelines and actions the collaborative will use in the delivery of services, data collection, and maintaining and reporting both fiscal and program information to the LWD; 3. Specify the process to be used to make decisions to continue with collaborating partners or to remove collaborating partners from participation in the consortium; 4. Advise partners that reimbursements will not be made or will be delayed for those partners submitting incorrect or submitting untimely monthly or quarterly fiscal, program and enrollment reports and information; 5. Coordinate activities for partner agencies to deliver services in family literacy, including Even Start, financial literacy and health literacy; 6. Serve as the single-point-of-contact for the LWD; and participate in state-sponsored activities and meetings, as required by the State agency. 3. Role of the Partner/Consortium Member: Partner/consortium agencies are expected to adhere to programmatic, data and fiscal requests as deemed necessary and appropriate by the lead agency and to respond to all requests for such data in a timely and comprehensive manner. The OSCC operator or designee should participate as an ex-officio partner in each of the funded consortia. The partner/consortium agency will: Develop a partnership agreement with the lead agency. Such agreements must be included as a part of the proposal; Provide and analyze all program data in a comprehensive and timely manner to the lead agency as outlined in the NGO or as requested by the lead agency; Provide all fiscal data in a comprehensive and timely manner to the lead agency as outlined in the NGO or as requested by the lead agency; Participate in planning and management activities as requested by the lead agency for the ultimate benefit of the consortium; Participate in state-sponsored activities and meetings as required by the State agency; and Ensure partner staff is appropriately trained to enter client data into the Literacy Adult and Community Education System (LACES), and ensure that such data are analyzed, reported and maintained. E1c. Project Description The applicant (lead agency) must: a) Submit a unified project plan that will cover the full grant program (all Standards and Requirements items 1-21, must be addressed.) The project description must integrate the project of each consortium member into one document. Do not provide a separate document for each partner. Page 4 of 11

8 b) Provide your anticipated budget needs for each contract period of the grant program to the multiyear program design, and to the goals and objectives set out in the proposal. c) Clearly articulate strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project clients who are members of groups that traditionally have been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. For contract year: Provide a clear description of the proposed activities, as well as the basis for the selection and/or development of the particular outcomes. The following elements must be included in your description: 1. Establish indicators of success for each goal and objective as identified in the section below; 2. Explain how the program Standards and Requirements (in the order listed) as defined relate to your consortium; 3. A statement indicating how the consortium will provide instruction or services in the following areas: adult literacy instruction, including preparation for the workplace, English language instruction, adult secondary instruction, family literacy; 4. Information demonstrating past effectiveness of project on improving the literacy skills of adults and/or families; 5. Information demonstrating commitment of project to serve adult learners who are most in need of literacy; 6. Information regarding the instructional practices that the project will use, and how these practices will improve literacy skills, specifically those at the lowest levels of literacy; 7. Information about the strategies planned to recruit potential learners; 8. Information about strategies for providing services that focus on functional life skills and preparation for the workforce; and 9. Information about the strategies that will be used to place learners in jobs. Expected Outcomes/Goals and Objectives In accordance with WIA Title II (Sec. 212), LWD must ensure continuous improvement in performance. LWD has agreed with the United States Department of Education (USDOE) during annual performance measure negotiations to meet the performance levels outlined below for the Core Indicators of Performance for FY Each local program must project performance levels on the core indicators that will contribute to New Jersey s success in meeting or exceeding the agreement upon performance levels and must also project continuous improvement in performance. Please click on the link above for detailed information about the NRS Educational Functioning Levels (EFLs) - reference Core Indicator I. Applicants must establish indicators of success for each project goal and corresponding objectives(s). In constructing the indicators, applicants must describe the methods to be used to evaluate the progress toward achievement of the goals and objectives, as well as the overall grant project outcomes. Applicants must describe for each indicator the measures and instrumentation to be used and how results will be utilized for program improvement. If the applicant chooses, additional goals and objectives consistent with the purpose of this grant program as outlined in this NGO and within the outlined purposes of the AEFLA may be added. F. Application Process LWD accepts reviews, approves and manages all WIA Title II grants electronically using the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE)*. Page 5 of 11

