Section 243 Ielcep Grant 2026

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Josh Shapiro, Governor
Department of Education
Dr. Carrie Rowe, Secretary
Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education
Dr. Lynette Kuhn, Deputy Secretary
Bureau of Postsecondary and Adult Education
James Ayrton, Director
Division of Adult Education
Amanda Harrison, Chief
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) does not discriminate in its educational programs,
activities, or employment practices, based on race, color, national origin, [sex] gender, sexual orientation,
disability, age, religion, ancestry, union membership, gender identity or expression, AIDS or HIV status, or
any other legally protected category. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with State Law
including the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and with Federal law, including Title VI and Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990.
The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the Pennsylvania Department
of Education's nondiscrimination policies:
For Inquiries Concerning Nondiscrimination in Employment:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Equal Employment Opportunity Representative
Bureau of Human Resources
Voice Telephone: (717) 783-5446
For Inquiries Concerning Nondiscrimination in All Other Pennsylvania Department of Education
Programs and Activities:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
School Services Unit Director
Forum Building, 607 South Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Voice Telephone: (717) 783-3750, Fax: (717) 783-6802
If you have any questions about this publication or for additional copies, contact:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Bureau of Postsecondary and Adult Education
Forum Building, 607 South Drive, 3E, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Voice: (717) 783-6540
www.education.pa.gov
All Media Requests/Inquiries: Contact the Office of Press & Communications at (717) 783-9802.

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1
General Information ................................................................................................................... 1
Program Purpose ................................................................................................................... 1
Minimum Program Requirements ........................................................................................... 1
Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program Planning Documents ................ 2
Specific Requirements for Integrated Education and Training Activities .............................. 3
Special State-Imposed Grant Conditions ............................................................................ 3
Eligible Applicants .................................................................................................................. 3
Establishing Demonstrated Effectiveness ........................................................................... 4
Eligible Program Participants .................................................................................................. 5
Funding Priorities ................................................................................................................... 6
Federal WIOA Title II Requirements ....................................................................................... 6
Grant Terms and Conditions ................................................................................................... 6
Multi-Year Contracts ........................................................................................................... 6
Program Funding Requests ................................................................................................ 7
Grant Application Components ............................................................................................... 7
Narrative ............................................................................................................................. 8
Agency Information ............................................................................................................. 8
Budget ................................................................................................................................ 8
Application Review ................................................................................................................. 9
Grant Award Selection and Notification Process ..................................................................... 9
Appeal Process .....................................................................................................................10
Grant Requirements ..................................................................................................................10
Grant Timeline ..........................................................................................................................11
Award Winners..........................................................................................................................12
Grant Agreement ...................................................................................................................12
Funding Accountability and Transparency .............................................................................13
Agency-Specific Sec. 243 IELCE Program Targets ...............................................................13
General Program and Fiscal Requirements ...........................................................................14
Appendix ...................................................................................................................................14
Scoring Summary ..................................................................................................................14

Adult Education and Family Literacy Guidelines Appendix B Section 243 Integrated English
Literacy and Civics Education Program .................................................................................15
AB1 Requirements for Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Programs ..............15
AB1.1 Program Requirements ...........................................................................................15
AB2 Civics Content ...........................................................................................................19
AB3 Setting and Documenting Outcome Measures for Civics Education Programs ..........19
AB3.1 Definitions ..........................................................................................................19
AB3.2 Goal Setting Criteria ...........................................................................................20
AB3.3 Reporting ...........................................................................................................20
AB3.4 State Required Documentation ..........................................................................20

Introduction
Section 243 of the Federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Title II, Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides funds to be awarded through the Pennsylvania
Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Postsecondary and Higher Education, Division of
Adult Education (division) to provide Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education
programing. The total federal funding available for awards to provide Section 243 Integrated
English Literacy and Civics Education programing under this Request for Grant Applications
(RGA) is approximately $2.25 million. This amount is based on the estimated federal grant
award for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and is subject to change.
