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Bill
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Title II — Adult Education and Literacy

H.R. 798 · 113th Congress · Feb 15, 2013 · Lineage

II Adult Education and Literacy

201. Purposes, definitions, and miscellaneous provisions

(a)
Purpose— Section 202 is amended to read as follows:

“202. Purpose

“It is the purpose of this title to create a partnership among the Federal Government, States, and localities to provide, on a voluntary basis, adult education and literacy activities, in order to—

“(1) assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency;

“(2) assist adults who are parents to obtain the education and skills that—

“(A) are necessary to becoming full partners in the educational development of their children; and

“(B) lead to sustainable improvements in the economic opportunities for their family;

“(3) assist adults in attaining a secondary school diploma or its equivalent and in the transition to and success in postsecondary education and training, including through career pathways;

“(4) assist immigrants and other individuals who are English language learners in improving their reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension skills in English;

“(5) assist immigrants in acquiring an understanding of the American system of government and the responsibilities of citizenship;

“(6) assist States in expanding a 21st century delivery system for adult education, literacy, and workplace skills services that meet the needs of adults at all skill levels;

“(7) assist adults in developing technology literacy; and

“(8) enable more adults to complete adult education and enter and succeed in postsecondary education and employment.”

(b)
Definitions— Section 203 is amended—
(1)
by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

“(1) Adult education—The term adult education means academic instruction and services below the postsecondary level that increase an individual’s ability to—

“(A) read, write, and speak in English and perform mathematics or other activities necessary for the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent;

“(B) transition to and success in postsecondary education and training; or

“(C) obtain employment.”

(2)
in paragraph (2), by striking “activities described in section 231(b)” and inserting “programs, activities, and services that include adult education, literacy, workplace adult education and literacy activities, family literacy activities, English language acquisition activities, workforce preparation activities, or integrated education and training”;
(3)
by striking paragraphs (3), (8), (9), (10), (13), (14), and (17) and redesignating paragraphs (4), (7), (11), (12), (15), (16), and (18) as paragraphs (3), (9), (10), (11), (13), (14), and (15), respectively;
(4)
in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by inserting “activities” after “literacy”;
(5)
by inserting after paragraph (3) (as so redesignated) the following:

“(4) Eligible individual—The term eligible individual means an individual—

“(A) who has attained 16 years of age;

“(B) who is not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under State law; and

“(C) who—

“(i) is unable to compute or solve problems, or read, write, or speak English at a level necessary to function on the job, in the individuals’ family, or in society;

“(ii) does not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and has not achieved an equivalent level of education; or

“(iii) is an English language learner.”

(6)
in paragraph (5)—
(A)
by striking “means—” and inserting “means an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy activities that may include—”;
(B)
in subparagraphs (B) and (C), by striking “of demonstrated effectiveness” both places it appears;
(C)
in subparagraph (H), by striking “literacy services” and all that follows and inserting “adult education and literacy activities to eligible individuals;”;
(D)
in subparagraph (I), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(E)
by adding at the end the following:

“(J) a partnership between an employer and an entity described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (I).”

(7)
by amending paragraph (6) to read as follows:

“(6) English language acquisition program—The term English language acquisition program means a program of instruction—

“(A) designed to help eligible individuals who are English language learners achieve competence in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension of the English language;

“(B) that may lead to—

“(i) attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent;

“(ii) transition to success in postsecondary education and training; and

“(iii) employment or career advancement; and

“(C) that such programs may be sequential, integrated, or concurrent in nature.”

(8)
by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:

“(7) English language learner—The term English language learner when used with respect to an eligible individual, means an eligible individual who has limited ability in reading, writing, speaking, or comprehending the English language, and—

“(A) whose native language is a language other than English; or

“(B) who lives in a family or community environment where a language other than English is the dominant language.

“(8) High quality literacy instruction—The term high quality literacy instruction means developmentally appropriate, explicit, and systematic instruction that provides students with—

“(A) early development and grade-level mastery of oral language skills, both listening and speaking, phonological awareness, using a wide vocabulary, conventional forms of grammar, and academic language;

“(B) the ability to read regularly spelled words and high-frequency irregularly spelled words and to decode regularly spelled unfamiliar words accurately, using phonemic awareness, print awareness, alphabet knowledge, and knowledge of English spelling patterns;

“(C) the ability to read texts accurately, fluently, and with comprehension, relying on knowledge of the vocabulary in those texts and of the background information that the students possess;

“(D) the ability to read with a purpose and the capacity to differentiate purposes and to select and apply comprehension strategies appropriate to achieving the purpose;

“(E) an understanding of, and ability to adapt to, the varying demands of different genres, formats, and types of texts across the core content areas in order to comprehend texts of appropriate levels of complexity and content, including texts necessary for mastery of grade-level standards;

“(F) the ability to effectively access, critically evaluate, and appropriately synthesize information from a variety of sources and formats;

“(G) the development and maintenance of a motivation to read and write, as reflected in habits of reading and writing regularly and or discussing one’s reading and writing with others; and

“(H) the ability to write clearly, accurately, and quickly so as to communicate ideas and deepen comprehension, in ways that fit purpose, audience, occasion, discipline, and format; adhere to conventions of spelling and punctuation; and benefit from revision so as to improve clarity, coherence, logical development, and the precise use of language.”

