CDE Announcements Archive

This message was sent to all K–12 and County Offices of Education.

Dear Adult Educators:

We are writing to share several items of interest for K–12 and County Offices of Education agencies.

The Course Approval module of the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site opened on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Please note, changes are coming for the 2025–26 program year, including a course numbering system upgrade and the addition of California Adult Education Program (CAEP) funded non-Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) K–12 agencies. Training will be offered this year to assist agencies with preparing for these changes

If you do not have individual login information for the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site, please contact your Adult Education Office (AEO) Regional Consultant. If you need assistance finding your Regional Consultant, please contact the AEO at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov or 916-322-2175.

This is a friendly reminder: if your agency needs CDE approval to establish eligibility for those students to participate in any student financial aid program authorized by Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1070 et seq.) there is an established process to follow.

Pursuant to California Education Code (EC) Section 52334.7 authorizes the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to certify that regional occupational centers or programs, county offices of education, or adult education programs are legally authorized to operate such programs of training beyond secondary education, when those centers, programs or offices meet the requirements specified in Section 52334.7 of the California EC, as those requirements conform to requirements also specified in federal rulemaking pursuant to sections 600.6, 600.7, and 600.9 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those sections currently read.

Please follow the process below to request the Letter of Authorization for your agency.

1. Contact your AEO Consultant
2. Provide the following supporting documentation:
   1. Catalog of Classes/Courses (electronic format is acceptable)
   2. Letter of Request on your agency’s letterhead with an original signature (a PDF scan of this letter is acceptable)
   3. Proof of Council on Occupational Education (COE) or Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation

The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) invites you to drive and support student completion of the 2024–25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Adult education programs play a crucial role in advancing social mobility within our higher education system. It is essential that we all actively promote FAFSA completion to support first-time attendees, currently enrolled students, and previously enrolled students who have earned some credits but have not yet obtained a credential or degree. Completing a FAFSA can unlock additional resources, making education more accessible and affordable. Completing the FAFSA places affordable postsecondary education within reach for thousands of students.

The USDOE is launching a FAFSA Completion Summer Outreach campaign. We hope you will join this initiative! You can use this folder of FAFSA Completion promotional resources. They are calling for a united effort to remind students to complete the FAFSA and reinforce that there is still time to access financial aid for classes this fall.

Adult education programs are key partners in this effort, given the high percentage of Pell-eligible students you serve. Please consider different ways your program could support FAFSA completion to reach current and prospective students this summer:

• Conduct FAFSA promotional campaigns and completion events.
• Coordinate with local and community-based organizations to host their students.
• Enlist current students as Summer Peer Mentors who can assist with FAFSA completion and enrollment.
• Engage in public outreach via social media.

Thank you for considering participating in and promoting a successful Summer FAFSA Outreach campaign.

If you have any questions, please contact the Adult Education Office by phone at (916) 322-2175 or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Education Administrators:

Although the Adult Education Office (AEO) would like to be the first to welcome you into the new program year, the focus of this message is to share information that will assist with successfully wrapping up the 2023–24 activities and provide a brief look ahead as you break for summer. We also wish to recognize each of you and thank you for your continued support to adult education! Our office has been thrilled to see your social media posts honoring your graduates. Thank you for sharing them with us.

This message highlights the following topics:

• End-of-Year Requirements
• Fund 11 – Adult Education Compliance Reminder
• Ushering in 2024–25
• Welcome Back Video
• New Administrator Orientation: Save the Date
• Reporting Site User Account Updates
• AEO Open Office Hours

Information regarding 2023–24 end-of-year requirements is available on the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page.

Data and documents due by July 15, 2024, include the following:

1. End-of-Year Data, TOPSpro® Enterprise
2. Adult Education Personnel Information
3. End-of-Year Data Integrity Report
4. Payment Points Summary Report
5. End-of-Year Certification Letter
6. Employment and Earnings Follow-up Survey

Data and documents due by August 1, 2024, include the following:

1. Final Expenditure Claim Report (ECR)
2. Official Payment Points Certification Letter

The Final ECR module opened on July 1, 2024, and can be accessed through the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site (reporting site). Include all eligible reimbursements regardless of quarter, up to 100 percent of the award amount. Non-federal expenditures to supplement this grant must be reported and are expected to be no less than 25 percent of the grant award.

For agencies receiving ELL HealthCare funding, please make sure to report this one-time state funding on the state column of the Non-Federal Sources section of your ECR.

Workforce Training and Infrastructure Costs are included as part of the Final ECR. New agencies will not see previously reported figures displayed on the page. However, agencies who reported last year will see previously reported figures for reference. If you plan to submit zero dollars but there were costs submitted last year (or vice versa) please double check internally to verify that the entries for both years would be correct.

The data collected is required for federal reporting. Please contact your AEO Fiscal Analyst via email with questions regarding the final claim. Agencies are encouraged to visit an Open Office Hours session for additional assistance in this area.

The recently distributed Fund 11 – Adult Education compliance reminder was intended for intended for K–12 School Districts with Adult Education funding from state and federal sources. If your agency is not a K–12 District you can disregard the letter.

Grant Award Notifications (GAN) for next year are pending state approval to distribute the funding. Once available, likely mid-July, final award amounts will be posted to the 2024–25 WIOA Grant Information web page and award notifications made available within the reporting site. Refer to the preliminary award amounts for planning purposes to get a head start on preparing your budget for the second year of this grant cycle.

