CDE Announcements Archive

Dear Adult Education Administrators:

The annual CTE Conference has issued a call for presenters. This conference will be held November 15-17, 2023, in Rancho Mirage at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas. This is a great opportunity for adult education to showcase the work we are doing in Integrated Education and Training as well as CTE in general. I encourage you to consider putting forth a presentation proposal.

https://www.cteconference.org/call-for-presentations/

Sincerely,

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

2022–23 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Superintendents of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy (Title II: AEFLA) Sub-grantees:

The California Department of Education has issued a letter regarding the “Requirement For and Use of Adult Student Social Security Numbers”. Please find the letter, dated February 24, 2023, at the following link: Requirement For and Use of Adult Student Social Security Numbers.

We appreciate your assistance with this request. If you have any questions please contact me directly via email at czachry@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

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

Dear Adult Education Administrators:

This message includes information on upcoming webinars and a grant opportunity from the Employment Development Department (EDD).

The Ability to Benefit (ATB) is a critical equity strategy, ensuring that adult dual enrollment opens doors to postsecondary for adult education students. In 2022, the US Department of Education conducted a negotiated rulemaking process, reaching consensus on only one issue that impacts public postsecondary institutions. Judy Mortrude, Senior Technical Advisor from World Education Inc. will be the presenter.

Register for ATB

The California Department of Education is inviting chief examiners, test site administrators, school counselors, and others with a connection to the High School Equivalency (HSE) exams and the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) to attend this informational webinar series. This is the second webinar in the series. The registration link is below as well as the link for the final webinar on May 3, 2023.

Session 2 | February 15, 2023 Registration link

Session 3 | May 3, 2023 Registration link

English Language Learner Integrated Education and Training Fund Solicitation for Proposal– Program Year 2022–23
Workforce Services Information Notice
WSIN22-29
Issued: January 27, 2023

If you have any questions, please contact the Adult Education Office 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 Directors:

California once again finds itself dealing with unexpected situations arising from unprecedented weather conditions. The Adult Education Office (AEO) remains concerned about the impact that emergency conditions may have on your ability to provide services to your students. We are certain that when these situations arise, the safety of your staff and students are the top concern for both of our organizations. Many of the issues experienced this winter have been regional and included earthquakes, rain, flooding, and mudslides.

The AEO remains available to assist agencies affected by such conditions, as well as those affected by new or other types of unforeseen emergencies. If your adult education programs, schools, staff, or students are affected by any emergency conditions, please let your regional Adult Education Consultant know as soon as you are able so that we may help you to address administrative and programmatic needs.

You may contact your regional Adult Education Consultant or 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
adulteducation@cde.ca.gov
916-322-2175

2022–23 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educator:

We’d like to be the first to welcome you back to school for the second half of the 2022–2023 program year. We hope that you and your staff enjoyed the holiday season and are feeling refreshed to start off 2023! We know you are truly the rock stars that make adult education successful for the students of California. Thank you for your tireless efforts. You have our continued support as we reach the home stretch of this three-year grant cycle for WIOA, Title II: AEFLA funding. Let’s take a closer look at some important things coming up in January.

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 Tuesday, January 31, 2023. 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
• High School Equivalency (HSE) Certification
• Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Certification
• Employment and Earnings Follow-up Survey

For further information, please visit the California Department of Education (CDE) WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Grant Information 2022–23 web page.

Both the HSE and IELCE Certifications are due soon. If either are applicable, CASAS will send the certification to your agency. Complete the form and return to CASAS by email at capm@casas.org. Information in these certifications assist Adult Education Office (AEO) with data validation and the preparation of future awards. Please make sure to respond timely.

In case you missed the previous tidbits on the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP), the CIP will not be a required deliverable in April 2023. The next CIP will be due April 30, 2024, for agencies participating in the next grant cycle.

The August 19, 2022, Eligible Training Provider List (WIOA) webinar that was presented with our partners at the California Employment Development Department has posted. Locate the video from the Resources menu within the reporting site, or from this webinar link.