General Information
Program Purpose
As stated in WIOA, funds allocated under section 243 are to be used for grants for integrated
English literacy and civics education in combination with integrated education and training
activities. Each program that receives funding under this application shall be designed to
prepare adults who are English language learners for, and place such adults in, unsubsidized
employment in in-demand industries and occupations that lead to economic self-sufficiency and
integrate with the local workforce development system and its functions.
As defined in 34 CFR 463.33, the integrated English literacy and civics education services
provided under this funding opportunity are "education services provided to English language
learners who are adults, including professionals with degrees or credentials in their native
countries, that enable such adults to achieve competency in the English language and acquire
the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and
citizens in the United States. Integrated English literacy and civics education services must
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."
Minimum Program Requirements
Full details regarding all minimum requirements established by PDE for Section 243 Integrated
English Literacy and Civics Education Program programs are available in the Draft PY 2026-27
Adult Education and Family Literacy Guidelines.
Successful applicants for Section 243 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program
grant funds will demonstrate the capacity to provide activities required under section 243.
Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education programs funded under section 243 must have
the following requirements established by PDE:
1. Year-round, leveled, managed enrollment integrated English literacy and civics
education classroom activities and support services, including during the summer. In the
context of the section 243 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program,
"leveled classes" means that classes include students in no more than two NRS levels
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per class. See section 403.2.1 of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Guidelines for
the definition of managed enrollment. In a consortium or coalition of eligible providers, all
agencies in the coalition must provide integrated English literacy and civics education
activities and support services.
2. Provide access to at least one integrated education and training activity accessible to
English learners annually. Options for how Section 243 Integrated English Literacy and
Civics Education Program grantees can provide access to integrated education and
training activities are described in section AB1.1.3 of the Adult Education and Family
Literacy Guidelines. Note: Section 243 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education
Program grantees must provide access to integrated education and training activities.
However, students in section 243 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education
programs are not required to participate in integrated education and training activities..
3. Program-specific performance targets established through negotiation with the Division
of Adult Education, which the program meets in each year of the grant cycle.
4. Support services to help students address barriers to participation.
5. Transition support services, including educational and career counseling, to help
students identify education and career goals, develop employability skills, and
successfully participate in and complete postsecondary education/training and gain
employment.
6. Integration of workforce preparation activities and activities to promote digital literacy
and digital resilience into instruction and support services.
7. A program administrator who is a full-time employee of the grantee agency. For
providers that are a consortium or coalition of agencies, the program administrator of the
main grantee must meet this requirement. If the program administrator is not working
100 percent on division-funded activities, the agency must provide evidence that this
individual has sufficient time allocated to these activities to meet all of the requirements
of the program administrator position. (Note: The program administrator does not have
to be paid from grant funds; however, the person must have sufficient time allocated to
activities supported by the grant.)
8. Partnership at a local PA CareerLink(C) site and fulfillment of all the roles and
responsibilities of a one-stop partner as delegated by PDE, including entering into a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the local board, contributing to infrastructure
costs of the PA CareerLink(C) site, providing access to grant services through the PA
CareerLink(C) site, and providing career services to eligible one-stop participants.
9. Integration with the local workforce development system and its functions to place
participants in the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program in
unsubsidized employment in in-demand industries and occupations that lead to
economic self-sufficiency.
Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program Planning Documents
Applicants should use the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program Checklist,
the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Content Guide, and the Integrated
Education and Training Planning Tool and Proposal to guide their grant applications. The
documents are posted on the Division of Adult Education Administrative Documents webpage.
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Specific Requirements for Integrated Education and Training Activities
Any integrated education and training activities the applicant proposes to support with section
243 funds or other funds from the Division of Adult Education must meet federal regulations for
the activity and the additional requirements imposed by the Division of Adult Education as
described in section 403.2.1.4 of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Guidelines. Under
these additional state requirements, programs must work with the state leadership Integrated
Education and Training Technical Assistance Project when planning for and developing
integrated education and training activities. Programs must get integrated education and training
activities approved by the division before they can start the classes in the integrated education
and training activity. Programs must use the Integrated Education and Training Planning Tool
and Proposal to submit the plan for the integrated education and training activity. Final approval
of the integrated education and training activity will require a signed MOU or other contract with
the occupational training provider. The MOU or contract must specify the roles and activities
that each party will fulfill and must include a budget for any grant funds to be paid to the training
provider.
