C. Policies

ABEA Policy

The ABEA Policy (PDF) ensures educational services are provided by well-trained instructors for all Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) eligible learners as described through the Adult Basic Education Authorization (ABEA). 

Assessment Policy

The Assessment Policy (PDF) ensures assessments administered at the local program level are valid, measuring what is intended to be measured, and reliable, yielding consistent results. The policy also ensures assessments are administered in a standardized and consistent way by all programs. AEI has also created an Assessment Policy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) in order to clarify some aspects of the policy.

Distance Education Policy

The Distance Education Policy (Word) ensures adult literacy programs have a means to accurately document and deliver services to learners using flexible instructional models and diverse media. The policy also provides guidance to AEFLA-funded programs on how to classify, track, and report acceptable hours for distance learning activities. 

Accessible Design Policy

The Accessible Design Policy (Word) ensures equal access to programs and services for all Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) eligible learners, including those with disabilities. 

Accessible Design Plan

The Accessible Design Plan (ADP) must be in accordance with the Accessible Design Policy. The purpose of the ADP is to describe the implementation of the Accessible Design Policy, ensuring equal access to programs and services for all AEFLA eligible learners, including those with special learning needs.

An important component of the ADP is the Academic Progress Policy. An academic progress policy allows the grantee to discontinue services for a learner under specific circumstances. Academic Progress Policies should:

• define "progress;"
• explain interventions and strategies used to help learners progress academically;
• describe how long the grantee allowed interventions and strategies to take effect before trying something new or enacting the academic progress policy;
• outline how interventions and strategies used are documented in learners’ files;
• explain how and when the policy is explained to students;
• outline who talks with learners who are being released from services under the policy and what the talking points are for what is covered in the conversation; and
• describe the efforts the grantee will make to connect learners who are released from services to organizations that are a better fit for the student.

An academic progress policy allows the grantee to discontinue services for a student under specific circumstances. The following threshold for enacting an Academic Progress Policy is recommended by AEI:

"If a learner has not benefited from instruction (i.e., no education level gain or measurable progress toward a stated goal over the last ___ hours of instruction where necessary accommodations have been implemented and documented), and a good faith effort as described above has been made by the grantee, the grantee may determine the program is not a good fit for the learner and discontinue services."

An updated ADP is due to AEI on an annual basis.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Per 2 CFR 200.318(c)(1), the non-Federal entity (aka grantee) must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the actions of its employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts.

No employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. This conflict of interest would arise when the individual or his/her immediate family, partner, or organization which employs or is about to employ any party indicated, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract.

The Adult Education Initiatives Office (AEI) may request to review this policy for monitoring purposes.

Data Procedures

Data collection and reporting are essential components of the accountability system for grantees. Local data procedures are necessary to ensure grantees and AEI meet state and federal reporting requirements. Local Data Procedure requirements are located in the LACES Data Dictionary.

Updated local data procedures are due to AEI on an annual basis.

Equipment and Supplies Inventory

Grantees must maintain an inventory of equipment and supplies purchased with AEFLA funds.

Equipment inventory must include:

• item name;
• serial number or asset tag;
• date purchased;
• cost;
• location of equipment (address); and
• record of when and how equipment is securely disposed of.

Supply inventory must include:

• item name;
• date purchased;
• cost;
• location of supplies (address); and
• record of when and how supplies, including test materials, are securely disposed of.

At the end of every three year grant cycle (or sooner if the grantee does not continue with AEFLA for the three year cycle), the program will need to complete a Close-out Asset Inventory as part of the close-out process. Please read the closeout process and asset inventory documents for specific information about that process.

Professional Learning Plan

Grantees are expected to have a documented plan for how to organize and implement local professional learning activities. For details about what needs to be included in the Professional Learning Plan, see the Professional Learning section.

Program Income Assurances

In order to ensure compliance with federal and state policies, state AELA grantees must sign an annual Program Income Assurance. If grantees plan to collect student fees, the grantee must prove that the fees are necessary and reasonable. Fees cannot impose a barrier for learners. Grantees are prohibited from counting tuition and fees collected from learners toward meeting matching, cost-sharing, or Maintenance of Effort requirements. Program fees must support the program area for which the fees are collected, must be expended within the program year in which they are collected, and must be clearly tracked in the program’s accounting system. Federal AEFLA grantees cannot collect program income.