9 Any potential applicant must first submit a letter of intent via to lwdsage@dol.state.nj.us. The letter of intent needs to include the Applicant Agency, Business Name, Name of Person Responsible for Submitting Application (Agency Official), Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN) and Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) Number. The letter of intent is due by 5 p.m. May 19, *In the event you do not currently have access to SAGE you must register at the following Internet website address: You will receive an message confirming that your account has been validated. Within the next business day, LWD will provide access to the application. After receiving the confirmation, eligible entities will have access to complete and submit their grant application online. Technical requirements for SAGE can be viewed at It is recommended that registration in SAGE be submitted at the time the letter of intent is completed. Also, it is important to specify the names and titles of the individual(s) attending the technical assistance workshop. The technical assistance workshop to potential applicants is scheduled for May 19, 2014 at the LWDs 13 th floor auditorium at 1:30 p.m. Click here for directions. Please contact Karen Iorillo-Noe at (609) or Karen.Iorillo-Noe@dol.state.nj.us to confirm your participation. A representative from each applying consortium wishing to take advantage of this grant opportunity must attend the technical assistance session. The information provided at the session will be limited to the factual contents of the NGO narrative including grant parameters, constraints, state/federal regulations, and all required forms. General guidance on completing the application will be provided along with direction on the SAGE database. It is recommended that both fiscal staff, as well as program staff, attend this session. Vital information will be provided that will assist in the development of programs, budgets and reimbursement reporting requirements. Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Criteria Required Documents for proposal approval: (No Points) Applicant Cover Page DUNS Number Federal Employer ID Number Assurances and Certifications and General Provisions (signed by the Chief School Administrator (CSA) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the lead agency) Tax Clearance Certificates (all appropriate partners) Board Resolution to Apply Program Service: Does the proposal indicate an ability to meet all required goals and objectives Is the program described and detailed in a realistic way Are needs based methodologies being used ensuring the students are receiving the proper level of service Is a research based instructional practice being utilized (i.e., EFF, College & Career Readiness Standards, etc.) Total Points Page 6 of 11

10 Program Description: Details on the programs relevance to Adult Basic Skills, HS Equivalency acquisitions; postsecondary education transition/occupational training and credentialing Details any current efforts to integrate adult basic skills programs with workforce and career preparation programs. Specifically address plans to utilize professional development allocations to plan and implement digital literacy instruction and career pathway program(s). Proposal includes statistical evidence of demonstrated program effectiveness. Please incorporate use of LACES digital dashboard and prior year performance in your response. Proposal describes a plan to assist adults in becoming literate and obtaining the skills for postsecondary education, employment and/or self-sufficiency including a plan to transition adult learners into the postsecondary or career pathway programs according to state focus. Applicant Requirements: Evidence of partnerships and efforts to avoid duplication of services. Describes a specific coordination of in kind efforts to address the transition of students within programs from level to level as well as transition efforts to connect to postsecondary and /or other advanced trainings. Describes social and academic supports available to students to increase retention. Are appropriate professional development activities included in the proposal. Evidence that the applicant has the ability and capacity to oversee the entering of all data into the LACES database properly and in a timely manner; as well as utilize the database for data analysis. Budget Summary and Budget Narrative: Budget expenses are appropriate and reasonable. Budget is within the cost guidelines of the NGO. Is the Budget within the five percent administrative cap. Are costs sufficient to complete the scope of services described within the proposal. Does the budget meet the 25 percent matching or in-kind requirement. Budget Summary and Budget Narrative are clearly and accurately aligned. Budget Narrative clearly and thoroughly describes the planned line item expenditures. Calculations are error free TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS percent or More Total Points Required Planning and Needs Assessment process: All potential applicant agencies must participate in the county/multi-county adult education and literacy needs assessment meeting(s) as hosted by the local WIB Literacy Planning Committee. The purpose of this meeting and future meetings is to bring all partner agencies applying for this program together to identify and prioritize the basic skills education and literacy needs for their county s adult population. It is through this process that service providers will collaboratively decide the agency which is best equipped to act as the lead agency for the coordination and implementation of the adult education and literacy programs and services required under this grant. As a part of these assessment meetings, all potential consortium partners will be identified along with the programs, services and resources each agency will offer the consortium and county adult population. Consortium membership is to be based upon the agency s demonstrated record of improving the literacy skill levels of adult learners, the agency s commitment to the project, and the agency s possession of the essential organizational capacity, including necessary resources and relevant experience, to support successful implementation of the adult basic skills grant program. One competitive award encompassing multiple service provider agencies will be made per county/multicounty area. Consortia may not limit their partnerships to agencies with which they are currently paired; consortium membership should include a broad base of agencies, reflective of the county/multi-county area. Page 7 of 11