Special State-Imposed Grant Conditions
All successful applicants under this RGA that also received funding under section 243 of WIOA
in the 2023-2026 grant cycle must:
1. Have a fully approved plan to meet the requirement to provide access to an integrated
education and training activity by September 1, 2026. Failure to have an approved plan
by the deadline will result in suspension of payments until an approved plan is in place.
Programs must resubmit integrated education and training activities offered in prior grant
cycles for approval in the new grant cycle.
2. Ensure that IELCE students have access to at least one integrated education and
training activity by the end of the first program year or they will be determined not to
have met the contract obligations, and the grant agreement will be terminated for cause.
Successful applicants that did not receive funding under section 243 in the 2023-2026 grant
cycle must have a plan to meet the requirement to provide access to an integrated education
and training activity submitted to and approved by the division no later than January 1, 2027,
and must ensure that IELCE students have access to at least one integrated education and
training activity by the end of the first program year. Failure to have an approved plan by the
deadline will result in suspension of payments until an approved plan is in place. Successful
applicants that did not receive funding under section 243 in the 2023-2026 grant cycle and do
not have an approved plan in place by the end of the first program year will be placed on
probation for the second year of the grant cycle and will not receive second year funds until a
plan is in place. Continued failure will result in termination of the grant agreement for cause.
Eligible Applicants
As defined in WIOA, an eligible provider is an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness
in providing adult education and literacy activities that may include:
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1. A local education agency;
2. A community-based organization 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 that is not described in any of the above and has the ability to
provide adult education and literacy activities to eligible individuals;
9. A consortium or coalition of the agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries, or
authorities described above;
10. A partnership between an employer and an entity described above; and
11. Other organizations not listed above.
For the purposes of the competition in Pennsylvania, a consortium or coalition of agencies will
be defined as a main grantee with one or more subgrantees. The main grantee will serve as
both the fiscal agent for the grant and a provider of some of the services proposed in the grant
application. The main grantee is responsible for ensuring that all activities provided are
completed as proposed and is responsible for monitoring and compliance of the subgrantees.
Applicants cannot subcontract with another applicant for a portion of the proposed services.
Agencies can only be a main grantee or a subgrantee. Answers in the Narrative and Agency
Information sections of the grant application should reflect the work of the consortium/coalition
rather than treat each entity separately.
Establishing Demonstrated Effectiveness
For the purposes of establishing demonstrated effectiveness to qualify as an eligible provider for
section 243 funding, an applicant must provide performance data on its record of improving the
skills of eligible individuals, particularly eligible individuals who have low levels of literacy,
information regarding its outcomes for participants related to employment, attainment of a
secondary school diploma or its equivalent, and transition to postsecondary education and
training. An applicant that has been previously funded under Title II of WIOA must submit
performance data required under section 116 of WIOA. An applicant that has not been
previously funded under Title II of WIOA must provide performance data to demonstrate its past
effectiveness. Each individual agency in a consortium or coalition of agencies must be an
eligible provider by itself (i.e., must be an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in
providing adult education and literacy activities) and must individually provide all of the data
required to establish demonstrated effectiveness.
PDE will require applicants to provide quantitative data for the immediately preceding two
program years. The data provided by the applicant to establish demonstrated effectiveness
must include the following:
1. The number of individuals in the outcome cohort (i.e., the denominator);
2. The number of individuals who achieved the outcomes (i.e., the numerator); and
3. The resulting percentage of individuals who achieved the outcome.
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The tables that applicants will use to provide data for the purposes of establishing demonstrated
effectiveness to qualify as an eligible provider are on the Division of Adult Education Grants
webpage. Applicants must download and complete the appropriate table and then upload the
completed document into the Demonstrated effectiveness to determine eligibility section in the
application in eGrants. In the case of a consortium or coalition of agencies, each agency must
complete a table with its own data, and each table must be uploaded separately.
