Grants To States For Workplace And Community Transition

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS

UNDER THE

GRANTS TO STATES FOR WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY TRANSITION TRAINING FOR INCARCERATED YOUTH OFFENDERS PROGRAM

(CFDA 84.331)

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Three-Year Application Package

20XX

The Grants to States for Workplace and Community Transition Training for Incarcerated Youth Offenders Program (Youth Offenders Program) is designed to provide grants to State correctional education agencies (SCEAs) to assist and encourage incarcerated youths to acquire functional literacy, life and job skills, through the pursuit of a postsecondary education certificate, or an associate of arts or bachelor’s degree while in prison and employment counseling and other related services that start during incarceration and continue through prerelease and while on parole or during release.

Specifically, through this formula grant program, SCEAs will use Federal funds to provide postsecondary education, postsecondary vocational training, and related services to “youth offenders” up to age 25, who are incarcerated in a State

prison, including a pre-release facility, and are eligible for parole or release

within five years.

To receive FY 20XX funds, a SCEA should submit its three-year State application soon after receiving an application package. Each application will be processed as it is received. Applications will not be accepted if they are not post marked on or before XXXX or received in the office by close of business (4:30pm Washington, DC Time) on XXXX. After that date, any funds that have not been requested will be reallocated to SCEAs with approved State applications.

A State application provides—

1. the legal basis on which the State, through its State Correctional Education Agency, will qualify to participate in the Youth Offenders Program and to receive Federal allocations;

2. a comprehensive statement of the SCEA’s goals, objectives, priorities, and methods under which the agency will administer the Youth Offenders Program;

3. a basis for common understanding among the SCEA, other participating entities, the U.S. Department of Education, program reviewers, and auditors;

4. a basis for immediate and long-range planning and for continuous, systematic evaluation;

5. a means to facilitate communication and program support through the involvement of public or private institutions and agencies, businesses, and local decision-makers in developing and carrying out the program.

SCEAs must submit one original signed State application, having an ink signature on all forms, certifications, and assurances, and two copies of the State application. Please mark each State application as original and copy. No grant may be awarded unless a completed State application has been received.

An SCEA that desires to receive an award under the Youth Offenders Program must submit a State application, covering a three-year period, to the Secretary. Before preparing a State application, an SCEA should carefully read the legislation, guidance, and appropriate regulations. The application must—

1. Identify the scope of the problem, including the number of incarcerated youths in need of postsecondary education and postsecondary vocational training.

2. List the accredited public or private institution or institutions that will provide postsecondary education and postsecondary vocational training.

3. List the cooperating public and private agencies and businesses that will provide related services.

4. Describe the evaluation methods and performance measures that the SCEA will employ. The methods and performance measures must be appropriate to meet the goals and objectives of the Youth Offenders Program described in the SCEA’s application. The methods and measures must include—

• measures of program completion;

• student academic and vocational skill attainment, success in job placement and retention;

• recidivism.

5. Describe how the SCEA plans to meet the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) objective for this program. That objective is to: Improve the vocational and academic achievement of students served through State Grants for Incarcerated Youth Offenders

6. Describe how the Youth Offenders Program proposed in the SCEA’s application will be integrated with the—

A. Objectives and activities of school-to-work programs of the State, including:

• Work experience or apprenticeship programs;

• Transitional worksite job training for vocational education students that is related to the occupational goals of those students and closely linked to classroom and laboratory instruction;

• Placement services in occupations that the students are preparing to enter;

• Employment-based learning programs; and

• Programs that address State and local labor shortages.

B. Existing State correctional education programs (such as adult education, undergraduate and graduate postsecondary education degree programs, and postsecondary vocational training) and State industry programs.

7. Address the educational needs of youth offenders who are in alternative programs (such as boot camp). The SCEA need not serve this population if it decides that grant funds are better utilized in serving youth offenders in State prisons or pre-release facilities. In States in which boot camps are considered pre-release facilities, naturally, youth offenders in those facilities are to be included in the Youth Offenders Program proposed by the SCEA. If an SCEA chooses not to serve this population, it should notify the Secretary of its decision, and the reason for the decision in its application.

8. Describe how students will be selected so that only youth offenders, as defined in the Department’s Youth Offender Program Guidance, will be enrolled in postsecondary education and postsecondary vocational training and will receive related services under the SCEA’s Youth Offenders Program.

9. Provide an estimate of the funds under the Youth Offenders Program the SCEA plans to allocate to each of the following:

• State Administration;

• postsecondary education;

• postsecondary vocational training;

• related services; and evaluation

10. If the SCEA plans to pay less than $1500 annually for tuition, books, and essential materials or less than $300 annually for related services, the SCEA must include in its application the amount the SCEA plans to pay instead for each of those costs.

11. Include the following State certifications:

1. That the plan is submitted by the State agency that is eligible to submit the plan.

2. That the State agency has authority under State law to perform the functions of the State under the program.

3. That the State legally may carry out each provision of the plan.

4. That all provisions of the plan are consistent with State law.

5. That a State officer, specified by title in the certification, has authority under State law to receive, hold, and disburse Federal funds made available under the plan.

6. That the State officer who submits the plan, specified by title in the certification, has authority to submit the plan.

7. That the agency that submits the plan has adopted or otherwise formally approved the plan.

8. That the plan is the basis for State operation and administration of the program.

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1865-0011. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 25 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202‑4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education, INSERTADDRESS, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202.

Submitting An Application

Please send the completed application to the address listed below. Be sure to indicate, within the completed application, contact information (ie. name, address, phone number, email) of a contact person that can answer any questions concerning this application. To obtain an electronic copy of this application, please send an e-mail request to the address below. SCEAs submitting State applications electronically must also submit an original State application with ink signatures on all forms, certifications, and assurances.

Applications should be mailed to:

Insert Contact Information

Or hand delivered to:

Insert Contact Information

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