GANs will only be distributed to agencies in good standing and in compliance with grant requirements. This includes but is not limited to being responsive to AEO inquiries, meeting deliverable due dates, and having provided adequate level responses for the IELCE Report (for Section 243) and/or Continuous Improvement Plans the previous program year.

We are pleased to share that a recorded video by Dr. Zachry is underway and is expected to be released in early August. This welcome message is applicable to all agency staff and will be approximately five minutes in length. Look for it in the Resources section of the reporting site.

The 2024 New Administrator Orientation (NAO) will be held virtually September 10–12, 2024. NAO is recommended for staff who have been in a position supporting WIOA adult education programs for two years or less. Registration will be released in early August. New staff onboarding this summer may be interested in accessing the 2023 NAO training website for a preview of this year’s training.

Reporting site users with the role of OAR Admin are reminded to update all user account access, contact information, and Agency Contacts. Incoming users, such as new Adult Education Directors and Superintendents, will need access to your agency’s online account to download grant award information for year two of the grant cycle. Former staff should have their permissions removed. For additional guidance, check out the WIOA User Guide for OAR Admins in the Resources section of the reporting site. The estimated time to complete this important activity is less than 15 minutes.

Our first Open Office Hours via Teams had a successful turnout! Thank you to those who attended. Your feedback has let us know this activity is meeting a need. We will be available on Tuesdays in July for drop-in questions. No registration is required. The repeating meeting link will be resent by email before our next session on July 2, 2024.

If you just want to stop by to listen in on what other agencies are asking about, that’s okay too! We encourage all agencies to attend, but especially welcome new agencies and staff seeking confirmation that they are on the right track. As reporting and responsiveness to grant requirements can be detailed, our goal is to ensure you are set up for success.

If you have any questions, please contact the AEO by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov or by telephone at 916-322-2175.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

Dear Adult Educators:

The California Department of Education has issued a reminder letter dated May 31, 2024, on an important compliance matter regarding the management of funds allocated to Adult Education Programs within your district. Please take a moment to review the compliance reminder here: Fund 11 - Adult Ed Compliance Reminder.pdf.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued dedication to providing quality education to all members of our community.

Should you need any assistance or further clarification regarding the management of Adult Education Program funds, please do not hesitate to reach out to me by phone at 916-322-2175 or by e-mail at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educators:

The California Department of Education (CDE), Adult Education Office (AEO) is pleased to announce the availability of Open Office Hours via Microsoft Teams beginning June 25, 2024, through July 30, 2024. The 45-minute drop-in sessions will be held on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. starting next week.

As we near the end of the program year, we anticipate that adult education agencies may have questions related to deliverables, funding, and reporting for both WIOA and California Adult Education Program (CAEP) activities. These weekly sessions provide an informal virtual opportunity to ask questions related to:

• Year-End Deliverables for WIOA and CAEP
• WIOA Final ECR (including match, ELL Healthcare and Infrastructure /Training reporting)
• WIOA award process and budget preparation
• CAEP Apportionments
• Course Approvals
• Reporting Site – updating Agency Contacts
• Reporting Site - OAR Admin activities like updating roles and users

Agencies are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure access to information needed for successful program administration. We look forward to your participation and see this as an opportunity for the AEO to consider offering similar opportunities in the future.

Meeting link information will be sent via email prior to the first session. No registration is required.

If you have any questions, please contact the Adult Education Office by phone at (916) 322-2175 or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

Dear Adult Education Administrator:

We are pleased to share the announcement for the 2024 Summer Teacher Training Institute (STTI) for adult education teachers offered through the LINCS Technical Assistance Center. STTI is a new and completely free LINCS professional development opportunity designed to support adult education teachers. We invite you to broadcast this opportunity and extend this invitation to local adult education programs and teachers across California. More information about this new opportunity can be found below:

Interested teachers can sign up for just one, two, or all three of the strands. For questions, please contact: training@lincs.ed.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educators:

Here are some important updates to share with you regarding:

• Upcoming Deliverables
• End-of-Year Data Submission Notification
• Update Agency Contacts
• Preliminary Notifications for FY 24–25
• 2024 August Summer Convenings

April 30, 2024, is the due date for several annual deliverables and deliverables tied to the third quarter. Annual items including the WIOA Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) and the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Report are also due. Outstanding deliverables will hold up reimbursements and access to future expenditure claim modules on the reporting site. For further information, please visit the California Department of Education (CDE) WIOA, Title II AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page.

Program information to help agencies close out at the end of the year is available on the WIOA, Title II AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page. This information provides guidelines for submitting end-of-year WIOA, Title II data. It also includes step-by-step data submission information for TOPSpro Enterprise and a list of reports for discovering programs and repairing records.

As final preparations are being made for next year’s awards, this is a reminder to update your Agency Contacts for any current staff changes. Grant Award Notification (GAN) data is pulled directly from the Agency Contacts information during preparation. Thank you for keeping your information as current as possible.

To assist agencies with preparation for year two of the grant cycle, preliminary funding information for FY 24–25 has been prepared and is pending approval. Anticipated funding details by program focus area will be released as soon as possible to assist with agency budgeting and planning. GAN are expected to be released in July 2024, along with reporting site updates and software modules for next year.