PDE has established the following threshold for an applicant to be determined to be an eligible
provider for the purposes of this Section 243 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education
grant competition:
* A total number of individuals in ESL levels of at least 30 in each of the two years.
Prior to reviewing and scoring submitted applications, PDE will review the information provided
by each applicant, including each agency in a consortium or coalition of agencies, to establish
demonstrated effectiveness to determine if that applicant is an eligible provider. Only
applications that are determined to be from eligible providers will be reviewed, scored, and
considered for funding. In the case of a consortium or coalition of agencies, all agencies in the
consortium or coalition must be determined to be eligible providers. Applicants that are not able
to establish demonstrated effectiveness under the criteria above are not eligible providers and
their applications will not be reviewed, scored, and considered for funding. Any applicants that
are determined not to be eligible providers will be notified of that decision.
PDE reserves the right to require successful applicants to submit documentation in support of
the information provided to establish demonstrated effectiveness.
Eligible Program Participants
Successful applicants will provide integrated English literacy and civics education activities in
combination with integrated education and training activities to individuals who meet eligibility
criteria. An eligible individual is defined by WIOA as an individual:
1. Who has attained 16 years of age;
2. Who is not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law and;
3. Who is:
a. Basic skills deficient;
b. Does not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and has
not achieved an equivalent level of education; or
c. Is an English language learner.
34 CFR 463.75 states that individuals who meet the above definition for eligible individual under
WIOA who are "English language learners, including professionals with degrees and credentials
obtained in their native countries" are eligible section 243 Integrated English Literacy and Civics
Education program participants.
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Funding Priorities
In awarding funds, PDE will prioritize funding, through the review and rating process, to grant
applications from eligible providers with past effectiveness in providing high quality services that
improve the English language skills of eligible participants and help those participants to earn
high school equivalency credentials, gain and retain employment, and/or transition to
postsecondary education/training. PDE will prioritize funding for those applications that
demonstrate a thorough and detailed plan for a Section 243 Integrated English Literacy and
Civics Education Program aligned with local needs that meets all the minimum requirements
and provides:
1. Integrated English literacy and civics education activities at a variety of sites throughout
the service area, with an emphasis on sites based in the areas where prospective
students reside.
2. Evidence of the applicant's organizational capacity to meet all programmatic, reporting,
and administrative requirements of the grant.
3. High-quality instruction that is based on best practices, the College and Career
Readiness Standards for Adult Education, and the English Proficiency Standards.
4. High-quality instruction that is of sufficient intensity to lead to student outcomes.
5. Services that align with the strategies and goals of the local workforce area as defined in
the local plan and with the activities and services of the PA CareerLink(C) site partners.
6. High-quality student support services that help students to persist and succeed in adult
basic education services and meet their personal, educational, and career goals.
7. An excellent description of need and how the proposed Section 243 Integrated English
Literacy and Civics Education Program will address the need.
Federal WIOA Title II Requirements
WIOA Title II establishes requirements for the grant competition process, including items that
must be addressed in the grant applications and items that PDE must take into consideration
when awarding grants. In addition, section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act requires
applicants to describe the steps they will take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in,
the grant-funded program. This RGA and the questions in the grant narrative are designed to
ensure that all necessary information is included. The Division of Adult Education strongly
encourages applicants to refer to Programs and Activities Authorized by the Adult Education
and Family Literacy Act (Title II of the WIOA) - Final Rule 463.20 and 463.22 when
completing the grant application.
Grant Terms and Conditions
Multi-Year Contracts
Successful grant applications will be approved for a three-year grant cycle. Grant funds for the
second and third years be awarded through a notification of funding contingent on the
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