(9)
in paragraph (9)—
(A)
in the paragraph heading, by striking “Services” and inserting “Activities”;
(B)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by striking “services” both places it appears and inserting “activities”; and
(ii)
by striking “changes in a family” and inserting “improvements in the economic prospects for a family and that better enable parents to support their children’s learning needs”;
(C)
by striking subparagraph (C) and redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively; and
(D)
by inserting before subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated) the following:

“(A) Parent adult education and literacy activities that lead to readiness for the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent postsecondary education or training, employment, career advancement, and economic self-sufficiency.”

(10)
by inserting after paragraph (10) (as so redesignated) the following:

“(11) Integrated education and training—The term integrated education and training means services that provide adult education and literacy activities contextually and concurrently with workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster. Such services may include offering adult education services concurrent with credit-bearing postsecondary education and training, including through co-instruction.

“(12) Integrated English literacy and civics education—The term integrated English literacy and civics education means an integrated program of educational services for immigrant and other limited English proficient adults, including immigrant professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enables them to achieve competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens. Such programs shall include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation, and may include workforce training.”

(11)
by amending paragraph (15) (as so redesignated) to read as follows:

“(15) Workplace adult education and literacy activities—The term workplace adult education and literacy activities means adult education and literacy activities offered by an eligible provider in collaboration with an employer or employee organization at a workplace or an off-site location that is designed to improve the productivity of the workforce.”

(12)
by adding at the end the following:

“(16) Workforce preparation activities—The term workforce preparation activities means activities, programs, or services designed to help an individual acquire a combination of basic academic skills, critical thinking skills, and self-management skills, including competencies in utilizing resources, using information, working with others, understanding systems, working with technology, and skills necessary for successful transition into and completion of postsecondary education or training, or employment.”

(c)
Home schools— Section 204 is amended—
(1)
by inserting “whether a home school is treated as a home school or a private school under State law,” after “home schools,”; and
(2)
by striking “an English literacy program” and all that follows and inserting “adult education and literacy activities.”.
(d)
Rule of construction— Title II is further amended by redesignating section 205 as section 206 and inserting after section 204 the following:

“205. Rule of construction regarding postsecondary transition and concurrent enrollment activities

“Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit or discourage the use of funds provided under this title for adult education and literacy activities that help eligible individuals transition to and succeed in postsecondary education, including credit-bearing coursework, and training or employment, or for concurrent enrollment activities.”

(e)
Authorization of Appropriations— Section 206 (as so redesignated) is amended—
(1)
by inserting “$1,100,000,000 for fiscal year 2013 and” after “to carry out this title”; and
(2)
by striking “of the fiscal years 1999 through 2003” and inserting “succeeding fiscal year” .
(f)
Technical amendment— Title II is further amended—
(1)
by striking subtitle B;
(2)
by striking the subtitle A designation; and
(3)
by redesignating chapters 1 through 4 as subtitles A through D, respectively.

202. Amendments to subtitle A

(a)
Reservation of funds, eligible agencies, allotments— Section 211 is amended—
(1)
by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

“(a) Reservation of funds—From the sum appropriated under section 206 for a fiscal year, the Secretary—

“(1) shall reserve $250,000,000 to carry out section 242(c)(1)(E);

“(2) shall reserve 1.5 percent to carry out the remainder of section 242, except that the amount so reserved shall not exceed $15,000,000;

“(3) shall reserve 1.5 percent to carry out section 243, except that the amount so reserved shall not exceed $12,000,000; and

“(4) shall reserve 12 percent of the amount that remains after reserving funds under paragraphs (1) and (2) to carry out section 244.”

(2)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
by striking “section 205” and inserting “section 206”; and
(B)
by striking “section 224” and inserting “section 112 or a State unified plan approved under section 113”; and
(3)
in subsection (c)—
(A)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
by striking “section 205” and inserting “section 206”;
(ii)
by striking “section 224” and inserting “section 112 or a State unified plan approved under section 113”;
(iii)
in subparagraph (A)—
(I)
by striking “$100,000” and inserting “$250,000”; and
(II)
by inserting “except as provided in subsection (e)” after “outlying area”; and
(iv)
in subparagraph (B), by striking “$250,000” and inserting “$350,000”; and
(B)
in paragraph (2), by striking “section 205” and inserting “section 206”;
(4)
by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:

“(f) Hold-Harmless provisions

“(1) In general—Notwithstanding subsection (c), for fiscal year 2011 and each succeeding fiscal year, no eligible agency shall receive an allotment under this section that is less than 90 percent of the allotment the eligible agency received for the preceding fiscal year under this section.