Have you remembered to save the date for Steps to College 2023 (STC), the largest bilingual & binational university fair in Northern California? The STC event will be held February 4, 2023. For more information visit: https://stepstocollegesac.org.

Adult education students may qualify for the Golden State Education and Training Grant Program. This is a one-time $2,500 grant for reskilling, up-skilling, and accessing educational programs to get back into the workforce. The AEO is working with the Student Aid Commission (SAC) on getting the word out about this grant. Staff from the SAC will be presenting at the February 7, 2022, Statewide Networking meeting.

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

2022–23 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educator:

The Adult Education Office (AEO) wishes you a happy Thanksgiving filled with an abundance of bright moments. Thank you for your hard work day in and day out to serve the adult students of California and make adult education what it is. Here are a few updates to share with you for the end of November.

A small number of agencies will be receiving amendments to their Grant Award Notification (GAN). Those agencies should already be aware that an amendment is applicable. The paperwork for these amendments has not yet been processed and updated GANs will be distributed upon approval, likely in January. Please direct any questions regarding GAN Amendments to your California Department of Education (CDE) Fiscal Analyst.

Budgets were due November 9, 2022 and the first Expenditure Claim is due November 23, 2022. If it will be a challenge to meet these deadlines, please email your CDE Fiscal Analyst to request an extension.

Since this is the last year of our current grant cycle the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) will not be a required deliverable in April 2023. The next CIP will be due April 30, 2024. Updates to the Program and Accountability Requirements web page can be expected in the near future.

Save the date for Steps to College 2023 (STC), the largest bilingual & binational university fair in Northern California. The STC event will be held February 4, 2023. For more information visit: http://stepstocollegesac.org.

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

October 25, 2022

Subject: California Adult Education Digital Learning Guidance

Dear Adult Educators:

The past three years have taught educators a great deal about digital and distance learning. The California Department of Education (CDE) and Adult Education Office (AEO) strongly believe that it is important to document and disseminate information about effective ways for implementing this modality of instruction. To that end, the AEO is pleased to present the California Adult Education Digital Learning Guidance (Guidance). This guidance is meant to serve as a practical resource for the many individuals who support adult learners—classroom teachers, classified and support staff, counselors and transition specialists, school administrators, and consortium members—in designing and implementing digital learning experiences with adult learners in mind.

The Guidance is research-based, practical, and addresses the subjects that are most critical to implementing and improving digital learning programs. Topics deal with ensuring equity, designing flexible learning experiences, adopting models that work, digital assessments, and much more. Included are 18 vignettes, or “Voices from the Field” that serve to illustrate and bring to life the content addressed in each of the seven chapters. There are also four videos that introduce various aspects of the Guidance.

The AEO would like to gratefully acknowledge the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) for taking a leadership role with developing the Guidance. The AEO also wants to recognize the work of our advisory group, draft reviewers, and partner organizations including the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS), American Institute for Research (AIR), California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO), and WestEd.

Our organizations urge you to share this important information with your staff. You can now download a PDF copy of the Guidance by going to the OTAN website https://otan.us/. Later this year, OTAN will be making available more interactive versions of the Guidance and will also be offering a variety of training resources.

We hope you will take advantage of this very useful and timely information to design effective learning experiences for adult learners in the state of California. If you have any questions or would like additional information regarding the Guidance, please contact the OTAN at 916-228-2580 or via email at support@otan.us.

Sincerely,

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

2022–23 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

Dear Adult Educator:

Thank you for all that you do to support the students of adult education programs in California. Here are a few updates regarding the first deliverables of the program year to share with you.

Grant Award Notifications (GAN) became available on September 26, 2022. To date over 55 percent of agencies have uploaded an agency signed GAN to the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site (reporting site). The Adult Education Office (AEO) appreciates this quick response and continues to review uploaded GANs on a daily basis. 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. GANs are due October 26, 2022. Please direct GAN questions or extension requests to your CDE fiscal analyst.

