Quality Assurance and Compliance Monitoring

Transcription

1 Quality Assurance and Cmpliance Mnitring Adult Educatin and Family Literacy Flrida Literacy Calitin Final Reprt June 20, 2011

2 FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION KATHLEEN SHANAHAN, Chair ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ, Vice Chair Members GARY CHARTRAND Jhn L. Winn Cmmissiner f Educatin Lretta Cstin, Chancellr Divisin f Career and Adult Educatin DR. AKSHAY DESAI MARK KAPLAN JOHN R. PADGET June 20, 2011 Mr. Gregry Smith, Executive Directr Flrida Literacy Calitin 250 Nrth Orange Avenue Suite 1110 Orland, Flrida Dear Mr. Smith: We are pleased t prvide yu with the Final Reprt f Mnitring f the Adult Educatin and Family Literacy prgrams frm ur visit n March 14, The reprt will als be placed n ur website at We appreciate the leadership and prfessinalism demnstrated by yur staff during the review prcess. If we can be f any assistance, please cntact Eileen L. Amy, Directr f Quality Assurance and Cmpliance. Ms. Amy may be reached at 850/ , r via electrnic mail at [email protected]. Thank yu fr yur cntinuing cmmitment t imprve services fr Flrida s students. Sincerely, Lretta Cstin LBC/ela Enclsure CC: Tashi Williams 325 W. GAINES STREET TALLAHASSEE, FL (850)

3 Table f Cntents I. Intrductin... 1 II. Authrity III. Quality Assurance Plicies, Prcedures, and Prtcls... 1 IV. Prvider Selectin... 1 V. Flrida Literacy Calitin... 2 VI. Mnitring Activities... 2 VII. Results... 2 VIII. Findings... 5 IX. Summary.... 5

4 Flrida Department f Educatin Divisin f Career and Adult Educatin Flrida Literacy Calitin Adult Educatin and Family Literacy Quality Assurance Mnitring Reprt I. INTRODUCTION The Flrida Department f Educatin (FDOE), Divisin f Career and Adult Educatin (Divisin), in carrying ut its rles f leadership, resurce allcatin, technical assistance, mnitring and evaluatin, is required t versee the perfrmance and regulatry cmpliance f recipients f federal and state funding. The Quality Assurance sectin f the Bureau f Grants Administratin and Cmpliance (Bureau) is respnsible fr the design, develpment, implementatin and evaluatin f a cmprehensive system f quality assurance including mnitring. The rle f the Quality Assurance System is t assure financial accuntability, prgram quality and regulatry cmpliance. As stewards f federal and state funds, it is incumbent upn the Divisin t mnitr the use f wrkfrce educatin funds and regulatry cmpliance f prviders n a regular basis. II. AUTHORITY The Flrida Department f Educatin receives federal funding frm the U.S. Department f Educatin fr Adult Educatin and Family Literacy under the Adult Educatin and Family Literacy Act f FDOE awards sub grants t eligible prviders t administer lcal prgrams. FDOE must mnitr prviders t ensure cmpliance with federal requirements, including Flrida s apprved state plans fr adult educatin/family literacy. The Flrida Department f Educatin, Divisin f Career and Adult Educatin is required t versee the perfrmance f district schl bards/cllege bards f trustees in the enfrcement f all laws and rules (Sectins (8) and , Flrida Statutes (F.S.)). Additinal cites nting authrity t mnitr and pertinent laws and regulatins are lcated in the Quality Assurance Plicies, Prcedures, and Prtcls, Mdule A, Sectin 1. III. QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PROTOCOLS The Quality Assurance Plicies, Prcedures, and Prtcls (Manual) was revised in the prgram year. The Manual was prvided t each prvider prir t the mnitring visit. The Manual prvides a summary f each facet f the mnitring design and the prcess. It als cntains prtcls that may be used as agencies are mnitred r reviewed. References may be made t the Manual in this dcument; it is lcated n the Divisin s website at IV. PROVIDER SELECTION Varius surces f data are used thrughut the implementatin f the Quality Assurance System. The mnitring cmpnent f the system is risk-based. Risk Assessment is a prcess used t evaluate variables assciated with the grants and assign a rating fr the level f risk t the Flrida Department f Educatin and the Divisin f Career and Adult Educatin. In sme cases, specifically with Cmmunity- and Faith-Based Organizatins (CBOs and FBOs) including Career and Technical Student Organizatins (CTSOs), the evaluatins f the risk factrs result in similar scres. Therefre, such rganizatins may be evaluated n a peridic and/r cyclical basis as determined apprpriate by the Divisin. Fr n-site visits, agencies may be chsen t fit in with regularly scheduled travel r scheduled separately as determined by the Directr. Due t a scheduled visit t a lcal prvider, the mnitring strategy fr the Flrida Literacy Calitin was determined t be an n-site visit. Ntificatin was sent t Mr. Gregry Smith, Executive Directr, Flrida Literacy Calitin n Nvember 16, The n-site visit t the agency was cnducted March 14, 2011 by three representatives f the Quality Assurance Sectin f the Divisin: Ms. Eileen L. Amy, Directr f Quality Assurance and Cmpliance and Prgram Specialists, Ms. Sheryl Walden and Mr. Tashi Williams. 1