“(2) 100 Percent allotment—Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subsection (e), for a fiscal year for which an eligible agency receives only an initial allotment under subsection (c)(1) (and no additional allotment under subsection (c)(2)) the eligible agency shall receive an allotment under this section that is equal to 100 percent of the initial allotment under subsection (c)(1).

“(3) Ratable reduction—If for any fiscal year the amount available for allotment under this title is insufficient to satisfy the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary shall ratably reduce the payments to all eligible agencies, as necessary.”

(5)
by adding at the end the following:

“(h) Study and report

“(1) Study—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study concerning the formula described in this section and, in conducting the study, shall, at a minimum—

“(A) examine whether the formula results in a distribution of funds that sufficiently targets the entire population of individuals eligible for adult education and literacy activities under this title;

“(B) examine whether the data used to count qualified adults, for purposes of the formula, accurately identify the population of individuals eligible for the activities; and

“(C) develop recommendations, as necessary, for improving the formula so that the formula results in a distribution of funds that better serves that population and the data used to count qualified adults accurately measure that population.

“(2) Report—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the Workforce Investment Act of 2013, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives a report containing the results of the study described in paragraph (1).”

(b)
Performance accountability system— Section 212 is amended to read as follows:

“212. Performance accountability system

“Programs and activities authorized in this title are subject to the performance accountability provisions described in section 136. Additional indicators shall include the following:

“(1) Demonstrated improvements in literacy skill levels in reading, writing, and speaking the English language, numeracy, English language acquisition, and other literacy skills.

“(2) Receipt of a secondary school diploma or its equivalent.

“(3) Attainment of an industry-recognized workforce readiness credential or other recognized postsecondary credential, the attainment of which requires skills below the postsecondary level.

“(4) Placement in, retention in, or completion of a postsecondary education or training program.”

203. Amendments to subtitle B

(a)
State administration— Section 221 is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking “submission, and implementation of the State plan” and inserting “implementation, and monitoring of the relevant components of the State unified plan in section 112 or the State unified plan in section 113”.
(b)
State distribution and matching requirement— Section 222 is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “this subtitle” and inserting “section 211(b)”;
(B)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
by striking “82.5 percent” and inserting “80 percent”;
(ii)
by striking “10 percent” and inserting “not less than 10 percent”; and
(iii)
by striking “of the 82.5 percent”;
(C)
in paragraph (2), by striking “12.5 percent” and inserting “15 percent”; and
(D)
in paragraph (3), by striking “$65,000” and inserting “$75,000”; and
(2)
in subsection (b)(1), by striking “equal to—” and inserting “that is not less than—”.
(c)
State leadership activities— Section 223 is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

“(a) Activities

“(1) Required—Each eligible agency shall use funds made available under section 222(a)(2) and from other funds available to the State for such purposes, for the following adult education and literacy activities to develop or enhance the adult education system of the State or outlying area:

“(A) The alignment of adult education and literacy activities with other core programs and one-stop partners, including eligible providers, to implement the strategy identified in the unified State plan under section 112 or the State unified plan under section 113, including the development of career pathways to provide access to employment and training services for individuals in adult education and literacy activities.

“(B) The establishment or operation of high-quality professional development programs to improve the instruction provided pursuant to local activities required under section 231(b), including instruction incorporating the essential components of reading, writing, and numeracy instruction and instruction for English language learners as such components relate to adults, instruction related to the specific needs of adult learners, instruction provided by volunteers or by personnel of a State or outlying area, and dissemination of information about models and promising practices related to such programs.

“(C) The provision of technical assistance to eligible providers of adult education and literacy activities, including technical assistance in—

“(i) the development and dissemination of instructional and programmatic practices based on available evidence-based research, where appropriate, in reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, English language acquisition programs, distance education, and staff training;

“(ii) the role of eligible providers as a one-stop partner in providing access to employment, education, and training services;

“(iii) the use of technology, including for staff training, to eligible providers, especially the use of technology to improve system efficiencies;

“(iv) the development of content and models for career pathways, including integrated education and training, career bridge programs or instruction, and postsecondary transition activities; and

“(v) the acquisition and implementation of technology tools, applications, and other resources that will—

“(I) help in enhancing or redesigning adult education, literacy, and workplace skills curricula to improve technology literacy for adult learners;

“(II) facilitate assessments for data analysis to enable individualized instruction; and

“(III) be employed in professional development activities.

