Request for Application (RFA) Release Date: Jan. 25, 2017

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the District of Columbia agency responsible for administering the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) grant, a federal initiative authorized by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Title II - Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 – Public Law 113-128. The AEFLA grant program is also supported with a match of local funds, as required by Title II, Section 222(b) of WIOA. 

OSSE will award, on a competitive basis, multi-year grants (minimum of three years) to eligible providers of demonstrated effectiveness for the purpose of developing, implementing and improving adult education within the District of Columbia. Eligible participants are those:

• Who have attained 16 years of age;
• Who are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under State law; and
• Who are basic skills deficient;
• Do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and has not achieved an equivalent level of education; or
• Are English language learners.

Grant funds will be used to provide services to individuals who are at least 16 years of age; who are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school and who have low level literacy skills, do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent, or are English language learners. Grant funding shall be used to provide services to District residents with barriers to employment to increase access to and opportunities for the employment, education, training, and support services they need to succeed in the labor market.

An eligible provider is an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing adult education activities to eligible individuals and may include: (1) an LEA (local education agency); (2) a community-based or faith-based organization; (3) a volunteer literacy organization; (4) an institution of higher education; (5) a public or private non-profit agency; (6) a library; (7) a public housing authority; (8) a non-profit institution with the ability to provide adult education and literacy services;  (9) a consortium or coalition of agencies organizations, institutions, libraries or authorities described above; or (10) a partnership between an employer and an entity described above.

To determine if an applicant is an organization of demonstrated effectiveness, all applicants will be required to provide evidence of their ability to improve the skills of adults with low level literacy skills and/or English language learners. Prior grant recipients will be required to provide data from OSSE’s management information system - Literacy Adult Community Education System (LACES). Additionally, local program self-assessment and monitoring data may be provided as evidence of how the organization has met the state’s negotiated performance measures for students at all levels, including adults with low-level literacy skills and English language learners. New applicants will be required to describe and provide evidence of student achievement of core outcomes for adults with low-level literacy skills and English language learners, including student learning gains, acquisition of high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) credential, and entrance into postsecondary education, training and/or employment.  Each application will be reviewed to determine whether it meets the standard of demonstrated effectiveness. 

The RFA will be posted on the Office of Partnerships and Grant Services website, on the OSSE AFE website, and on OSSE's EGMS website.

Related Content: Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Grant Competitions, Matching Funds, and Re-Grants