CDE Announcements Archive

Dear Adult Education Administrator,

This email contains the following information:

I am pleased to share that the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) 2021–22 Funding Results are now available on the California Department of Education (CDE) website. The Program and Accountability Requirements and associated documents for the new fiscal year have also posted.

Grant Award Notifications (GAN) will be made available electronically on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, through the Adult Education Online Application and Reporting website (reporting site). The reporting site will be down for maintenance the morning of August 3 as we transition to the new individual login system and make the GANs available. Once updated, all users must use their new individual login and password to access the reporting site in order to download the GAN. Agency account information will not be affected, although agency logins will be deactivated as part of this process. While we are anxious to release the GANs, waiting until next week reduces additional complications with users also submitting 2020–21 Final Expenditure Claims by July 31.

Grant Award Notifications are due electronically by Friday, August 20. An original hardcopy must also be mailed to the CDE. CDE will review and accept the signed GAN before providing access to the electronic budget. We strongly recommend you prepare your budget outside the reporting site while waiting for access to the electronic budget application. You may begin preparing now by using the award amounts posted on the Funding Results web page.

NOTE: If your GAN includes section 243 funding and you do not plan to offer a 243 compliant program in the 2021–22, we request that this funding be declined. Do not sign your GAN and contact your CDE Fiscal Analyst to request an amendment.

Individual user logins have been set up for agency level users listed in the 2021–22 Inquiry submitted to CDE this past spring. One OAR Admin has been identified for each agency. A welcome email will be sent to all users on August 3 which includes individual login information along with a link to set up a password. New users that do not yet have an individual login will need to contact the OAR Admin within their agency to get set up. If you do not know who your OAR Admin is, you may contact your CDE Fiscal Analyst or refer your submitted 2021–22 Inquiry. A User Guide is being created to assist OAR Admins with this activity.

Once your password has been set, you may access the reporting site to manage user logins (as an Admin), complete and approve documents (as an Approver), prepare documents for submittal (as an Editor), or just view information within the reporting site (with Read-Only access).

The New Administrator Orientation will be held virtually this year. Please save the following dates and times. Each of these time slots will have unique content and will not be repeated. More information will be available in mid-August but registration is now open. Click here to register. Click here to register

Daily sessions

	September 8	9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
	September 10	1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
	September 13	1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
	September 13	3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Only for agencies with Section 225 funding
	September 14	9:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
	September 14	1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.	Only for agencies with Section 243 funding
	September 17	9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Wrap up and meetings within regions

Returning this year, is the Adult Education Welcome Back video. This short, 10-minute video is appropriate for ALL staff and will help kick off the school year in a positive, uplifting manner. The video will be available on the reporting site in mid to late August.

Many questions have been asked of the Adult Education Office (AEO) as it relates to this newly enacted legislation. Please read the AB 104 legislation so that you are knowledgeable about its contents. While adult education is not specially mentioned, we know that many of the adult education programs in the state offer high school diploma programs. The AEO is recommending the following considerations as decisions related to this legislation are at the discretion of the Local Education Agency (LEA) and adult schools should work with their LEA as it relates to local policy.

1. Consider the policy decisions by other LEAs in your regional consortia.
2. Consider what is in the best interest of your students.
3. Are you able to clearly identify students as having credits equivalent to a junior or senior in high school?

Information regarding COVID-19 Relief Funds from the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER) and Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) Frequently Asked Questions:

Question C-21. May ESSER and GEER funds be used to serve adults, including English learners, who are eligible to be served under the AEFLA?

Yes. An LEA may use ESSER and GEER funds for any activity authorized by the AEFLA, which is Title II of the WIOA. These activities could include:

• Conducting outreach activities to re-enroll eligible adults who may have discontinued their attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Providing career counseling for eligible adults who suffered job loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Purchasing technology (including laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots, or tablets) that enable adult learners to access virtual instruction;
• Professional development for adult education instructors in the effective implementation of online learning;
• Providing instruction to improve digital literacy of adult learners, including English learners, to improve digital access and inclusion;
• Assessing the skills and educational progress of adult learners using virtual assessment tools; and
• Accessing PPE for cleaning and disinfecting classrooms used during the regular school day so that they may be used for adult education and literacy activities in the evening.

For additional information please review the full ESSER – GEER FAQ 5.26.2021 document.

The AEO has a couple upcoming staffing changes to announce. After 21 years, Cliff Moss will be retiring at the end of 2021. However, his last day in the office will be August 31. Cliff’s vast knowledge of adult education, education code, regulations, WIOA, and baseball will be missed in our office. He has been instrumental in our work to remove old education code, develop new Requests for Funding Applications, and has been the contract monitor and OTAN champion for many years. Filling his shoes will be a challenge; however, I think we have been able to meet that challenge with an individual who has many years of experience in adult education, plays a pivotal role with the California Adult Education Program (CAEP) and has 17 years of workforce development. Our new Education Program Consultant is not new to CDE, to our office, nor the adult education field!

Have you made your guesses? It is with pleasure that I welcome Neil Kelly back to the AEO. Neil's knowledge of CAEP will be a benefit as we strive to propel the California Adult Education System with two funding sources to be world class! Neil is expected to start in mid-August to allow for overlap time between Cliff and Neil.

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

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