“(D) The monitoring and evaluation of the quality of, and the improvement in, adult education and literacy activities and the dissemination of information about models and proven or promising practices within the State.

“(E) The assessment of the quality of the adult education teacher workforce in the State, which shall include taking actions to improve that quality, including by establishing a requirement that all paid professionals have at least a bachelor’s degree and that volunteers be required to be supervised or supported by a paid professional with a bachelor’s degree, and through such actions as working in partnership with colleges and universities to improve the quality of adult education teacher preparation and increase access to high-quality preparation programs.

“(F) The development of rigorous content standards and aligned assessments for their adult education programs that reflect accepted standards for college- and career-readiness that are aligned with the college- and career-ready standards the State develops and implements in compliance with section 14006(d)(4) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“(2) Permissible activities—Each eligible agency may use funds made available under section 222(a)(2) for 1 or more of the following adult education and literacy activities:

“(A) The support of State or regional networks of literacy resource centers.

“(B) The development and implementation of technology applications, including online and on-air educational digital content, translation technology, or distance education, including professional development to support the use of instructional technology.

“(C) The development and dissemination of curricula, including curricula incorporating the essential components of reading instruction as such components relate to adults.

“(D) The dissemination of content and models for integrated education and training and career pathways, including the provision of technical assistance to eligible providers in the State administering such programs.

“(E) The provision of assistance to eligible providers in developing and implementing programs that achieve the objectives of this title and in measuring the progress of those programs in achieving such objectives, including meeting the State adjusted levels of performance described in section 136(b)(3).

“(F) The provision of assistance to eligible providers in the development of new data management systems required by the performance accountability system described in section 136(b).

“(G) The development and implementation of a system to assist in the transition from adult education to postsecondary education, including linkages with postsecondary educational institutions or institutions of higher education.

“(H) The integration of literacy and English language instruction with occupational skill training, including promoting linkages with employers.

“(I) Activities to promote workplace adult education and literacy activities.

“(J) Activities to promote and complement local outreach initiatives described in section 243(b)(3)(G).

“(K) In cooperation with efforts funded under sections 242 and 243, development and piloting of—

“(i) promising and proven assessment tools and strategies that—

“(I) are based on evidence-based research, where available and appropriate; and

“(II) identify the needs and capture the gains of students at all levels, with particular emphasis on—

“(aa) students at the lowest achievement level;

“(bb) students who are English language learners; and

“(cc) adults with learning disabilities;

“(ii) strategies for improving teacher quality and retention;

“(iii) assistance in converting evidence-based research into practice; and

“(iv) strategies in the use of technology, including online and on-air educational digital content to improve technology literacy for adult learners.

“(L) The development and implementation of programs and services to meet the needs of adult learners with learning disabilities who are English language learners.

“(M) Family literacy activities that promote adult education and help parents become their child’s first teacher.

“(N) Support for recruitment and outreach for instructors, students, and employers.

“(O) Other activities of statewide significance that promote the purpose of this title.

“(3) Digital learning—Each eligible agency may reserve up to 10 percent of the funds made available under section (222)(a)(2) for grants to an entity that owns and operates a television public broadcast station, as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 397(6)) (including a partnership of such entities), in partnership with an eligible agency, State Board described in section 111, or institution of higher education to develop, disseminate, and provide online and on-air education and training services for adults, including:

“(A) the development, training and use of innovative, high-quality tools, products, and educational digital content and services for—

“(i) adult education and literacy, GED preparation, workforce training, and related outreach (including community and family) services;

“(ii) professional development; and

“(iii) English language education and services for non-English speakers;

“(B) the development and implementation of technology applications, including online and on-air education digital content, translation technology, or distance education, including professional development to support the use of instructional technology; and

“(C) developing and piloting strategies in the use of technology through online and on-air educational digital content, including to improve technology literacy for adult learners.”

(d)
State plan— Section 224 is amended to read as follows:

“224. State Plan

“Each State desiring to receive funds under this title for any fiscal year shall submit and have approved by the Secretary and the Secretary of Labor a State plan in accordance with section 112 or a State unified plan in accordance with section 113.”

(e)
Programs for corrections education and other institutionalized individuals— Section 225 is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by striking “basic education” and inserting “adult education and literacy activities”;
(B)
in paragraph (2), by striking “education programs” and inserting “education,”; and
(C)
by striking paragraphs (3) and (4) and inserting the following:

“(3) secondary school credit;

“(4) integrated education and training;

“(5) career pathways;

“(6) concurrent enrollment;

“(7) postsecondary correctional education linked to employment;

“(8) peer tutoring; and

“(9) transition to re-entry initiatives and other post-release services with the goal of reducing recidivism.”