Registration is Open for High School Equivalency and Proficiency Summer Convenings!

Join us for a professional development opportunity, hosted by the CDE, designed for equivalency and proficiency program chief examiners, test site administrators, school counselors, and others with a connection to alternatives to high school graduation. These trainings will include updates from GED® Testing Service, HiSET Equivalency, HiSET Proficiency, and the CDE. Questions can be sent to Melissa Stockbridge at the Sacramento County Office of Education by email at mstockbridge@scoe.net.

• Monday, August 5, 2024 - Sacramento
• Tuesday, August 6, 2024 - Fresno
• Thursday, August 8, 2024 - San Diego
• Friday, August 9, 2024 - Los Angeles
  • 2024 Summer Convenings Informational Flyer (PDF)
  • Link to registration

If you have any questions, please contact the Adult Education Office by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov or by telephone at 916-322-2175.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Education Administrator,

Effective July 1, 2024, the following National Reporting System (NRS) approved assessments will be authorized for California WIOA, Title II agencies.

Program	Assessment series
For English as a Second Language (ESL)*, use only these	Reading STEPS and Listening STEPS
For Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Education (ASE), use only these	Reading GOALS and Math GOALS 2

*English as a Second Language (ESL) is also known as English Language Acquisition (ELA).

• Moving forward in Program Year 2024–25, these will be the assessments approved to report student pre/post-test learning gains for California Payment Points attainment.
• The TOPSpro® Enterprise (TE) Proxy Wizard will continue to bring forward tests administered May 1, 2024, or later, but only tests administered from the series in the chart above will be authorized.

In March of 2023, the new CASAS ESL Reading and Listening STEPS Assessments received a seven-year approval for NRS reporting from the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE). During the past year, California agencies have either transitioned to the new series or have developed extensive communication and professional development plans to transition to the new ESL series beginning in July of 2024.

The California Department of Education, in consultation with state field leadership teams, has decided to move forward with the transition to the new CASAS assessments, as planned for July 1, 2024, for the following reasons:

• New assessments are aligned to the College and Career Readiness Standards and the English Language Proficiency Standards.
• New test items are culturally relevant and responsive.
• Enhanced TE reports and functionality improve data sharing capabilities with teachers and students and simplify lesson planning.

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact your Adult Education Office Regional Consultant directly, or the Adult Education Office at 916-322-2175, or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educators:

There are two important fiscal updates to share, and a date correction noted in our last communication.

For select agencies who received notification of a pending award adjustment: Updated funding results for the current year have been posted to the WIOA Funding Results web page and Grant Award Notification Amendments (GANs) have been distributed. GANs are available for select agencies whose accounts are in good standing including all deliverables being submitted; Unique Entity Identifier is current; and no funds are due to the California Department of Education (CDE).

Amendments should be printed, signed in blue ink, and returned to the CDE by May 24, 2024. Please review the complete instructions detailed on the GAN Amendment webpage under the WIOA Navigation menu. Please direct questions regarding your GAN or the approval process to your Adult Education Office (AEO) Fiscal Analyst.

For all agencies: The Expenditure Claim Report (ECR) module for the third quarter is now open. The due date for the Third Quarter ECR is April 30, 2024. New this quarter, agencies will be sent an automated reminder notification one week before the due date and additional notifications for late claims.

Our last update included incorrect dates for this year’s virtual New Administrator Orientation. The event will be held Tuesday, September 10 through Thursday, September 12, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact the AEO by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov or by telephone at 916-322-2175.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educators:

As we enter the last quarter and start to wind down the program year, the Adult Education Office (AEO) would like to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible dedication of our adult education administrators. Your tireless efforts ensure that our students have the resources and support they need to thrive. Let's gear up for a successful finish line!

This email is packed with resources and information to help you navigate the final stretch, including:

• Grant Award Amendments and Third Quarter Expenditure Claims
• Preparing for the Final Expenditure Claim
• Third Quarter Deliverables
• Continuous Improvement Plan and Office Hours Support
• Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Report
• End-of-Year Information
• Save the Date for New Administrator Orientation
• Agency Staff Changes
• Upcoming Conferences

For agencies previously notified to expect a Grant Award Amendment this year, funding results are expected to be posted to the WIOA Funding Results web page no later than April 12, 2024. Agencies receiving an amendment should:

• Draft a budget update outside of the reporting site while waiting for the release.
• Enter budget adjustments within the expenditure claim module (update the budget column before adding the expenditure).
• Note any applicable budget shift justifications.
• Reflect all non-federal expenditures on a quarterly basis within the expenditure claim.

The third quarter Expenditure Claim Report (ECR) module for all agencies is scheduled to open at the same time as the release of the amendments. The ECR due date is not expected to change and remains as April 30, 2024. Updates and additional notifications will be made as needed.

This month the AEO will begin sending out automated email notifications when claims are coming due and overdue notifications when claims are late. This messaging is intended to assist agencies with timely adherence to grant requirements. The first notification will be sent one week before the due date as a reminder of this upcoming grant deliverable.

Though not due until August, the Final ECR will ask for details regarding Workforce Training and One-Stop Infrastructure expenditures. Now is a suitable time to start gathering this information in preparation for the final claim. For further information, please contact your AEO Regional Consultant.

This quarter includes more than one annual deliverable with end of April due dates.