The Grant Budget is open. An uploaded electronic GAN that has been reviewed and accepted by the AEO is required to access it. Grant Budgets are being reviewed daily. The due date for this deliverable is November 9, 2022. This is an electronic only deliverable; a hardcopy is not required.

The First Quarter Expenditure Claim Report (ECR) module is now open. First quarter claims are due by Wednesday, November 23, 2022. This is an updated due date to accommodate the late arrival of the GANs. If your agency needs additional time to prepare and submit your claim, either due to the holiday, funding approval delays, or something else, please email your CDE fiscal analyst.

Two items are required in order to gain access to the ECR: (1) an approved Grant Budget, and (2) a posted received date for the GAN hardcopy deliverable. Agencies 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 helpful. Access it 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, 2022. For further information, please visit the California Department of Education (CDE) WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Grant Information 2022–23 web page.

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

Dear Adult Education Administrator:

This email contains the following information:

1. Grant Award Notifications
2. SAM Registration Renewals
3. New Administrator Orientation (NAO) Resources
4. Staff Announcements

I am pleased to share that the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) 2022–23 Funding Results have been approved and posted on the California Department of Education (CDE) website.

Grant Award Notifications (GAN) will be made available electronically on Monday, September 26, 2022, through the Adult Education Online Application and Reporting website (reporting site). GAN are due electronically by Monday, October 26. 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 atypical process used in determining this year’s award amounts.
3. Download and sign your GAN. A wet ink authorized signature is required and the document may not be signed electronically.
4. Scan, upload and return your signed GAN in the reporting site by October 26, 2022. Mail the original to CDE.
5. The Adult Education Office (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 updated due dates for the GAN, Budget and First Quarter Expenditure Claim Reports on the Grant Deliverable Due Dates for Program Year 2022–23 web page.

NOTE: If your GAN includes section 243 funding and you are not offering a 243 compliant program contact your CDE Fiscal Analyst to discuss the situation further. The AEO is expecting to issue a handful of GAN Amendments to address incorrect awards for agencies that previously dropped programs in this area.

The AEO asked for SAM registration information earlier this year and has been actively working to verify and ensure agency compliance with annual renewals. The AEO is working on a web-based system to receive renewal updates in the future. Until that system is released, agencies should notify their AEO Fiscal Analyst by email of any updates to their annual SAM registration. Failure to provide these updates could impact future reimbursements.

The Adult Education Office hosted more than 80 new staff and administrators in the virtual sessions of the 2022 New Administrator Orientation. If you missed a session, check out the Resources tab of the reporting site for the slide decks and other NAO material.

The AEO has the pleasure of welcoming Tanya Matveychuk to the Adult Education Support Office. Tanya started in late August and will be supporting the AEO’s main phones and office email alongside other administrative tasks.

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.

Sincerely,

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

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act 2022–23

Dear WIOA Administrators:

This is a reminder to register for the New Administrator Orientation (NAO), especially if you have been in your position for less than three years. The NAO is scheduled to take place over a two-week period in September.

Use this link to complete the registration by August 26, 2022: REGISTER NOW

If you have questions, please contact the Adult Education Office 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

The California Broadband Council (CBC) issued a “Call to Action” in March 2022 to get online with high-speed Internet service to 90% of all eligible low-income households by 2024. In response to this Call to Action, the California Department of Technology (CDT), California Department of Education (CDE), California State Library, California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) are coordinating a statewide mobilization to promote the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) called Get Connected! California. These State Agencies and statewide organizations (the Get Connected! Coalition) will promote information about ACP to the 5M+ eligible households in California. The direct communications and strategic mobilization is focused on August 2022 as the first Get Connected! Month when students are returning to school.

For the eligible households interested in applying for ACP and needing assistance completing the application, enrollment events will be hosted throughout the state on the first Get Connected! Day, Saturday, August 27. These enrollment events will support eligible households, answer questions about the ACP benefit, and provide hands-on assistance with the application.

