Colorado § 22-10-104 - Adult education and literacy grant program - created - rules.

§ 22-10-104. Adult education and literacy grant program - created - rules.

(1) (a) (I) There is created in the office the adult education and literacy grant program to provide funding for adult education providers that are members of workforce development partnerships, through which eligible adults receive basic education in literacy, digital literacy, and numeracy that leads to additional skills acquisition, a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate, postsecondary credential attainment, and employment; or education attainment partnerships that assist adults in attaining basic literacy, digital literacy, and numeracy skills that lead to additional skill acquisition, and may lead to a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate, postsecondary credentials and employment, for the participating adults and their children or the children for whom they provide care.

(II) Adult education and literacy programs may include:

(A) In-person or online instruction;

(B) The development of documented learning plans describing courses or credits an eligible adult needs to complete an adult education and literacy program and fulfill the graduation requirements of the program;

(C) Coaching between an adult education provider and an eligible adult related to the student's pace and progress with the learning plan described in subsection (1)(a)(II)(B) of this section; and

(D) Mentorship between a coach and an eligible adult to facilitate the completion of the eligible adult's learning plan described in subsection (1)(a)(II)(B) of this section to prepare the student to succeed in the adult education and literacy program and in the eligible adult's future endeavors.

(b) An adult education provider may apply to the office to receive a grant pursuant to this part 1 in accordance with the rules, procedures, forms, and timelines adopted by the state board. The office shall review each application and recommend appropriate grant recipients to the state board.

(c) Subject to available appropriations, the state board, taking into consideration the recommendations of the office, shall award adult education and literacy grants to adult education providers. In awarding grants payable from state appropriations, the state board may give preference to adult education programs that serve populations that are underserved by federal funding. The grants awarded are payable from appropriations from the general fund and from the adult education and literacy grant fund created in section 22-10-107. The state board shall establish the amount and duration of each grant awarded and may award a grant for multiple fiscal years, subject to annual renewal by the office. A grant recipient that receives a multi-year grant must annually submit to the office the necessary information to determine whether the grant recipient is making sufficient progress toward achieving the goals of the adult education and literacy program that were specified in the grant application. If the office finds that a grant recipient is not making sufficient progress toward achieving the goals, the office shall not renew the grant for subsequent fiscal years.

(d) An adult education provider may use grant money received pursuant to this part 1 in combination with any money received from other public or private sources. An adult education provider may use grant money received pursuant to this part 1 on behalf of a student who:

(I) Lacks basic literacy, digital literacy, or numeracy skills;

(II) Is enrolled in or has completed the adult education and literacy program;

(III) Is receiving training from a postsecondary education or training provider or from a workforce development provider that participates in a workforce development partnership with the adult education provider; or

(IV) Is participating in work-based learning.

(2) The state board, in accordance with the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, shall promulgate rules to implement the grant program, which rules must include:

(a) The time frames for submitting applications, reviewing applications, and awarding grants;

(b) The grant application requirements. At a minimum, each applicant must:

(I) Demonstrate that it is an experienced adult education provider with a strong record of providing education, career, and supportive service navigation to assist adult learners in attaining employment, enrolling in postsecondary education, engaging in civic activities, or supporting their own children or children for whom they provide care in achieving academic success;

(II) Demonstrate that it is an active member of a workforce development partnership or an education attainment partnership; and

(III) Specify the measurable goals of the adult education and literacy program that the applying adult education provider expects to achieve using the grant money;

(c) Any factors in addition to those listed in subsection (3) of this section that the office may consider in recommending grant recipients to the state board and that the state board may consider in awarding grants;

(d) The basis for establishing the amount and duration of each grant;

(e) The information that each grant recipient must submit to the office to evaluate the recipient's use of the grant and to prepare the report required in section 22-10-105; and

(f) Any additional rules that the state board finds are necessary to implement the grant program.

(3) The office, in evaluating grant applications, and the state board, in awarding grants, may consider, at a minimum, the following factors:

(a) The percentage of eligible adults expected to be enrolled in the adult education and literacy programs funded by the grant who are members of minority groups;

(a.5) The percentage of adults in the area to be served using grant money who have not completed ninth grade and are not enrolled in or have not completed adult education and literacy programs;

(b) The percentage of eligible adults in the area to be served using grant moneys who do not have high school diplomas or the equivalent and who are not currently enrolled in adult education and literacy programs;

(c) (I) The percentage of eligible adults expected to be enrolled in the adult education and literacy programs funded by the grant who are receiving either state or federal public assistance; or

(II) The percentage of eligible adults in the area to be served who are unemployed workers;

(c.5) Whether the adult education provider serves eligible adults who have not completed ninth grade or may otherwise be identified as lowest-level learners and the adult education provider's demonstrated success in serving these learners;

(d) The demonstrated success of the adult education provider in enabling adults to attain basic literacy, digital literacy, and numeracy skills and in assisting them to attain additional skills, postsecondary credentials, employment, and increased capacity to support the academic achievement of their own children or children for whom they provide care; and

(e) The average cost per eligible adult served by the adult education provider in assisting the eligible adult in attaining additional skills, a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate, postsecondary credentials, employment, or increased capacity to support the academic achievement of the eligible adult's own children or children for whom the eligible adult provides care.

(4) Any unexpended and unencumbered money appropriated to the department from the general fund for the adult education and literacy grant program for the 2023-24 state fiscal year and the 2024-25 state fiscal year remains available for expenditure by the department for the purposes of the adult education and literacy grant program through the 2028-29 state fiscal year without further appropriation. At the end of the 2028-29 state fiscal year, the money that is unexpended or unencumbered reverts to the general fund.

Source: L. 2014: Entire article RC&RE, (HB 14-1085), ch. 343, p. 1530, § 1, effective June 5. L. 2015: (1)(c) amended, (SB 15-108), ch. 12, p. 27, § 1, effective March 13. L. 2020: (1), IP(2), (2)(b), (3)(c)(II), and (3)(d) amended and (3)(a.5) and (3)(c.5) added, (SB 20-009), ch. 253, p. 1234, § 4, effective July 8. L. 2022: (1)(d) amended, (SB 22-140), ch. 357, p. 2563, § 7, effective July 1. L. 2023: (1)(a), (1)(c), (1)(d)(I), (3)(c.5), and (3)(d) amended and (3)(e) added, (SB 23-007), ch. 312, p. 1901, § 3, effective June 2. L. 2024: (4) added, (SB 24-051), ch. 14, p. 35, § 3, effective March 6; (1)(b) and IP(1)(d) amended, (HB 24-1450), ch. 490, p. 3415, § 38, effective August 7.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 22-140, see section 1 of chapter 357, Session Laws of Colorado 2022.