Subpart B-What Kinds of Activities Does the Secretary Assist Under This Program? § 431.10 What types of projects may be funded? (a) The Secretary directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements supports projects for the improvement and expansion of adult education. Funds may be used for (1) Applied research; (2) Development; (4) Dissemination; (b) Projects may include, but are not limited to (1) Improving adult education opportunities for elderly individuals and adult immigrants; (2) Evaluating educational technology and computer software suitable for providing instruction to adults; and (3) Supporting exemplary cooperative adult education programs that combine the resources of businesses, schools, and community organizations. (Authority: Sec. 309(a)(1); 20 U.S.C. 1207a(a)(1)) § 431.11 How does the Secretary establish priorities for this program? (a) The Secretary announces, through one or more notices published in the FEDERAL REGISTER, the priorities for this program, if any, from the topics described in § 431.10, and the manner in which those priorities will be implemented. (b) The Secretary may establish a separate competition for one or more of the priorities selected. If a separate competition is established for one or more priorities, the Secretary may reserve all applications that relate to those priorities for review as part of the separate competition. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.) 88 431.12-431.19 [Reserved] Subpart C-[Reserved] §§ 431.20-431.29 [Reserved] Subpart D-How Does the Secretary Make an Award? § 431.30 How does the Secretary evaluate an application? (a) The Secretary evaluates an appli cation for a grant or cooperative agreement on the basis of the criteria in § 431.31. (b) The Secretary may award up to 100 points, including a reserved 15 points to be distributed in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section, based on the criteria in § 431.31. (c) Subject to paragraph (d) of this section, the maximum possible points for each criterion are indicated in pa. rentheses after the heading for each criterion. (d) For each competition, as an nounced through a notice published in the FEDERAL REGISTER, the Secretary may assign the reserved points among the criteria in § 431.31. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.) § 431.31 What selection criteria does the Secretary use? The Secretary uses the following criteria in evaluating each application: (a) Plan of operation. (20 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the plan of operation for the project. (2) The Secretary looks for information that shows (i) High quality in the design of the project; (ii) An effective plan of management that ensures proper and efficient administration of the project; (iii) A clear description of how the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program; (iv) The way the application plans to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; (v) A clear description of how the applicant will provide equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, such as (A) Members of racial or ethnic minority groups; (B) Women; (C) Handicapped persons; and (D) The elderly. (b) Quality of key personnel. (15 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the qualifications of the key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project. (2) The Secretary looks for information that shows (i) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be used); (ii) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project; (iii) The time each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(2) (i) and (ii) of this section will commit to the project; and (iv) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, such as (A) Member of racial or ethnic minority groups; (B) Women; (C) Handicapped persons; and (D) The elderly. (3) To determine personnel qualifications, the Secretary considers experience and training, in fields related to the objectives of the subject, as well as other information that the applicant provides. (c) Budget and cost effectiveness. (10 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the project has an adequate budget and is cost effective. (2) The Secretary looks for information that shows (i) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project activities; and (ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project. (d) Evaluation plan. (5 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the evaluation plan for the project. CROSS-REFERENCE: See 34 CFR 75.590 (Evaluation by grantee). (2) The Secretary looks for information that shows methods of evaluation that are appropriate for the project and, to the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable. (e) Adequacy of resources. (5 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the applicant plans to devote adequate resources to the project. (2) The Secretary looks for information that shows (i) The facilities that the applicant plans to use are adequate; and (ii) The equipment and supplies that the applicant plans to use are adequate. (f) National need. (20 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine how it addresses a national need in adult education. (2) The Secretary looks for information that describes (i) The need in terms of the problem rather than the symptom of the problem; (ii) Who or what will be helped by the project; (iii) How the project will improve and expand adult education; and (iv) The extent to which the project involves creative or innovative techniques and concepts. (g) Dissemination plan. (10 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the dissemination plan for the project. (2) The Secretary looks for information that shows (i) The extent to which the project is designed to yield outcomes that can be readily disseminated; (ii) A clear description of the project outcomes; and (iii) A detailed description of how information and materials will be disseminated. (Authority: Sec. 309; 20 U.S.C. 1207a) § 431.32 How does the Secretary select an application for funding? (a) After evaluating the applications according to the criteria contained in § 431.31, the Secretary may determine whether the most highly rated applications are broadly and equitably distributed throughout the Nation. (b) The Secretary may select other applications for funding on the basis of geographic distribution if doing so would contribute to achieving the purposes of this discretionary program. (c) The Secretary may decline to fund any project that is eligible for funding under a different competition of Department of Education program. (Authority: Sec. 309; 20 U.S.C. 1207a) §§ 431.33-431.39 [Reserved] Subpart E-What Condition Must Be Met by a Recipient? § 431.40 What condition must be met under this program? A recipient shall not charge participants for their participation in the projects