(2)
by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:

“(d) Report—In addition to any report required under section 136, each eligible agency that receives assistance provided under this section shall annually prepare and submit to the Secretary a report on the progress, as described in section 136, of the eligible agency with respect to the programs and activities carried out under this section, including the rate of recidivism for the criminal offenders served.

“(e) Definitions—In this section:

“(1) Correctional institution—The term correctional institution means any—

“(A) prison;

“(B) jail;

“(C) reformatory;

“(D) work farm;

“(E) detention center; or

“(F) halfway house, community-based rehabilitation center, or any other similar institution designed for the confinement or rehabilitation of criminal offenders.

“(2) Criminal offender—The term criminal offender means any individual who is charged with or convicted of any criminal offense.”

204. Amendments to subtitle C

(a)
Grants and contracts for eligible providers— Section 231 is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b), by striking “one or more programs that provide” and all that follows and inserting “programs that provide adult education and literacy activities, programs that provide such activities concurrently with postsecondary education or training or employment activities, and credit-bearing postsecondary coursework.”;
(2)
in subsection (c)—
(A)
by striking “Each eligible” and inserting:

“(1) In general—Each eligible”

(B)
by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and moving such subparagraphs 2 ems to the right;
(C)
in subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated), by inserting “and compete” after “apply”; and
(D)
by adding at the end the following:

“(2) GAO study—Not later than the second program year following the date of enactment of the Workforce Investment Act of 2013, the Comptroller General shall conduct a study to determine how the provisions of paragraph (1) have been implemented and whether such provisions accomplished the purposes of such paragraph.”

(3)
in subsection (d)—
(A)
by striking “section 203(1)” and inserting “section 203(4)”; and
(B)
by striking “other than adult education activities” and inserting “other than activities for eligible individuals”; and
(4)
in subsection (e)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by striking “will establish measurable goals for participant outcomes” and insert

“(A) regional needs as identified in the local plan under section 118; and

“(B) serving individuals in the community who were identified in such plan as most in need of adult education and literacy activities, including individuals—

“(i) who have low levels of literacy skills;

“(ii) who have learning disabilities; or

“(iii) who are English language learners;”

(B)
by amending paragraphs (2) through (8) to read as follows:

“(2) capacity, including past effectiveness in improving the English language, reading, and mathematic skills of eligible individuals of the eligible provider, to meet and exceed State-adjusted levels of performance for the primary indicators of performance described in section 136 for eligible individuals, especially with respect to eligible individuals who have low levels of literacy;

“(3) the extent to which the eligible provider demonstrates alignment between proposed activities and services and the strategy and goals of the local plan under section 118, as well as with the activities and services of the one-stop partners;

“(4) whether the eligible provider’s program uses instructional practices that include the essential components of reading instruction;

“(5) whether the eligible provider’s activities are built on a strong foundation of evidence-based research on available and effective educational practices;

“(6) whether the eligible provider’s activities effectively employ advances in technology and delivery systems, including distance education;

“(7) whether the eligible provider’s activities provide learning in context, including through integrated education and training, so that an individual acquires the skills needed to transition to and success in completing postsecondary education and training programs, obtain and advance in employment leading to economic self-sufficiency, and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship;

“(8) whether the eligible provider’s activities are delivered by instructors, counselors, and administrators who meet minimum qualifications established by the State, and who have access to professional development, including through electronic means;”

(C)
in paragraph (9)—
(i)
by inserting “eligible provider’s” after “whether the”;
(ii)
by inserting “education, training, and social service” after “other available”;
(iii)
by inserting “local workforce investment boards,” after “postsecondary educational institutions,”; and
(iv)
by inserting “, business, industry, labor organizations, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and intermediaries, for the development of career pathways” before the semicolon;
(D)
in paragraph (10)—
(i)
by inserting “eligible provider’s” after “whether the”;
(ii)
by inserting “coordination with Federal, State, and local” after “schedules and”; and
(iii)
by striking “and transportation” and inserting “transportation, mental health services, and career planning”; and
(E)
by striking paragraphs (11) and (12) and inserting the following:

“(11) the capacity of the eligible provider to provide integrated education and training;

“(12) whether the eligible provider maintains an information management system that has the capacity to report measurable participant outcomes (consistent with section 136) and monitor program performance;

“(13) the capacity of the eligible provider to offer or connect individuals with career pathways that will lead to economic self-sufficiency;

“(14) whether the local areas in which the eligible provider is located have demonstrated need for additional English language acquisition programs, integrated English literacy, and civics education programs; and

“(15) the capacity of the eligible provider to serve eligible individuals with disabilities, including individuals with learning disabilities.”