5 V. FLORIDA LITERACY COALITION The Flrida Literacy Calitin (FLC), Inc. Flrida s Adult and Family Literacy Resurce Center, is lcated in Orland, Flrida and supprts the imprtant wrk that adult educatin, literacy agencies and rganizatins are ding thrughut the state. They prvide vlunteer and student referrals, prfessinal develpment pprtunities and a venue fr sharing infrmatin, resurces and prmising practices. They supprt rganizatins interested in starting literacy prgrams. They als supprt the delivery f quality instructin t adults and families wh need t develp their reading, writing and English language skills. Special emphasis is placed n supprting cmmunity, library and faith-based literacy rganizatins with their training and prgram develpment needs. ADULT EDUCATION GRANTS Year and Grant Number Type Ttal Unexpended Funds A-9PL01 Leadership $ 300,000 $ A-0PL01 Leadership $ 300,000 $ A-1PL01 Leadership $ 307,000 Additinal infrmatin abut the prvider may be fund at the fllwing web address: VI. MONITORING ACTIVITIES The mnitring activities included pre-visit planning cnference calls; entrance cnference; interviews with administratrs and staff; recrd reviews; and an exit cnference. Entrance and Exit Cnference The entrance and exit cnferences fr the Flrida Literacy Calitin were cnducted n March 14, 2011; the fllwing persns were present at bth meetings: Mr. Gregry Smith, Executive Directr Ms. Pamela Lgsdn, Bkkeeper Ms. Erin Balleine, Resurce Specialist Ms. Yari Payne, Educatin and Training Crdinatr Ms. Nami St, Health Literacy Crdinatr Mr. Macari Garcia, AmeriCrps VISTA member Ms. Kara Sammns, Intern Ms. Eileen Amy Ms. Sheryl Walden Mr. Tashi Williams Interviews/Observatins An in-depth grup interview was cnducted with the administratrs and staff during the curse f the visit. Recrds Review Administrative, Financial and Prgram recrds were reviewed. A cmplete list is prvided in Sectin VII. Sme plicies and prcedures were reviewed and discussed during the curse f the visit. VII. RESULTS Flrida Literacy Calitin March 14, 2011 Annual needs assessment f cmmunity-based literacy rganizatins is cnducted t help prvide guidance and directin t FLC s wrk. Fr the year, the FLC cnducted 60 wrkshps attended by 1,644 practitiners and vlunteers. The FLC ffers prfessinal develpment pprtunities which prvide literacy practitiners and vlunteers with tls t enhance prgram quality thrugh training sessins which include: 2

6 ESOL and Basic Literacy tutr training Tutr training grant material fr cmmunity-based rganizatins (CBOs) literacy prgrams Tutr and teacher in-service webinars Teacher and tutr activities include: Train the trainer curses (3-day) part nline training (part 2) Online tutr training curse Pr-literacy certificatin The natinal adult literacy rganizatin Laubach and Literacy Vlunteers f America jined tgether and rewrked the certificatin prcess fr gd tutr training; the wrkshp uses the FDOE framewrks fr train the trainer. Pr-literacy certificatin nly certifies the trainers and nt the tutrs. Mtivating and retaining adult learners Diversity training Vlunteer literacy tutr sympsium Grant writing Trainer caching crps Free Web surces The Art f Cnversatin: Can We Talk? Annual Literacy Leadership Institute fr CBOs Effective vcabulary instructin fr the struggling adult learner Strategic reading instructin t imprve cmprehensin f struggling readers Public relatins and vlunteer recruitment Leadership Institutes fcus n the prgrams and administratrs in cmmunity-based rganizatins. Needs assessment f registrants is dne prir t Leadership Institute CBOs netwrk and share infrmatin Tpics cvered ver tw and a half day perids, include leadership fr Bard members, fund develpment, student retentin and prgram evaluatin. Prvides infrmatin fr vlunteers; rganizatins wanting t expand The FLC strives t prmte student invlvement and leadership; they wrk t educate and supprt adult learners interested in cntributing back t their prgrams and cmmunities. Initiatives include: Literacy Ambassadr Training Prgram Adult Learner Day at the Flrida Literacy Cnference Statewide Student Essay Bk which included ver 540 submissins in 2011 Student activities include leadership activities prmted at wrkshps and media interviews in lcal newspapers. The FLC hsts the Flrida Literacy Cnference which ffers a wide range f training and netwrking pprtunities t literacy practitiners and vlunteers. In 2010 it was attended by 453 peple, 80 sessins; a variety f tracks are available t serve varied cnsumers. The FLC prmtes literacy thrugh the statewide tll-free literacy htline. Used t prmte reading and raises awareness abut literacy issues in Flrida A trained referral specialist prvides n-call infrmatin abut educatin prgrams and vlunteer pprtunities thrughut the state. 1,635 Htline referrals in ,245 Online referrals in Resurces are develped, distributed, and made available t cmmunity rganizatins. Uses gd judgment fr accessing and disseminating varius materials as resurces Newsletter three print and tw e-newsletters a year; e-blasts; discussin lists Scial netwrking including Facebk, Twitter, and the Flrida Literacy blg 130 different materials, psters, bkmarks, curricula, and lnger publicatins 3

7 The Resurce Center website prvides infrmatinal updates and access t a wide range f resurces. It lgged 216,000 visitrs in fiscal year DOE grant, Staying Healthy, written at 4 th -5 th grade level t reach mre custmers Simple cntent, practical, with a number f images Used by ver 110 prgrams; dwnladed ver 73,000 times Crrelated t CASAS and Flrida ESOL standards New units n Wmen s Health and Cping with Stress are t be develped The Flrida Literacy Bard members serve fr tw years and are elected at the annual meeting. Financial and prgrammatic recrds were reviewed t determine cmpliance with federal and state rules and regulatins. The fllwing were reviewed: Prgram, financial and administrative recrds Sme plicies and prcedures were reviewed at the agency s website and discussed at varius times during the n-site visit Annual Reprt can be fund n the FLC website Grant deliverables Invices Travel Screenshts Training plans and schedules Face-t-face wrkshp/training dcuments Prfessinal develpment Virtual wrkshp Wrkshps fr tutrs Face-t-face meetings Reginal training cuncil meeting minutes Virtual meetings Infrmatin resurce services Technical assistance Dcumentatin f purchases Prject summaries/doe 499s Ledger f expenses Quick Bks is used fr Financial Management System Dcumentatin f expenditures was rganized and cmplete Invice fur times per year; quarterly reprt summary sheet Paid by reimbursement Travel dcumentatin met the established guidelines The agency cllabrates with many varius agencies thrughut the state in an effrt t benefit the agencies prgrams and students. Flrida Parks Service, DOE, and ther partners t hst five state park events fr Adult Literacy Mnth FLC was able t expand n the Staying Healthy curriculum thrugh the develpment f a statewide health literacy initiative supprted by a three-year grant fr $360,000 frm Blue Crss and Blue Shield f Flrida. This grant prvides health literacy training and mini grants t cmmunity ESOL and family literacy prgrams. Website state partner f the U.S. Department f Educatin LINCS system AmeriCrps VISTA prgrams: 12-member rganizatins that receive full-time Americrps VISTA psitins The FLC has tw Americrps VISTA psitins that supprt prgrams in the resurce center including marketing, vlunteer/student recruitment, financial literacy and career pathways/transitins. Adult Learner Advisry Cmmittee is in place and serves as a means t stay fcused n the needs and interests f students FLC has a number f cllabrative partnerships with varius agencies, sme f which are listed belw: TechNet 4

8 The Orland Magic PrLiteracy America Secnd Harvest Fd Bank IBM t make Reading Cmpanin sftware grants Mffit Cancer Center ACE f Flrida Additinal infrmatin abut Flrida Literacy Calitin prgrams and services can be btained by reading the rganizatin s annual reprt at VIII. FINDINGS There were n findings f nn-cmpliance fund during the n-site visit. Therefre, n reslutin activity is necessary. IX. SUMMARY Once the field wrk (including receipt f requested infrmatin) is cmpleted, a draft reprt is frwarded t the prvider fr review. Cmments are accepted and cnsidered. The final reprt is cmpleted and frwarded t the Agency Head with a cpy t the apprpriate parties. The Bureau s site visit c-leader mnitrs and cnducts fllw-up activities t assure issues have been satisfactrily cmpleted within the stated timelines. Finally, the Bureau issues a Clsure Ntice t the Agency Head and designated cntact persn. This ntice indicates all utstanding items have been cmpleted. We want t extend ur appreciatin t all participants in the Flrida Literacy Calitin s n-site mnitring visit. Special thanks t Gregry Smith fr his participatin and leadership in this prcess. 5