assisted under this program. (Authority: Sec. 309(a)(2); (20 U.S.C. 1207a(a)(2)) 88 431.41-431.49 [Reserved] E 1 § 432.2 Who is eligible for an award? (a) Awards are provided to exemplary partnerships between (1) A business, industry, or labor organization, or private industry council; and educational (2) A State agency (SEA), local educational agency (LEA), institution of higher education, or school (including an area vocational school, an employment and training agency, or a community-based organization). (b) A partnership shall include as partners at least one entity from paragraph (a)(1) of this section and at 1 least one entity from paragraph (a)(2) of this section, and may include more than one entity from each group. (c)(1) The partners shall apply jointly to the Secretary for funds. (2) The partners shall enter into an agreement, in the form of a single document signed by all partners, designating one member of the partnership as the applicant and the grantee. The agreement must also detail the role each partner plans to perform, and must bind each partner to every statement and assurance made in the application. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1211(a)(4)(A)) § 432.3 What activities may the Secretary fund? The Secretary provides grants or cooperative agreements to projects designed to improve the productivity of the workforce through improvement of literacy skills in the workplace by— (a) Providing adult literacy and other basic skills services and activities; (b) Providing adult secondary education services and activities that may lead to the completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent; (c) Meeting the literacy needs of adults with limited English proficiency; (d) Upgrading or updating basic skills of adult workers in accordance with changes in workplace requirements, technology, products, or processes; (e) Improving the competency of adult workers in speaking, listening, reasoning, and problem solving; or (f) Providing educational counseling, transportation, and child care services for adult workers during nonworking hours while the workers participate in the project. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1211(a)(3)) § 432.4 What regulations apply? The following regulations apply to the National Workplace Literacy Program: (a) The regulations in this part 432. (b) The regulations in 34 CFR part 425. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1211(a)) § 432.5 What definitions apply? (a) The definitions in 34 CFR 425.4 apply to this part. (b) The following definitions also apply to this part: Adult worker means an individual who has attained 16 years of age or who is beyond the age of compulsory school attendance under State law, and whose receipt of project services is expected to result in new employment, enhanced skills related to continued employment, career advancement, or increased productivity. Area vocational school means— (1) A specialized high school used exclusively or principally for the provision of vocational education to individuals who are available for study in preparation for entering the labor market; (2) The department of a high school exclusively or principally used for providing vocational education in no less than five different occupational fields to individuals who are available for study in preparation for entering the labor market; (3) A technical institute or vocational school used exclusively or principally for the provision of vocational education to individuals who have completed or left high school and who are available for study in preparation for entering the labor market; or (4) The department or division of a junior college or community college or university operating under the policies of the State board and that provides vocational education in no less than five different occupational fields leading to immediate employment but not necessarily leading to a baccalaureate degree, if, in the case of a school, department, or division described in paragraphs (3) and (4) of this definition it admits as regular students both individuals who have completed high school and individuals who have left high school. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2471) Business and industry organizations include, but are not limited to (1) For-profit businesses or industrial concerns; (2) Nonprofit businesses or industrial concerns, such as hospitals and nursing homes; (3) Associations of business and industry organizations, such as local or State Chambers of Commerce; (4) Associations of private industry councils; and (5) Educational associations-such as the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, the American Council on Education, the National Association for Bilingual Education, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, or the National Association of Technical and Trade Schools. Contractor means an individual or organization other than a partner that provides specific and limited services, equipment, or supplies to a partnership under a contractual agreement. Employment and training agency includes any agency that provides-as a substantial portion of its activity—-employment and training services, either directly or through contract. under section 102 of the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. 1512). Site means an entity other than a partner that participates in a project by providing adult workers to be trained and, at the site's option, space for this training. A site may not be a recipient of funds from partners or serve as a contractor. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1211(a)) Subpart B-How Does One Apply for an Award? § 432.10 Are preapplications required? The Secretary may require applicants to submit preapplications by including that requirement in an application notice published in the FEDERAL REGISTER. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1211(a)) § 432.11 How does the Secretary consider a preapplication? (a) The Secretary considers a preapplication if (1) The applicant complies with the procedural rules that govern submission of the preapplication; and (2) The preapplication is submitted in response to an application notice that requires preapplications. (b) If the Secretary requires preapplications and an applicant does not preapply, the applicant may not apply for a grant. (c) If an applicant submits a preapplication (1) The Secretary (i) Informs the applicant that it is eligible and encourages it to apply for a grant; (ii) Informs the applicant that it is eligible but does not encourage it to apply for a grant; or (iii) Informs the applicant that it is ineligible for assistance, and explains why the applicant is ineligible; and (2) An applicant may apply for a grant even if the Secretary has not encouraged it to apply, as described in paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1211(a)) |