• Third Quarter Data, TOPSpro® Enterprise
• Third Quarter Data Integrity Report
• Employment and Earnings Follow-up Survey
• Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP)
• Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Reports
• Recertification for Citizenship Interview Test
• Final COAPP Selections

For further information, please visit the California Department of Education (CDE) WIOA, Title II AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page.

The CIP is due April 30, 2024. By now, agencies should have completed the following

• Accessed the CIP webpage and read the guidelines document.
• Watched the webinar.
• Reviewed existing SMART goals and drafted new goals.
• Explored the CIP portal using the “Start Plan” button on the CIP webpage.

Before access is given to the final expenditure claim, this deliverable must reflect an accepted status. If revisions are requested, agencies should make the necessary updates and resubmit their CIP in a timely manner. For further information, please review the guidance document entitled, Continuous Improvement Plan Guide.

Having trouble designing your agency’s CIP goals or need help getting started or creative? New to the CIP and need additional support? An open hours Zoom room will be available for agencies that want specific guidance or feedback on their CIP goal(s) before submission. Register now for CIP Open Hours. The next session is April 11, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Sign up early to ask questions and get additional support in your CIP planning and review.

Agencies receiving Section 243 funding must complete the 23–24 IELCE Report for the 24–25 plan. Access the report on the CASAS website at CASAS IELCE Report.

Once posted, program information to help agencies close out at the end of the year will be available on the CDE WIOA, Title II AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page.

Mark your calendar for this year’s virtual New Administrator Orientation (NAO) which will be held September 10, 11 and 12, 2024. The AEO looks forward to providing program information to new individuals who have been in a position supporting WIOA adult education programs for two years or less. Registration information will be released later in the year.

Share these dates with staff on boarding over the summer. This event is a valuable source of information and beneficial for program leads and support staff completing activities which support this grant. Staff looking for a refresher or to share the 2023 material and recordings can locate them through the NAO on-demand CANVAS training course or the Resources NAO training page within the reporting site.

Will your agency experience a change of leadership or staff over the coming months? This is a reminder to update Agency Contacts and user access within the reporting site. OAR Admin should remove reporting site access for staff who have departed and set up new users with account access to ensure seamless support. Agencies are required to have a minimum of two users who regularly access the reporting site. One user must hold the role of OAR Admin and the other as an Approver role. Agencies are encouraged to provide access to fiscal staff for review, approval, or data entry; dedicated staff to monitor the site for upcoming or overdue deliverables; and secondary approvers who may submit deliverables in the absence of the primary approver.

CASAS Summer Institute June 17–20, 2024

Join us at the 2024 CASAS National Summer Institute at the Hyatt Regency Orange County, California. With more than 120 training sessions, workshops, hands on labs, and panels, the Summer Institute is an exceptional adult education professional development event you will not want to miss. No hybrid sessions will be offered. Register here for CASAS Summer Institute

2024 GED Conference July 24–26, 2024

This year’s conference will be at the Westin, Long Beach in sunny southern California. This year’s event will be grander than ever on all levels; more innovation, more ways to connect, more educational initiatives and programs to discover. Register here for 2024 GED Conference

If you have any questions, please contact the AEO by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov or by telephone at 916-322-2175.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educators:

We invite you to participate in the live Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) Question and Answer session (Q&A session), hosted by Dr. Carolyn Zachry and OTAN staff, scheduled for noon on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. Before the Q&A session, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the recorded CIP webinar and CIP Plan Guide, accessible on the CIP web page through the WIOA Navigation menu of the Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site (reporting site).

The Continuous Improvement Plan portal is now open. Click the blue button labeled “Start Plan” or “Edit Plan” on the main CIP web page to enter the portal. This year's CIP requires agencies to develop three Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based (SMART) goals and action plans for implementation in the 2024–25 Program Year. Importantly, at least one of the goals must be technology related. The deadline for submitting the CIP is Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

Secure your spot for the live Q&A session and explore additional CIP-related webinars facilitated by subject matter experts, available on the Professional Development Calendar.

If you have any questions, please contact the Adult Education Office at 916-322-2175, or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educator:

Our last email dated January 5, 2024, is full of many topics for upcoming noteworthy activities. If you missed it, a copy of the message is available in the Email Archives. As we inch closer to the end of the month, this message is to push three of those activities to the top of your list of reminders.

Second Quarter Deliverables are due next week, Wednesday, January 31, 2024. This includes the Second Quarter Expenditure Claim. Make necessary budget adjustments within the claim by updating the budget column prior to entering expenditures.

Agency response to the 2024–25 Program Year Inquiry by Wednesday, January 31, 2024, will assist the Adult Education Office (AEO) with preparing for next year’s funding calculations. Access the Survey web page within the WIOA Navigation menu of the Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site (reporting site) to submit your agency’s response. The AEO recommends the Adult Education Director or someone with the role of an Approver complete the Inquiry.

The Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) portal opened January 2, 2024. Access the CIP information from the WIOA Navigation Menu of the reporting site. The Word version of the CIP Guide is available for preparation purposes. CIP webinars are also available for viewing. Click on the blue button labeled “Start Plan” or “Edit Plan” to access the CIP portal. This year's CIP requires agencies to develop three SMART goals and action plans for implementation in the 2024–25 Program Year. Importantly, at least one of the goals must be technology related. The deadline for submitting the CIP is April 30, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact the AEO at 916-322-2175, or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educator:

As we jump into the second half of the year, the Adult Education Office (AEO) would like to be the first to welcome you back from winter break. Thank you for the dedication you show to each of your students and your staff. Our hope is that the new year brings you a renewal of energy to support a strong finish to the first year of this new grant cycle.