11 Continuation and/or deletion to the consortium membership will be contingent upon performance; and, new or replacement partners to the consortium membership in the grant based upon the Literacy Planning Committee needs assessment review and planning in the WIB region. Funding Levels by Source Applicants must list the amount of funding requested from each of the funding streams including both ABE/ESL and IELCE lead agency coordination and professional development awards. The amount must not exceed what is designated as available in the attached FY 2015 Consolidated ABS and IELC Education grant program award amounts. Project Location Applicants must choose the county(ies) that their program will take place. If multiple counties are to be served you can hold the control key and select as many counties as necessary. If the program will be statewide then you will enter a check in the box as stated. Consortium Partners Applicants must insert the names of the participating agencies, address, telephone number, address and the number of participants by level and the corresponding amount of funding that each agency is contracting to serve for ABE/ESL and IELCE. Executive Summary Applicants must provide an Executive Summary describing the proposed program that summarizes the need for the program, the purpose and projected outcomes. The Executive Summary must accurately reflect the information included in the applicant s Statement of Need and the Program Description. Statement of Need Applicants must demonstrate the need for the project in relation to the NGO. A need is defined as the difference between the current status and the outcomes and/or standard(s) that the applicant would like to achieve. Provide documentation to substantiate the stated need. Documentation may include demographics, test data, description of target population(s), client data, personnel data and research. Program Narrative Applicants (lead agency) must submit a unified project plan that will cover the full grant program. The program narrative must integrate the project of each consortium member into one document; do not provide a separate one for each partner. See, E1c on page 4 for more information. Topics must be addressed in the order they appear on page 4. Achievement/Outcome Indicators The foundation of a successful educational project rests with result-oriented outcomes. Therefore, it is essential that the applicant carefully construct the outcome indicators which clearly delineates the applicant s proposed project in the context of the statewide goals and achievement/outcome indicators of performance for ABE/ESL and IELCE (refer to Core Indicators of Performance link on page 5) and that together with the program narrative and budget, the applicant provide a comprehensive plan for the successful accomplishment of the project. The Achievement/Outcome Indicators of the consortium must integrate all consortium members. Do not repeat the same goals and objectives as separate ones for each partner. However, if one partner adds an outcome that no other partner is doing, it should be included as part of the full consortia goals and objectives, noting the partner or site location where those Achievement/Outcome Indicators apply. Page 8 of 11

12 All outcomes are mandated as part of this NGO; the applicant has the discretion to include additional outcomes, as warranted; For additional Achievement/Outcome Indicators, identify the proposed timelines for the contract period in the applicant s comprehensive plan; and Outcome Indicators should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and consistent with the needs described. Provide a time frame for the accomplishment of each outcome. Professional Development Plan Applicants are required to submit a comprehensive plan for professional development with the NGO application. This professional development plan will focus on the skills staff must have to work in a comprehensive adult education program and encompass a minimum of six hours of professional development and training for each staff member. The professional development plan must address how the activities support meeting the needs of the adult population in an integrated, effective and efficient manner that will increase participation in the workforce and assist in decreasing the number of individuals on welfare. Procurement of professional development activities must be in concert with the procurement rules of the sponsoring agency. Organizational Commitment and Capacity Applicants who have received previous funding under WIA, Title II (PL ) must submit outcome data that documents three years of their programs effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of adults whom they serve as part of the Title II, Adult Basic Skills or Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Programs. Provide FY 2013 and FY 2014 to date, NRS Tables 4 and 5 as a part of the outcome data summarized in narrative form. Applicants who (1) have never received funding under WIA, Title II (PL ), or (2) have received previous State, Federal or funding from other sources must provide a narrative describing their organizational capacity, resources, commitment and any demonstrated ancillary previous program successes, if applicable, in serving the needs of adults for which funding is sought. Applicants need to describe their commitment to addressing the conditions and/or needs identified, including the organizational support that exists for implementing the proposed project. The applicant should also describe previous experience implementing similar types of projects as well as the outcomes of those projects. Applicants need to explain their capability to utilize the LACES data management system. Attendance Policy Applicants must submit a description of the attendance policies being used by each of the partners in the consortium. Applicants must also describe the retention strategies that each of the partners in the consortium will use. The Attendance Policy must reflect on: 1) the amount of time that is necessary and required to meet program objectives; 2) participant attendance in relationship to the minimum 20 hours of instruction within a 10 week span; 3) the maximum number of absences allowed before the adult learner is removed from enrollment; and 4) identify the method to be used for recording and maintaining daily attendance. Budget Guidelines: A Budget Summary that reflects the full proposed budget for the entire partnership/consortium must be completed and filed as part of your application. Any and all budget modification requests must be made no later than December 31, If the budget modification is approved all adjustments to the budget must be completed and submitted to LWD no later than January 31, This is necessary Page 9 of 11

