§ 461.31 - How does a State award funds?

§ 461.31 How does a State award funds?

(a) In selecting local recipients, an SEA shall give preference to those local applicants that have demonstrated or can demonstrate a capability to recruit and serve educationally disadvantaged adults, particularly in areas with a high proportion of adults who do not have a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education or its equivalent.

(b) An SEA shall award funds on the basis of applications submitted by eligible recipients.

(c) In reviewing a local application, an SEA shall determine that the application contains the following:

(1) A description of current programs, activities, and services receiving assistance from Federal, State, and local sources that provide adult education in the geographic area proposed to be served by the applicant.

(2) A description of cooperative arrangements (including arrangements with business, industry, and volunteer literacy organizations as appropriate) that have been made to deliver services to adults.

(3) Assurances that the adult educational programs, services, or activities that the applicant proposes to provide are coordinated with and do not duplicate programs, services, or activities made available to adults under other Federal, State, and local programs, including the Job Training Partnership Act, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Indian Education Act, the Higher Education Act of 1965, and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act.

(4) The projected goals of the applicant with respect to participant recruitment, retention, and educational achievement and how the applicant will measure and report progress in meeting its goals.

(5) Any other information the SEA considers necessary.

(d) In determining which programs receive assistance, the SEA shall consider -

(1) The past effectiveness of applicants in providing services (especially with respect to recruitment and retention of educationally disadvantaged adults and the learning gains demonstrated by those adults);

(2) The degree to which the applicant will coordinate and utilize other literacy and social services available in the community; and

(3) The commitment of the applicant to serve individuals in the community who are most in need of literacy services.

(e) In reviewing a local application, an SEA may consider the extent to which the application -

(1) Identifies the needs of the population proposed to be served by the applicant;

(2) Proposes activities that are designed to reach educationally disadvantaged adults;

(3) Describes a project that gives special emphasis to adult basic education;

(4) Describes adequate outreach activities, such as -

(i) Flexible schedules to accommodate the greatest number of adults who are educationally disadvantaged;

(ii) Location of facilities offering programs that are convenient to large concentrations of the adult populations identified by the State in its four-year State plan or how the locations of facilities will be convenient to public transportation; and

(iii) The availability of day care and transportation services to participants in the project;

(5) Describes proposed programs, activities, and services that address the identified needs;

(6) Describes the resources available to the applicant - other than Federal and State adult education funds - to meet those needs (for example, funds provided under the Job Training Partnership Act, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Indian Education Act, the Higher Education Act of 1965, or the Domestic Volunteer Service Act, and local cash or in-kind contributions); and

(7) Describes project objectives that can be accomplished within the amount of the applicant's budget request.

(f) An SEA may not approve an application for a consortium that includes a for-profit agency, organization or institution unless the State has first determined that -

(1) The for-profit entity can make a significant contribution to attaining the objectives of the Act; and

(2) The public or private nonprofit agency, organization, or institution will enter into a contract with the for-profit agency, organization, or institution for the establishment or expansion of programs.

(g) If an SEA awards funds to a consortium that includes a for-profit agency, organization, or institution, the award must be made directly to the public or private nonprofit agency, organization, or institution that applies on behalf of the consortium.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1830-0501)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1203a(a) and 1206a(c)(4))