Let’s take a closer look at some important things coming up in January and some other noteworthy activities.

• Second Quarter Expenditure Claims
• January Deliverables
• Reporting Site Updates
• 2024–25 Program Year Inquiry
• Payment Point Attestation Letters
• Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP)
• Award Amendments for 2023–24
• Steps to College 2024
• CalKids Savings Account Program
• Coming Soon

The Expenditure Claim Report (ECR) module for the second quarter is now open and second quarter claims are due to the California Department of Education (CDE) by Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Make any necessary budget updates within the claim and note any applicable justifications. Remember to update the budget column prior to entering expenditures when entering the data to reduce error messages. This is an electronic only deliverable.

• Second Quarter Data, TOPSpro® Enterprise
• Second Quarter Data Integrity Report
• California Accountability Training
• CASAS Implementation Training
• Employment and Earnings Follow-up Survey

For further information, please visit the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page.

The Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site, commonly known as the OAR, received two new updates this month. Agencies that receive billing requests from the AEO will now see any pending or paid amounts (for this grant only) on the Award and Claim Payment web page located within the WIOA Navigation menu. The WIOA Dashboard will also display any pending billing request and in addition, will display action items more prominently.

Preparation for next year’s funding has already begun. Agency response is requested to support this work. The 2024–25 Program Year Inquiry will be released on Monday, January 8, 2024, and will be due at the end of the month. The inquiry will be available from the Survey web page within the WIOA Navigation menu of the OAR. Neither a signature nor an approval is required when responding, but it is recommended the inquiry be completed by your agency’s Adult Education Director or a staff member with the OAR Role of an Approver or OAR Admin.

Payment Point Attestation Letter responses were due December 15, 2023. This deliverable plays an important part in future funding for your agency and provides transparency of the data match process. If your agency has questions regarding this process or if technical assistance is needed, please reach out to your Adult Education Regional Consultant to request further discussion. Adjustments for late discrepancies are disruptive to the funding process and create delays for all participants. This deliverable was shifted to an earlier date to support timely distribution of award notifications for the next program year.

The CIP deliverable is required this year. Both the CIP Plan Guide (Word Document) and a recorded webinar are now available and can be accessed from the CIP web page within the WIOA Navigation menu of the OAR. Please plan to review the webinar and develop a list of questions. Dr. Zachry and OTAN staff will be hosting a live Question and Answer session at noon on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. Sign up for the live Q and A session and additional CIP related webinars hosted by subject matter experts on the Professional Development Calendar. The CIP is due Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

The AEO is in the process of finalizing award amendments for the current year to distribute carryover funding in the form of additional subsidies. Amendments are now expected in the third quarter and include adjustments for agencies lacking a qualifying Integrated Education and Training program. Approximately forty percent of agencies are likely to receive an amendment. Subsidies are not a guarantee and are at the discretion of the state. Please refer to the July 20, 2023, letter, issued with your Grant Award Notification 2023 for additional information.

Have you remembered to save the date for Steps to College 2024 (STC), the largest bilingual & binational university fair in Northern California? The STC event will be held February 3, 2024. For more information visit: https://stepstocollegesac.org.

CalKIDS is California's children's savings account program administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, a state agency overseen by State Treasurer Fiona Ma. CalKIDS provides college savings accounts, ranging from $25 to $1,500, dedicated to higher education for newborns and eligible low-income public-school students from First through Twelfth grade. For a comprehensive understanding of the program, please visit www.calkids.org.

Please share this information with your adult students, so that if they are parents, they can take advantage of this program. To enhance the visibility of this program, a marketing toolkit has been made available for schools and its contents may be utilized in flyers, social media posts, and mentions in agency newsletters. The official press release from the program’s launch by the Governor last year, Office of Governor | CalKIDS Press Release, provides additional details.

Keep an eye out for a new letter to Superintendents and College Presidents regarding the collection of Social Security Numbers and Individual Tax Identification Numbers coming out via email later this month. Adult Education Directors will be copied on the email.

If you have any questions, please contact the AEO at 916-322-2175, or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

Dear California Adult Educators:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has released the state's draft Digital Equity Plan. The plan will position the state to receive an allocation of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant, that will help close the digital divide.

Your voice is extremely valuable in helping to refine the Plan and ensure it meets the needs of all Californians. The draft Digital Equity Plan is open for public comment for 45 days, until January 25, 2024. To assist the development of this Plan further, submit a public comment:

Join the CDT for a State Digital Equity Plan Informational Webinar on Friday, December 15, 2023, to learn more about the framework of the Plan, where the Plan can be found on the Broadband for All portal, how to complete the online public comment form, and ask questions about the public comment process.

Share with your community!

The CDT has developed an HTML version of the draft California Digital Equity Plan to be available in over 100 languages and compatible with assistive technology.

There is also a toolkit for organizations to share the draft Digital Equity Plan with their communities.