13 to ensure proper time is provided for approval of the budget modification, while allowing for the purchases to be for services that will be provided during this fiscal year. Workforce Investment Board (WIB) Local Integration Documentation Form The local/county WIB must respond to the four questions identified on the WIB Local Integration Documentation Form contained in the NGO. The documentation form must be signed by the WIB director. Board Resolution A designated officer of the lead district or agency s governing board must sign and date the Board Resolution, indicating the district or agency s approval to apply for grant funds. The amount entered on the Board Resolution must agree with the total award amount for your consortium as identified on the Funding Levels by Source (total of ABE/ESL and IELCE Award amounts, plus the lead agency coordination fees and professional development award amounts). The resolution must include the names of the partnership members and the amount of their individual award amount. Consortium Partner Agreements Consortium/Partner applicants must include signed copies of the Consortium/Partner Agreements as a part of the completed application. The CSA/CEO of each Local Education Agency, community-based organization, institutions of higher education or other nonprofit organization with which the lead agency is entering into a partnership must provide a signed Consortium/Partner Agreement. This document indicates that a representative of the organization has participated in the development of the application and the organization agrees to participate in the proposed activities described in the application. The agreement between the collaborating agencies must also set forth the process, timelines and actions that the collaborative will use in the delivery of services, data collection, and maintenance and reporting of both fiscal and program information to LWD. Class Schedule The class schedule must offer flexible scheduling including day and evening classes. Twenty hours of instruction must be offered in the daytime and 12 hours offered in the evening (daytime will mean the hours between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. and evening will mean 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. A schedule of days and hours of operation, including all delivery sites, must be included. Volunteer-based agencies must indicate on the schedule the days and hours tutoring will be offered. (A sample Class Schedule is included in Appendix.) Reporting Requirements: Grant recipients are required to submit periodic program and fiscal progress reports as a contingency of grant funding. The LWD will provide lead agencies with instructions for submitting the reports electronically through SAGE. A. Waiting List Information Lead agencies are required to submit the number of clients by program area (ABE, ESL and IELCE) who were placed on a waiting list due to capacity issues. Waiting lists must include the reason an individual could not be served. B. Interim Progress Report A mid-year activity report is due by January 12, The report will be completed through SAGE and will contain the consortium s progress toward achievements of goals, any issues that the consortium may be having with LACES, the need for Professional Development and any obstacles for the consortium or an individual partner and the steps to address them. C. Final Activity Report An end-of-year narrative report is due by October 9, The report will be completed through SAGE and will contain an overview of program year activity and the contributions of each consortium partner, including completed professional development activities. Page 10 of 11

14 D. Corrective Action Plan (to be completed only if insufficient progress was made toward goal attainment) Sufficient progress is defined as having enrolled (minimum of 12 hours of instruction) 50 percent of the contractual level of clients by the end of the second quarter of the program year and 75 percent of the contractual level of clients by the end of the third quarter. LWD may suspend payments to grantees making insufficient progress toward contractual enrollment goals and/or the local goals and objectives found elsewhere in this application. G. Address to Which Proposals Must Be Submitted Proposals must be submitted online at: as described in section F, Application Process, on pages 5 & 6. For information contact: New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development Division of Workforce Grant and Program Management 1 John Fitch Plaza P.O. Box th floor Trenton, NJ Contact: Karen Iorillo-Noe Telephone: (609) Karen.Iorillo-Noe@dol.state.nj.us H. Application Submission Grant applications must be submitted by 5 p.m., June 6, I. Date by Which Applicants Shall Be Notified Award Process: The LWD will conduct an internal review of each grant application. An internal review team will evaluate the application on the basis of quality, comprehensiveness, completeness, accuracy and adherence to the guidelines and requirements of this NGO. Applicants are reminded grants will be awarded through a competitive process. The LWD cannot fund all applications submitted; therefore, only those applications that meet the highest standards will be awarded. Panel Review Process: All applications are subject to a department panel review and final approval by the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The panel review date is expected to occur the week of June 16, Within 20 business days following the panel review date, applicants will be notified of the status of their application and any requested revisions. Appendix FY 2015 Award Amounts Sample Class Schedule Educational Functioning Level Tables Title II Program Goals Definitions Title II NRS Program Definitions Page 11 of 11