Approve Renewal Grant Application to the Florida Department of Education, and if Approved, Accept Funds for ADULT EDUCATION AND FAMILY LITERACY ADULT GENERAL EDUCATION (Previously Adult Geographical Grant), 2007/2008 -$1,197,190 (Adult and Community Education)

The Florida Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education, has issued a request for proposals for supplemental funding from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, for Adult Education and Family Literacy - Adult General Education programs.

Approval is requested to submit a grant proposal for supplemental, performance-based funding in the amount of $1,197,190 to enhance, improve, and expand the delivery system of educational services for adults 16 years of age and older who desire to complete a secondary education or its equivalent (GED), who seek to benefit from job training and retraining programs, obtain and retain productive employment, who wish to participate more fully in the educational development of their children, or those who wish to learn to read, write, and speak English as a second language. The targeted population to benefit from requested funding will include: educationally disadvantaged adults, under-educated adults, immigrant adults including migrant farm workers, limited English proficient adults, adults and children participating in family literacy, adults in the workplace, minority adults, adults with disabilities, institutionalized, incarcerated, and/or homeless adults.

Supplemental funds will support and enhance the integration of reading and adult basic literacy skills into classroom instruction and teacher inservice training supporting the district’s strategic goals and the statewide initiative “Just Read Florida!”. Grant funds will be used to supplement the district’s Adult Education and Family Literacy programs through the employment of resource teachers and paraprofessionals who will enhance the instructional delivery and learning opportunities for the targeted population and provide inservice training for adult education instructors. Funds will also be used to fund a portion of the salary of an accounting clerk to manage the grant budget, document financial transactions, and process purchase orders, service invoices, travel forms, inservice stipends, and other related accounting transactions. Instructional materials purchased with supplemental funds will include textbooks, teaching materials, classroom resources, educational software, computer equipment, and online GED curriculum. Funds will also be used to provide county bus passes for travel to classes and GED test vouchers for students with transportation and/or financial hardships.

For the past four years, the Department of Adult and Community Education has successfully implemented the Adult Education and Family Literacy Adult General Education Project, increasing performance outcomes for the district and exceeding project goals each year. During the 2005/2006 school year, performance measures reported for the Adult General Education project included 5,646 Literacy Completion Points, 130 adult students placed into career/technical training and employment, and 626 adult students who earned a State of Florida High School Diploma (GED). For the current project period (2006/2007), the Department of Adult and Community Education has successfully met performance outcomes to date and anticipates exceeding project goals for the year.

All District Goals and Critical Success Factors

If approved, grant funds of $1,197,190 will be included in the divisional special revenue/federal programs budget. All direct and indirect costs are included in the grant budget.

10/31/08. Evaluation measures required by the grant are determined by the Florida Department of Education. The annual state performance report will be completed in October 2008 and shared with all stakeholders.