• Graphics and copy for social media
• A template newsletter blurb

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

Dear Administrators of Adult Education Agencies:

The purpose of this communication is to provide clarification regarding course approvals and outlines for agencies receiving California Adult Education Program (CAEP) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (WIOA, Title II: AEFLA) funding.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to establish procedures for K–12 and County Office of Education adult schools to secure course and program approval (California Education Code Section 52506). The California Department of Education, Adult Education Office’s (AEO) Course Approval System is the way K–12 and County Office of Education adult schools secure course and program approval. This system is available within the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site at https://caadultedreporting.org (reporting site). A user login is required to access the site.

Please note the following:

• Agencies are not required to submit course outlines when requesting course approval in the Course Approval System, but they must have current outlines on file and available during Federal Program Monitoring (FPM).
• California school districts providing adult education must have their course outlines approved by their local boards.

To ensure uniformity and common practices within California adult education, Community-Based Organizations, Faith-Based Organizations, Community College Districts, Institutions of Higher Education, Public Libraries, Correctional Institutions, and other non-Correctional Institutions must have the following procedures in place:

• A course approval process for all courses offered to adult education students.
• A process that reviews and authorizes the approval of course outlines. All outlines must be on file and available during FPM.
• The course approval and course outlines processes, newly developed or continuing, must be authorized by two of the Primary Contacts identified within the Agency Contacts section of the reporting site. A signed memo, on file for FPM, to that effect will suffice— memo to include outline of approval process and two signatures.

Finally, course outlines for all classes offered to adult education students should include the following elements:

• Goals and purpose of the course
• Performance objectives or competencies
• Instructional strategies
• Units of study with approximate hours allotted for each unit
• Evaluation procedures

If you have any questions regarding the above clarification, please contact your AEO Regional Consultant. For assistance identifying your contact please reach out to the AEO by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educator:

We’ve started the new program year off with a strong start! Thank you for your dedication and hard work getting your adult education programs, and students, well underway with their activities. The beginning of October marks the start of the second quarter and the anticipation of the due date for several first quarter WIOA, Title II: AEFLA deliverables. Earlier this month, the Adult Education Office (AEO) hosted over 175 attendees during the 2023 New Administrator Orientation (NAO). We were pleased to see such a strong turnout for all three days of the event. We are continuing to add resources and post updates for training materials to assist new administrators. New grantees are encouraged to reach out to other local grantees, AEO staff, and to our state leadership partner colleagues, should there still be questions on various activities or deliverables. While the information presented at NAO is not new, the materials are available for all grantees.

Here are some important updates to share with you:

• Grant Award Notifications and Grant Budgets
• First Quarter Expenditure Claims
• Other First Quarter Deliverables
• NAO Resources
• SAM.gov/Unique Entity Identifier Renewals
• Fiscal Staff Updates

Grant Award Notifications (GAN) and Grant Budgets are past due. If you have not yet completed these deliverables, or requested an extension, please do so now. A posted received date for the hardcopy GAN and an approved Grant Budget are required to access the First Quarter Expenditure Claim (ECR) module within the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site (login required). Thousands of signed award notification are received at the California Department of Education (CDE) during this time of year and occasionally something gets inadvertently misrouted. If your hardcopy GAN is not yet showing as posted, please let your CDE Fiscal Analyst know so we can check on that for you.

The First Quarter ECR module is now open. First quarter claims are due by Tuesday, October 31, 2023. Grantees should review the updated ECR Guidelines before beginning the ECR. While a budget revision in the first quarter is unexpected, the ECR includes the ability to make a budget revision. If needed, update the budget column prior to entering expenditures to reduce error messages. The First Quarter ECR is an electronic only deliverable; a hardcopy is not required.

New staff and administrators may find the document entitled, Completing an Expenditure Claim Report (last revised 7/2023) helpful. Access this document and other helpful step by step guides directly from the Resources menu within the reporting site.

1. First Quarter Data, TOPSpro® Enterprise
2. California English Literacy and Civics Education Objectives and Additional Assessment Plans (COAAP)
3. First Quarter Data Integrity Report
4. Employment and Earnings Follow-up Survey

These electronic only deliverables are due October 31, 2023. For further information, please visit the CDE WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page.

Upcoming action items are also located within the WIOA Dashboard on the reporting site. For deliverables reflecting missing or incorrect dates, please contact the appropriate agency listed in the “Submit To” for correction.

Materials and resources from this month’s orientation for new grantees and administrators can be found through the Canvas Course (no login required) and from the Resources menu within the reporting site. All grantees are encouraged to check out the materials. Video recordings of the presentation are still being processed and will be posted as soon as they are available.

To maintain compliance with federal regulations, the Adult Education Office will not be making reimbursements against ECRs if the SAM.gov Expiration Date is showing as expired within our reporting site. Use this direct link to enter your updated renewal information: UEI Renewal Tool.

Obtain your updated expiration dates from your SAM.gov point of contact within your agency. In many K–12 school districts, a fiscal or administrative office will maintain this registration on behalf of the entire district. If you are not sure who your point of contact is, please contact the Adult Education Office by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov for further assistance.

The Adult Education Support Office will be experiencing several staff transitions in the coming weeks. Janet Morrison, a dedicated Fiscal Analyst who has supported California’s adult education programs for over two decades, will be transferring to a new program within our division at the beginning of November. We are also welcoming a new analyst to our fiscal team later this month and will share more details on that soon.