(b)
Local application— Section 232 is amended—
(1)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “under this subtitle” and inserting “from an eligible agency”;
(2)
in paragraph (1), by striking “; and” and inserting “consistent with the requirements of this title;”; and
(3)
by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting a semicolon, and after such paragraph inserting the following:

“(3) a description of how the eligible provider will provide services in alignment with the local plan under section 118, including how such provider will promote concurrent enrollment in programs and activities under titles I and II, as appropriate, to assist eligible individuals in accessing and succeeding in postsecondary education and job training services and how such provider will promote access to career pathways;

“(4) a description of how the eligible provider will meet the State adjusted levels of performance described in section 136(b)(3), including how such provider will collect data to report on such performance indicators;

“(5) a description of how the eligible provider will fulfill one-stop partner responsibilities as described in section 121(b)(1)(A), as appropriate;

“(6) a description of how the eligible provider will provide services in a manner that meets the needs of eligible individuals; and

“(7) information that addresses the considerations described under section 231(e), as applicable.”

(c)
Local administrative cost limits— Section 233 is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(2), by striking “personnel development and interagency coordination” and inserting “(including carrying out the requirements of section 136), professional development, and the activities described in paragraphs (3) and (5) of section 232”; and
(2)
in subsection (b), by striking “adequate planning, administration, personnel development, and interagency coordination” and inserting “the eligible provider to carry out the activities described in subsection (a)(2)”.

205. Amendments to subtitle D

(a)
Administrative provisions— Section 241(b) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1)(A), by striking “adult education and literacy activities” and inserting “activities under this title”; and
(2)
in paragraph (4), by striking “1 fiscal year only” and inserting “not more than 1 fiscal year”.
(b)
National institute for adult education and literacy— Section 242 is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting “Adult Education and” after “Institute for”;
(B)
in paragraph (1), by striking “literacy” and inserting “effective adult education and literacy activities for adults and families, including the identification of research topics”;
(C)
by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively, and inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

“(2) supports the development and replication of promising and proven approaches to adult education and literacy activities and programs of demonstrated effectiveness;”

(D)
in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by striking “literacy” and inserting “and disseminates information on adult education and literacy activities,”; and
(E)
in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated), by striking “programs by—” and all that follows through subparagraph (A) and inserting

“(A) providing advice on the efforts of the Department of Education, Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services and other relevant agencies to achieve the goals of adult education and literacy programs and programs consistent with title I, within and across such agencies;

“(B) coordinating and participating in the Federal effort to identify, produce, and disseminate information on adult education and literacy activities that are derived from available evidence-based research and effective programs that serve adults and families, including individuals with learning disabilities; and

“(C) providing current information annually on effective practices and research in adult education and literacy activities to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, and the relevant Federal agencies.”

(2)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by inserting “Adult Education and” after “Institute for”; and
(B)
in paragraph (2), by striking “separate” and inserting “independent”;
(3)
by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

“(c) Duties

“(1) In general—In order to reinforce and support the alignment of activities and programs consistent with provisions under title I, the Institute is authorized—

“(A) to maintain a national electronic database of information that disseminates information to the broadest possible audience within the adult education and literacy field, and that includes—

“(i) best practices and research regarding the provision of adult education and literacy activities, including instruction in the essential components of reading instruction, integrated education and training, and the integration of English literacy and civics education;

“(ii) public and private adult education and literacy activities and programs, and Federal, State, and local policies, affecting the provision of adult education and literacy activities at the national, State, and local levels;

“(iii) opportunities for technical assistance, meetings, conferences, and other opportunities that lead to the improvement of adult education and literacy activities;

“(iv) a list of eligible providers; and

“(v) best practices in reading research, numeracy instruction, and service to English language learners;

“(B) to coordinate the support of promising and proven research, as defined by the Institute of Education Sciences, and development on adult education and literacy activities for adults and for employers across Federal agencies, and to carry out basic and applied research and development on topics that are not being investigated by other organizations or agencies, such as the special literacy needs of individuals with learning disabilities;

“(C) to provide policy and technical assistance to Federal, State, and local entities for the improvement of policy and programs relating to adult education and literacy activities;

“(D) to fund a network of State or regional adult education and literacy resource centers to assist State eligible agencies, eligible providers, and private nonprofit efforts to improve adult education and literacy activities by—

“(i) encouraging the coordination of adult education and literacy activities;

“(ii) enhancing the capacity of State eligible agencies and eligible providers to deliver adult education and literacy activities; and

“(iii) serving as a link between the Institute and eligible providers of adult education and literacy activities for the purpose of sharing information, data, research, expertise, and literacy resources, and for soliciting research needs;

“(E) to establish and maintain a national adult learning and technology resource center to—

“(i) develop frameworks for technology-based learning and professional development materials for adult education, literacy, and workplace skills;

“(ii) support distance education for professional development for eligible entities and eligible providers of adult education, literacy, and workplace skills services;