The Get Connected! Coalition invites all Counties, School Districts, County Offices of Education, Libraries, Cities, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and other interested Local Leaders to step up to do their part to reach all low-income households in California. Click on this link to share how you and your organization could contribute to a successful Get Connected! Month and Day. Attached to this email are a flyer which can be edited, documentation for students (English only at this time), and the full document with information similar to the above.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act 2022–23

Dear Adult Education Administrators:

This email contains the following information:

1. 2021–22 Year-end Deliverables and Final Expenditure Claim Reports
2. 2022–23 Welcome Back Video
3. Grant Award Notifications
4. Time to Update: Reporting Site Logins and Agency Contacts
5. Active SAM.gov Registration
6. New Administrator Orientation
7. Request for Applications, WIOA, Title II: AEFLA for Program Years 2023–2027
8. Get Connected! California: High-Speed Internet Program
9. Staff Announcements

Year-end deliverables were due July 15, 2022, and Final Expenditure Claims (ECR) were due August 1, 2022. If your agency has not yet submitted these requirements, please do so now. Funding for program year 2022–23 fiscal year will only be released to agencies in good standing, meaning there are no outstanding deliverables from the last fiscal year and no accounts receivable pending.

Help the Adult Education Office (AEO) kick off the new year by checking out the 2022–23 Welcome Back Video! This short, five-minute video is appropriate for ALL staff and will help start the school year in a positive, uplifting manner.

Approval for the 2022–23 funding package is still in process, which means Grant Award Notifications (GAN) are not yet available. Updates will post to the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA 2022–23 Grant Information web page, including Program and Accountability Requirements and Funding Results, as soon as it is available. Please reach out to the AEO, your AEO Regional Consultant, or AEO Fiscal Analyst by phone if you have questions about your grant award.

This is a reminder for staff assigned the role of OAR Admin in the Adult Education Online Application and Reporting Site to update their list of agency users in order to maintain the ability to prepare and approve deliverables or to receive your GAN. This important activity should take less than 15 minutes to review users, add new users, and remove previous users who have left your organization or retired. Refer to the user guides in the Resources section for further information.

It's also an important time to update Agency Contacts for recent staff changes to ensure important emails and notifications, like this one, are being sent to the right individuals. Please contact your AEO Fiscal Analyst with any questions.

This is a reminder to review your SAM.gov registration and ensure it is currently active. Check with the SAM.gov contact person 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, you may experience a delay in receiving your GAN. Please contact your AEO Fiscal Analyst with any questions.

This year’s New Administrator Orientation will again be held virtually. 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 soon, but registration is now open.

Information for the next competitive Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant cycle is now available! This cycle covers program years 2023–2027. For more information, please refer to the WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Request for Application web page. The web page was recently updated with webinar details and a registration link.

A new statewide effort to assist with getting high-speed internet service to 90 percent of all eligible low-income households by 2024 is underway. Enrollment assistance events for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) called Get Connected! California are happening on Saturday, August 27, 2022. Look for a separate email blast coming this week that provides program details and information that can be sent to students who need assistance applying for this program.

The AEO would like to officially welcome Ayana Mickey to our team! She will be joining the consultant staff under a training and development program, and we are excited for the honor of teaching her all about adult education. Ayana will be providing statewide program support as needed.

The AEO is pleased to announce that Diana Batista will be joining the Adult Education Office on August 29, 2022. Diana has over 22 years of experience in Adult Education which includes teaching, administration and data collection and reporting for student testing. After serving as Principal of Oxnard Adult School, she joined Sacramento County Office of Education as the Adult Education Director. Most recently, Diana has been supporting the Distance Learning programs of Conejo Valley Adult School. For the AEO, Diana will be supporting CAEP Districts within the counties of San Bernardino and Riverside.

The AEO is working to fill one additional vacancy in the Adult Education Support Office and hopes to have more updates to share very soon.

If you have questions for items not already identified above, please contact the Adult Education Office at 916-322-2175 or by email at adulteducation@cde.ca.gov.

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