This is one of the busiest periods for fiscal activities at the California Department of Education. Our office is still processing claims from last fiscal year while adding in new claims for the current year. While we do not anticipate delays due to staff transitions, we do appreciate your patience and are looking forward to assisting you should have a need to contact us.

If you have any questions, please contact the AEO by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov or by phone at (916) 322-2175.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

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This message was sent to the email addresses associated with the following titles: Superintendent/College President/Chief Executive Officer; Adult Education Director; Fiscal Manager; and the Other Primary Contact. To update your agency contacts, please visit the California Adult Education Application and Reporting Website at https://caadultedreporting.org/. Once you have signed in, navigate to "Agency Contacts" to review and update your information as necessary.

This message was sent by the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN), a leadership project for Adult Education in California. OTAN activities are funded by contract CN220124 from the Adult Education Office, Career & College Transition Division, California Department of Education, with funds provided through Federal P.L., 105-220, Section 223.

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Education Administrators:

The Adult Education Office (AEO) would like to remind you we are here to provide support during budget preparation and as you address issues with the first year of the new grant cycle. We also provide many on-demand resources available to assist new administrators, staff, and grantees as they learn the ins and outs of this grant program. We encourage you to sign up for upcoming special events and review the resources available.

Here is some information regarding early deliverables in the program year, as well as a few links to resources and activities. In this message:

• Grant Award Notifications and Hardcopies
• Grant Budgets
• New Administrator Orientation (NAO) Registration
• Links for Required Training and Available Workshops
• Update Agency Contacts
• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Renewals
• Review 2022–23 Deliverables and Final Expenditure Claim Reports

We are still awaiting a handful of electronic Grant Award Notifications (GAN) and a few more wet signature hardcopies. We appreciate the quick response agencies had this year completing this requirement. The AEO is reviewing electronic submittals on a daily basis. As a reminder, AEO acceptance of an electronically submitted GAN is a requirement to access the budget module in the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site (reporting site). If you have not already downloaded your GAN, please log into the reporting site for this information and a letter that explains the method used to calculate this year’s awards. Please direct GAN questions or extension requests to your AEO Fiscal Analyst.

Grant Budgets are due by Friday, September 15, 2023. This is an electronic only deliverable; a hardcopy is not required. If you are unable to meet this due date, please reach out to our office to request an extension. New grantees with questions about preparing a budget or entering the information in the online module will find helpful information and step by step guidance in the Resources document, WIOA Navigating the Grant Budget.

Registration is now open for new administrators and staff wishing to attend the 2023 New Administrators Orientation. NAO is intended for Adult Education Administrators, Principals, and other Supervisor level staff as well as new sub-grantees. The online event will be held across three days, October 3–5, 2023. Registration is only required once for all three dates. This direct link will open the registration page on the CA Professional Development calendar. Please use your business email address to register and fill out the “membership” form if directed.

It’s not too early to sign up for required training classes due later this year. Reserve your spot in an upcoming class for either in person or online attendance today. Register online at California Adult Ed Training.

Update Agency Contacts within the reporting site for recent staff changes to ensure important emails and notifications, like this one, are being sent to the right individuals. Agency Contacts is the source used when sending email blast notifications, like this one, and the same source the AEO will use when preparing for the upcoming GAN Amendment.

More than 32 percent of grantees used the new Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) renewal tool, available from the Manage Account menu, to notify the AEO of updates in the past two weeks. We extend a big thank you for this action as it allowed us to review a large volume of renewals in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, an additional 30 percent of renewal dates in our system reflect as expired or will expire before the end of October. In the very near future, the AEO will not submit a payment request if the UEI renewal date in our system is not current. We encourage you to use the UEI renewal tool to check the date we have on file and submit an updated expiration date if the information is not current.

As a reminder, agencies should check with the SAM.gov point of contact within your agency for this information. In many K–12 school districts, a fiscal or administrative office will maintain this registration on behalf of the entire district. Please contact your AEO Fiscal Analyst with any questions.

Deliverables and Final Expenditure Claim Reports from Program Year 2022–23 are considered past due. Take action immediately if your agency has incomplete deliverables from the last grant cycle. Check the WIOA dashboard within the reporting site for the current status of deliverables and those that are coming up in the next 90 days. Overdue deliverables can cause an agency to fall out of good standing which impacts future funding and/or activities.

Recently, several WIOA dashboard updates were made for a status display error related to COAPP and AASC deliverables from Program Year 2022–23. If you previously reported an issue in this area which is still showing incorrectly, please reach out to your AEO Fiscal Analyst to let them know.

We look forward to hosting registrants of NAO in early October and providing the opportunity to meet with both our AEO office staff and our program partners virtually.

If you have any questions, please contact the AEO by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov

2023–24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (WIOA, Title II: AEFLA)

Dear Adult Education Administrator:

The 2023–24 WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Program Year is officially underway. The Adult Education Office (AEO) warmly welcomes all of our adult education administrators to this new grant cycle. The year begins with more than 20 new grantees, several of which are new to receiving WIOA funding.

Agencies, especially those that are new, are strongly encouraged to connect with each other within their local networks for further grant support. We encourage new staff to take advantage of activities like New Administrator Orientation (NAO), or the CASAS Accountability and CASAS Implementation trainings, in order to maximize the onboarding experience. No matter how long you’ve been supporting students through WIOA activities, we’re glad you’re here and extend our support and best wishes for a successful program year.