“(iii) coordinate and share information on the innovative uses of technology, such as the use of assistive technology to deliver digital content to adult learners; and

“(iv) be accessible to the public through the website of the center;

“(F) to advise Congress and Federal departments and agencies regarding the development of policy with respect to adult education and literacy activities;

“(G) to undertake other activities that lead to the improvement of the Nation’s adult education and literacy delivery system and that complement other such efforts being undertaken by public and private agencies and organizations, including activities that relate to the acquisition of skills in reading, writing, English language acquisition, and mathematics;

“(H) to assist States that are pursuing the implementation of standards-based educational improvements and related standards-based assessment instruments for eligible providers through the dissemination of training, technical assistance, and related support; and

“(I) to develop and disseminate best practices on the education, training, professional development, certification, and credentialing of adult education instructors, including how the use of technology can contribute to such efforts.

“(2) Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements—The Institute may award competitive grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, individuals, public or private institutions, agencies, organizations, or consortia of such institutions, agencies, or organizations to carry out the activities of the Institute.

“(3) Coordination—In identifying and supporting promising and proven research the Institute shall use standards for research quality that are consistent with those of the Institute of Education Sciences.”

(4)
in subsection (d)(1), by striking “research, or innovation” and inserting “or research”;
(5)
in subsection (e)—
(A)
in the subsection heading, by inserting “Adult Education and” after “Institute for”;
(B)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
in subparagraph (A), by inserting “Adult Education and” after “Institute for”;
(ii)
in subparagraph (B)(i)—
(I)
by inserting “adult education and” after “organizations and providers of”; and
(II)
by striking “English literacy” and inserting “English language acquisition”;
(iii)
in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking “literacy programs” and inserting “or have participated in or partnered with workplace adult education and literacy activities”;
(iv)
in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking “literacy” both places it appears and inserting “adult education and literacy”;
(v)
in subparagraph (B)(iv), by inserting “adult education and literacy research, including adult” after “area of”;
(vi)
in subparagraph (B)(vi), by striking “and”;
(vii)
in subparagraph (B)(vii), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and
(viii)
by adding at the end the following:

“(viii) institutions of higher education or postsecondary educational institutions.”

(C)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in subparagraph (B), by striking “and”;
(ii)
in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(iii)
by adding at the end the following:

“(D) review the biennial report submitted to Congress pursuant to subsection (k).”

(D)
in paragraph (5)—
(i)
by striking “Any” and inserting “A”; and
(ii)
by inserting “at a meeting for which there is a quorum” before the period;
(6)
in subsection (k)—
(A)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
(i)
by striking “The” and inserting “not later than one year after the date of enactment of the Workforce Investment Act of 2013, and biennially thereafter, the”; and
(ii)
by striking “Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate” and inserting “Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate and the relevant agencies”;
(B)
in paragraph (1), by inserting “adult education and” after “field of”; and
(C)
in paragraph (2), by striking “adult education and” after “goals of the”; and
(7)
by adding at the end the following:

“(m) National institute for literacy—Any reference in any other Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or any document of or pertaining to—

“(1) the head of the National Institute for Literacy shall be treated as a reference to the head of the National Institute for Adult Education and Literacy; and

“(2) the National Institute for Literacy shall be treated as a reference to the National Institute for Adult Education and Literacy.”

(c)
National Leadership activities— Section 243 is amended—
(1)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
(A)
by striking “The Secretary” and inserting:

“(a) In general—The Secretary”

(B)
by inserting “and outcomes” after “the quality”;
(C)
by striking “programs” and inserting “activities and programs”; and
(D)
by striking “Such activities may include the following:” and inserting:

“(b) Allowable activities—The national leadership activities described in subsection (a) may include the following:”

(2)
in paragraph (1)—
(A)
by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) as subparagraphs (B) through (D), respectively and inserting before subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated) the following:

“(A) assistance to help States meet the requirements of section 136;”

(B)
in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated)—
(i)
by striking “developing and using performance measures” and inserting “using performance accountability measures based on indicators described in section 136, and data systems”; and
(ii)
by striking “, including family literacy services”;
(C)
in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated), by striking “including family literacy services” and all that follows and inserting “utilizing evidence-based research where available;”;
(D)
in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated)—
(i)
by striking “learning” and inserting “education”; and
(ii)
by striking the period and inserting the following: “, including through the use of instructional models that blend in-person and online instruction; and”; and
(E)
by adding at the end the following:

“(E) assistance in the development and dissemination of promising and proven models for addressing the digital literacy needs of adults, including older adults.”

(3)
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3), and inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

“(2) A program of grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements awarded on a competitive basis to national, regional, or local networks of private nonprofit organizations, public libraries, or institutions of higher education to build the capacity of such networks’ members to—

“(A) meet the performance requirements, described in section 136, of eligible providers under this title; and

“(B) involve eligible individuals in program improvement.”

