Program and Accountability Requirements

This notice and the additional content provide guidance on program and accountability requirements of the California Department of Education (CDE) Adult Education Office (AEO) for the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA grantees for Program Year 2024–25. Failure to comply with any of the program requirements or submissions will be cause for withholding of the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA grant reimbursements until requirements and submissions are met; and may result in conditional grant awards for subsequent years or the denial of the ability to apply for future grants.

Local Administrative Costs

According to the Local Administrative Costs Limits Section 233 of WIOA and 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 463.25, of the amount that is made available under this title to an eligible provider:

1. Not less than 95 percent shall be expended for carrying out adult education and literacy activities; and
2. The remaining amount, not to exceed 5 percent, shall be used for planning administration, professional development, and the activities described in paragraphs (3) and (5) of Section 232.

Special Rule: In cases where the cost limits described in subsection (a) are too restrictive to allow for the activities described in subsection (a)(2), the eligible provider shall negotiate with the CDE in order to determine an adequate level of funds to be used for non-instructional purposes.

New: The cost of professional development must be taken from local administrative costs and not instructional costs per Section 233(2) of WIOA; 34 CFR Section 463.26.

Monthly Attendance Requirement

All funded programs must update attendance at least once a month per Section 233(2) of WIOA; 34 CFR Section 463.165.

Program Fees

No fees of any kind may be collected from students for participation in the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA programs. Refer to the CDE Management Bulletin AEFLA–2018–01.

Grant Reimbursement

A quarterly electronic submission of the Expenditure Claims Report (ECR) is required for grant reimbursements. Non-federal monetary expenditures and in-kind contributions must also be reported quarterly on the ECR. Additionally, workforce training activities and one-stop infrastructure costs are to be tracked and must be reported on the final ECR. The ECR and additional instructions may be accessed at California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting (login required). Select “WIOA” for all fiscal related activities including payment status. Access to the ECR module is often dependent on the completion of requirements due earlier in the year.

Local Assessment Policy

All WIOA, Title II: AEFLA funded agencies must update their Local Assessment Policy annually, effective the beginning of each program year, and must retain a copy on site for review by the CDE upon request. Funded agencies may access the Local Assessment Policy template for more details.

Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Workforce Development Board

All funded local agencies must satisfy the requirements of 34 CFR 361.505 and 34 CFR 361.720. Agencies may enter into either an umbrella Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Local Workforce Development Board, or a separate MOU with their local America’s Job Center of California (AJCC). WIOA, Title II: AEFLA agencies will support, from the federal funds reserved for local administration, an amount not to exceed 5 percent of the grant award. The proportionate share of local infrastructure costs is based on proportionate use of the AJCC and the relative benefits received by the grant. Additionally, local federal administrative costs may include reportable non-federal resources that are cash, in-kind, or third-party contributions.

Co-Enrollment in Workforce Training

All adult learners enrolled in workforce training that leads to an industry (federal or state) recognized credential must be reported in TOPSpro® Enterprise (TE).

For the California WIOA, Title II: AEFLA program, industry-recognized training credentials include, but are not limited to:

• Locally approved certificates eligible for inclusion on the Employment Training Provider List;
• Career Development and College Preparation Career and Technical Education certificates with more than 48 contact hours;
• Certificates that meet the minimum threshold for inclusion under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act; or
• Certificates that meet the threshold for Title IV Federal Student Aid.

Note: Please contact the CDE AEO for further information about credentials not listed above.

Employment and Earnings Follow-up Survey

All WIOA, Title II: AEFLA funded agencies are required to survey quarterly adult learners for whom a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is not available for data matching. All adult learners who exit the program during the program year are required to be surveyed the second and fourth quarters after exit to determine their employment outcome. For further information see California Employment and Earnings Follow-up or contact the CASAS by phone at 1-800-255-1036 or by email at capm@casas.org.

In alignment with Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) goals, all WIOA, Title II funded agencies should work to achieve either (i) 45% Social Security and/or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or (ii) 60% employment and earnings survey response rate.

New Measurable Skill Gains Types

In addition to documented achievement of at least one educational functioning level of a participant who is receiving instruction below the postsecondary education level and attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, adult education programs can now report additional types of measurable skill gains for workplace literacy, integrated education and training participants, in the National Reporting System (NRS) Tables 4 and 4c. See the following:

1. Secondary or postsecondary transcript or report card for sufficient credit hours that shows a participant is meeting the state unit’s academic standards;
2. Satisfactory or better progress report, toward established milestones, such as completion of on-the-job training or completion of one year of an apprenticeship program or similar milestones, from an employer or training provider who is providing training; or
3. Successfully passing an exam that is required for a particular occupation or progress in attaining technical or occupational skills, as evidenced by trade-related benchmarks such as knowledge-based exams.

WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Agency-Level Continuous Improvement Plan

All WIOA, Title II: AEFLA funded agencies are required to complete the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP). The annual plan consists of the following sections: Technology and Distance Learning, Professional Development, and WIOA Program Implementation. The CIP module and additional instructions may be accessed at California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting (login required). The module for this requirement is not expected to open until early Quarter Three. Note: The CIP is not a required deliverable in the final year of the grant cycle. Agencies applying for the new grant may use the data gathered and goals completed in the previous years of the CIP process as the foundation for the narrative in the new application.

WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Report and Plan

All WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Section 243 funded agencies are required to complete the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Report and Plan .

Course Approvals

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). A course of study for each adult school shall be prepared under the governing board of the district maintaining the adult school and shall be subject to approval of the CDE if those classes are offered for state apportionment (EC 51056).

WIOA, Title II: AEFLA grantees that are also receiving state funding may access the Course Approval System at California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting (login required). Agencies must annually submit a list of their course titles and must amend their list of courses as new classes are added. Additional information regarding course outlines is also available within the federal compliance monitoring tool.

Data Accountability Requirements

The CDE requires all WIOA, Title II: AEFLA grantees to use the TE computerized database system to collect and report adult learner demographics and program information. In addition, the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA funded agencies are required to comply with the National Reporting System (NRS) for Adult Education requirements. Specifically, all agencies in California must:

• Track adult learner progress through the administration of the CASAS tests;
• Record instructional hours in TE at least once a month, either through a CASAS Update Record, by importing from a third-party attendance system, or directly adding hours into the TE attendance module;
• Submit summary reports to document all adult learner progress.

The CDE AEO has contracted with CASAS to offer online and face-to-face trainings to meet the NRS accountability requirements, administer approved assessments, and use TE software. The TE software, student record forms, test booklets, and CASAS eTests® are available at no cost to the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA grantees.

Additional details on data and accountability requirements for California are available at CASAS California Adult Education Accountability and Assessment .

Data Privacy

Pursuant to Unemployment Insurance Code Section 14013, the CDE requests that the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA service providers ask individuals receiving services to voluntarily provide their Social Security Number and/or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and written consent for the disclosure of their personal information, using the Voluntary Authorization to Share Personally Identifiable Information and Records Form (DOCX).

The decision to provide a Social Security Number and/or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is voluntary. A decision to not volunteer the Social Security Number and/or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number must not affect any individual’s eligibility to receive or participate in adult education services. For more details about data privacy, refer to the CDE Management Bulletin AEFLA 2017–01.

Data Accountability Training

All of the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA funded agencies are required to have at least one person on staff complete one California Accountability Training and one CASAS Implementation Training by January 31, 2025. The CDE strongly encourages local agencies to adopt a team approach for trainings and continuous improvement in managing student data outcomes. Positive student learning outcomes drive future grant funding in California’s pay-for-performance system. More details regarding training sessions are available at California Adult Education Professional Development .

Deliverable Status and Resources

Email reminders are sent to agencies using the local contact information provided by agencies. Add or update your agency information on the reporting web page at California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting (login required), select “Agency Contacts”. Local agencies may also view the submission status of all deliverables and obtain electronic copies of previously submitted deliverables by selecting “WIOA”. The “Resources” link includes instructions, trainings, and videos on a variety of content. This page will continue to be updated as resources are created to reflect the newly updated web page or added throughout the program year. Notify your fiscal analyst regarding incorrect status or submittal dates.

Technical Assistance Contacts

For more information about TE software, data entry, assessment tests, material ordering guides, or technical assistance on assessment and data accountability, please contact the CASAS California Accountability Training Manager by phone at 1-800-255-1036, or by email at capm@casas.org.

For technical assistance about the Technology and Distance Learning, please contact the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network by phone at 916-228-2580 or by email at adultedsupport@otan.us.

For technical assistance about the Professional Development, please contact the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project by phone at 1-800-427-1422, or by email at calpro@air.org.

If you have any questions regarding the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA program, please contact your respective CDE Regional Consultant or the AEO by phone at 916-322-2175.

If you have any questions regarding payments, award notifications or issues with an ECR, please contact your respective CDE Fiscal Analyst or the AEO by phone at 916-322-2175.

Additional contact information, including a staff directory is located in the “Resources” section of the reporting web page at California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting (login required).

Additional Requirements

Data Collection, Training, and Reporting

Grant Deliverable Due Dates

Coalition Data and Document Submission Requirements