There are many important updates to share with you at this time and the AEO will continue to send notifications and resources as they become available.

This email contains the following information:

1. Grant Award Notifications
2. Welcome Back Video
3. New Administrator Orientation (NAO)
4. Time to Update: Reporting Site Logins and Agency Contacts
5. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Renewals
6. Updated Resources and New Reporting Site Tools
7. Staff Assignment Changes
8. 2022–23 Year-end Deliverables and Final Expenditure Claim Reports

WIOA, Title II: AEFLA 2023–24 funding results posted to the California Department of Education (CDE) website on July 20, 2023. Program and Accountability Requirements, including due dates for upcoming deliverables, were also posted. Access both items through the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Grant Information 2023–24 web page. Grant Award Notifications (GAN) and software updates were released yesterday and are now available electronically through the Adult Education Online Application and Reporting website (reporting site). GAN are due electronically by Friday, September 1, 2023. An original hardcopy must also be mailed to the CDE.

Action Steps:

1. Read the directions on the GAN webpage of the reporting site.
2. Download and read the CDE Award Letter. This letter explains the process used in determining this year’s award amounts.
3. Download and sign the GAN. A wet ink authorized signature is required and the document may not be signed electronically.
4. Scan, upload and return the signed GAN in the reporting site by September 1, 2023. Mail the original to the CDE.
5. The AEO will review and accept the signed GAN before providing access to the electronic budget. Be proactive – prepare your budget outside of the application. The Budget Instructions are available in PDF format through the Budget and Claim section of the reporting site.
6. Review due dates for the GAN, Budget and First Quarter Expenditure Claim Reports on the Grant Deliverable Due Dates for Program Year 2023–24 web page.

Please reach out to your assigned AEO Fiscal Analyst if you have any questions about the grant award.

Kick off the new year by sharing the 2023–24 Welcome Back Video with your adult education team! This short, four-minute video is appropriate for ALL staff and will help start the school year in a positive, uplifting manner.

Registration for NAO will be available in the near future. Save the Dates of October 3–5, 2023, for this virtual event intended to provide WIOA, Title II; AEFLA details to new administrators and staff who have been in their current role less than two years.

This is a reminder for staff assigned the role of OAR Admin in the reporting site. Update the list of agency users within your organization to allow appropriate staff the ability to prepare and approve deliverables or to receive the GAN. This important activity should take less than 15 minutes to review users, add new users, and remove previous users who have left the organization or retired. Refer to the user guides in the Resources section for further information.

Update Agency Contacts for recent staff changes to ensure important emails and notifications, like this one, are being sent to the right individuals. Due to the length of time required to obtain approvals, the AEO is not planning to make GAN modifications to correct staff name or title changes that occurred over the summer. If your agency experienced a staff change in its Superintendent or Adult Education Director positions over the summer, these changes will be reflected on future amendments or awards only if the Agency Contacts reflect the most current staff information. Please contact the AEO with any questions.

This is a reminder to review SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity Identifier to ensure your agency information is currently active. While this information was collected with the grant applications, nearly half of agencies have allowed this information to lapse or have not reported a completed renewal to the AEO. Check with the SAM.gov point of contact within your agency for this information. In many K–12 school districts, a fiscal or administrative office will maintain this registration on behalf of the entire district. If your registration date is not current or is not searchable, your agency could experience a delay in receiving award notifications or payments.

The reporting site was recently updated to add electronic notification to the AEO using the “Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)” renewal tool. This new tool is available from the Manage Account menu. Automated reminders are expected to begin in the near future for expirations dates that have passed. First Quarter reimbursements will not be issued for agencies showing an expired renewal date. More information on this new tool can be found in the Resources section. Please contact your AEO Fiscal Analyst with any questions.

Check out the Resources section for instructional information, trainings, videos and staff directories. This web page content received a refresh to start the new program year. Agencies looking for step by step information to assist with completing fiscal requirements, such as a Budget and Expenditure Claim Report, will find this information useful.

In addition to the UEI update tool, non-profit organization will also have access to a new tool used for providing updates to the AEO for Registration of Charitable Trust expiration dates.

New AEO staff assignment changes took effect on July 1, 2023. Agencies may have new contact persons for one or both of the AEO staff who support your agency. Refer to the landing page of the reporting site (this is the first page that displays after login), for contact information for your assigned Regional Consultant or Fiscal Analyst. CASAS Specialist assignments are also being updated and will be available soon.

An updated AEO Staff Directory is available in the Reference section of the Resources web page. Two files are available. The first is organized by district assignment and the other is organized by agency.

As you return from break, continuing agencies should take a moment to review deliverables for last year, as well as the upcoming ones for the current year. Ensure all requirements have been submitted. 2022–23 year-end deliverables were due July 15, 2023, and Final Expenditure Claims (ECR) are due August 1, 2023. For community and faith-based organizations, and Community College Districts, these deliverables include the Annual Audit Status Certification (AASC), due by September 15, 2023, and any audit reports due at the end of the agency’s fiscal year.

If you have any questions regarding this notification, or are unsure how to reach a designated individual, please reach out to the AEO by telephone at 916-322-2175 or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D.
Education Administrator and State Director
Adult Education Office
916-322-2175
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov