Page 44 - profiles 2019 working copy containing all bios as of Feb 20 final version

Literacy (DAEL) in the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE).
The Division administered the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act

(AEFLA), which provides formula grants to states, which is the major source
of Federal support for basic skills programs. The Basic Grant program
provides educational opportunities for adults over the age of 16 who are not
currently enrolled in school, lack a high school diploma, unable to speak,

read, or write in English, or lack basic literacy skills.

As the Leader for the Monitoring and Administration Team (MAT) for four

or five years, I was responsible for developing and implementing the Adult
Education and Family Literacy State Formula Grant Monitoring Plan,
preparing monitoring reports, and Corrective Action Plans (CAPs).

Depending on the fiscal year, there were as many as 13 monitoring visits
conducted to states and territories annually based on comprehensive risk
analysis factors and staff expertise. These week-long or targeted visits helped
states improve the evaluation of local programs, funding of local grants, and

collaboration with Workforce Investment Act partners, state leadership
activities, English Literacy/Civics education, National Reporting System
(NRS) implementation, financial considerations and organization status.

Monitoring processes, tools, and protocols helped guide compliance and
technical assistance topics during the visit. The monitoring and technical
assistance reviews assisted states in reporting accurate data in the National

Reporting System. NRS is the adult education accountability system, which
measures such things as core outcome measures on adults who achieved
skills to complete or advance to educational functioning levels, entered

employment, retained employment, entered postsecondary education or
training, and earned high school diploma or GED. In essence, the
monitoring process assisted states in identifying and solving fiscal program
and accountability problems, meeting the requirements of AEFLA,

enhancing the validity and reliability of data collection and data reporting,
and increasing student achievement.

It is important to help the underserved or the disadvantaged make

contributions to society as they have overcome many barriers and obstacles
in their lives. I witnessed students speak about how the adult education
program teachers, administrators, and partners changed their lives from one

of despair to hope, stability, and success: full-time employment, enrolling in
college, completing high school, reading to a child. As the result of being
highly successful in leading the high performing Monitoring and

40