(4)
in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated)—
(A)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “institutions of higher education,” after “postsecondary educational institutions,”;
(B)
in subparagraph (A), by striking “phonemic awareness” and all that follows through “reading comprehension” and inserting “the essential components of reading instruction”;
(C)
in subparagraph (B), by striking “, including family literacy services”;
(D)
in subparagraph (C), by striking “research, such as” and inserting: “research, including evidence-based research where available, on national literacy basic skill acquisition for adult learning, including”;
(E)
in subparagraph (D)—
(i)
in clause (i), by striking the semicolon and inserting

“(I) accelerate learning outcomes for eligible individuals with the lowest literacy levels;

“(II) promote career pathways for eligible individuals;

“(III) promote concurrent enrollment programs in adult education and credit bearing postsecondary coursework; and

“(IV) develop high-quality professional development activities for eligible providers;”

(ii)
in clause (ii), by striking “such as the development” and all that follows and inserting

“(I) programs for skill certification;

“(II) the identification of effective strategies for working with adults with learning disabilities and with adults who are English language learners;

“(III) integrated education and training programs;

“(IV) programs providing adult education and literacy activities coordinated with employment services;

“(V) family literacy activities that promote adult education and help parents become their child’s first teacher; and

“(VI) postsecondary education and training transition programs;”

(F)
in subparagraph (E)—
(i)
in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “through studies and analyses conducted independently”;
(ii)
in clause (i)—
(I)
by inserting “accountability” after “performance”;
(II)
by inserting “, including interim measures connected to increasing advancement along a career pathway,” after “measures of accountability”; and
(III)
by striking “, including family literacy services”;
(iii)
in clause (ii)—
(I)
by striking “including family literacy services”; and
(II)
by striking “adults (and of children” and all that follows through “in such activities” and inserting “eligible individuals, lead”;
(iv)
in clause (iii)—
(I)
by striking “adults” and inserting “eligible individuals”;
(II)
by striking “family”; and
(III)
by striking “programs” and inserting “activities”; and
(v)
in clause (iv), by striking “eligible agencies have distributed” and all that follows and inserting “different types of providers measurably improve the skills of eligible individuals in adult education and literacy activities;”;
(G)
by redesignating subparagraphs (F), (G) and (H) as subparagraphs (G), (H), and (K), respectively;
(H)
by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:

“(F) carrying out research on the relationship between instructional quality, including education levels, certification status, and experience of instructors, and the performance outcomes of eligible providers consistent with section 136;”

(I)
in subparagraph (G) (as so redesignated)—
(i)
by inserting “of programs” after “building”; and
(ii)
by striking “subtitle” and inserting “title”; and
(J)
in subparagraph (H) (as so redesignated), by striking “; and” and inserting a semicolon and inserting after such subparagraph the following:

“(I) supporting the development of an entity that would produce and distribute technology-based programs and materials for adult education and literacy activities using an interconnection system (as defined in section 397 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 397)) and expand the effective outreach and use of such programs and materials to eligible providers;

“(J) determining how participation in adult education and literacy activities prepares eligible individuals for entry into postsecondary education and employment and, in the case of programs carried out in correctional institutions, has an effect on recidivism; and”

(d)
Integrated English literacy and civics education— Subtitle D, as redesignated by section 201(f), is further amended by adding after section 243 the following new section:

“244. Integrated English literacy and civics education

“(a) In general—From funds made available under section 211(a)(1)(C) for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants to States, from allotments under subsection (b), for integrated English literacy and civics education.

“(b) Allotment

“(1) In general—Subject to paragraph (2), from amounts made available under section 211(a)(1)(C) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate—

“(A) 65 percent to the States on the basis of a State’s need for integrated English literacy and civics education, as determined by calculating each State’s share of a 10-year average of the data of the Office of Immigration Statistics of the Department of Homeland Security for immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence for the 10 most recent years; and

“(B) 35 percent to the States on the basis of whether the State experienced growth, as measured by the average of the 3 most recent years for which the data of the Office of Immigration Statistics of the Department of Homeland Security for immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence are available.

“(2) Minimum—No State shall receive an allotment under paragraph (1) in an amount that is less than $60,000.

“(c) Study To determine continued need—Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Workforce Investment Act of 2012 and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretaries of Education, Labor, and Homeland Security shall submit a report to Congress about the English-language instruction needs of adult immigrants. It shall include changes in national, State and county-level approaches and requirements in English-language instruction; data on the composition of recent immigration flows and immigrant settlement patterns across States; and estimated instructional needs based on the English ability and educational attainment of recent immigrants from top immigrant-sending countries. Such study shall be commissioned by the Institute of Education Sciences, with its design conducted in collaboration with the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security.”