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ESFL Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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| Program Coordination |
| Can Title l, Part A, pay for or coordinate with Even Start Family Literacy programs? |
Yes. Title l, Part A, dollars or services can be used as a local match for any of the Even Start Family Literacy components. Title I, Part A, provides formula grants to school districts to improve the teaching and learning of children in high poverty schools to enable them to meet challenging academic content and performance standards. The program emphasizes parental involvement and encourages each school to provide training to help parents work with their children to improve their school achievement.
School districts or schools may use Title I, Part A, funds to provide necessary literacy training for parents if all reasonably available sources of funding have been exhausted. They are encouraged to work with communities to provide health, nutrition, and social services not otherwise available to the children being served. School districts must reserve at least one percent (unless one percent is $5,000 or less) of their Title I, Part A, allocations for parent involvement activities, including promoting family literacy and parenting skills. Title I, Part A, funds may also be used for preschool programs for educationally disadvantaged children residing in high poverty areas; such programs may serve as the early childhood component of an Even Start program.
In addition, state educational agencies are required to encourage school districts and schools participating in Title I, Part A, programs to offer family literacy services if the district or school determines that a substantial number of disadvantaged students have parents who do not have a high school diploma (or its recognized equivalent) or have low levels of literacy. |
| How can Even Start Family Literacy programs be coordinated with Title l, Part C, migrant education programs? |
| Migrant education programs generally coordinate resources and integrate services using federal resources, including Title I, Part B, state-administered Even Start Family Literacy programs. The federal Migrant Education Program (MEP) authorizes states to design services that bridge gaps in a student's education caused by migration to work in agriculture and other qualifying industries. Family literacy activities are among the allowable strategies to meet the unmet needs of preschool migratory children. Migrant education funds may provide family literacy services to children from birth, as well as to their parents, depending on the state's priority for providing services to migrant students. Therefore, states and local migrant education projects may choose family literacy as a means to serve migrant children and their parents. Funds or services may be used to locally match Even Start program funds. |
| How can Even Start Family Literacy coordinate with adult education efforts? |
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act provides important resources that may match or directly fund the adult literacy component of a family literacy program. The three most common types of instruction states support through adult education grants are:
| • adult basic education services for adults whose literacy skills are below the eighth grade level; |
| • adult secondary education services to prepare students to obtain a high school equivalency diploma; and |
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| • English literacy services for adults with limited English proficiency. |
Adult education funds may also be used in family literacy programs for professional development opportunities or support services, such as child care and transportation. |
| How can Head Start and Even Start coordinate their programs? |
| Head Start's historic focus on serving economically disadvantaged young children through a two-generational strategy of early childhood and parent services meshes well with the goals and strategies of Even Start. Many local Head Start agencies are collaborating with Even Start programs, adult education providers, and other family literacy organizations to provide any of the components of family literacy services. Indeed, the Head Start and Even Start legislation share a common definition of "family literacy services."Head Start and Even Start also often share professional development opportunities. The federal Head Start Bureau and U.S. Department of Education are partnering in a variety of initiatives, including national leadership forums, a jointly funded training and technical assistance project with the National Center for Family Literacy, and joint efforts to develop outcome measures for local programs. |
| Matching Funds |
| What is the proportion of federal funds in relation to required local match? |
| An Even Start project's funding contains a portion of funds attributable to the federal grant (a.k.a. the federal share) and a portion contributed by the project (the local share or match). The amount of the match in the first year of the local project's grant must be at least 10 percent of the total cost of the project. In the second year, the project must provide at least 20 percent of the total cost; in the third year, at least 30 percent of the total cost; in the fourth year, at least 40 percent of the total cost; and in the fifth through eighth years, at least 50 percent of each year's total cost. In each subsequent year, the project must provide at least 65 percent of each year's total cost. All projects must compete for funds every four years. |
| How does an Even Start Family Literacy project decide how much match can be claimed for in-kind services? |
| The project must determine the fair market value of in-kind services. For example: If a tutor in a local literacy council is paid $10.00 per hour, a volunteer tutor's time may be claimed at that hourly rate. If the "market value" of a meeting room in a nearby facility is $50 per day, then a classroom provided by a local partner may be claimed at that amount. |
| How often does a project report a match need to be reported and in what manner? |
| Matches should be reported to the DPI with every claim for reimbursement. (Note: The DPI strongly urges claims be submitted quarterly.) Documentation of each match, such as a statement on letterhead or a payroll printout, should be kept on site for local auditors. |
| Eligibility |
| Who may apply for Even Start Family Literacy funds? |
| Applicants must consist of a partnership of a school district and either a higher education institution or a community-based organization. While a school district must be a partner, it need not be the fiscal agent. |
| Who is eligible to participate in Even Start Family Literacy programs? |
To be eligible for Even Start, a family is determined to be "most-in-need" when it has at least one eligible parent and one eligible child participating together. The definition of parent includes a biological or adoptive parent, a legal guardian, or other person standing in loco parentis, such as a grandparent or step-parent with whom the child lives or a person legally responsible for the child's welfare.
To be eligible for Even Start, an adult must be the "parent" of an eligible child and either be:
| • eligible to participate in adult education and literacy activities under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (see below); |
| • within the State's compulsory school attendance age range, so long as an LEA provides or ensures the availability of the basic education component required under this part; or |
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| • attending secondary school. |
Eligible participants under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act are individuals:
| • at least 16 years of age; |
| • not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law; and |
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| • lack sufficient mastery of basic educational skills to enable them to function effectively in society; |
| • do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and have not achieved an equivalent level of education; or |
| • are unable to speak, read, or write the English language. |
Children birth through age seven are eligible to participate in Even Start if their parent(s) are eligible for and participating in Even Start services. Children over age seven also are eligible to participate in Even Start with an eligible parent if the local project collaborates with a program under Title I, Part A, which contributes to the cost of providing Even Start program services to those children. Although the participation of families with children over the age of seven is permissible, the local program's focus must continue to be on families with young children.
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| Are other family members or those who attend other programs eligible to participate in Even Start? |
Family members of eligible participants may participate in activities and services provided by an Even Start project, when appropriate, to serve the purposes of the program. For example, if participation by an older sibling would enhance learning for a participating parent and child, then the older sibling may participate in appropriate Even Start activities, such as home-based interactive literacy activities between parents and their children.
As long as participating families meet the Even Start eligibility requirements and qualify as "most in need" of Even Start services, they may participate in the program. Even Start projects are designed to build on, rather than duplicate, already existing high quality community resources. Each project's responsibility is to ensure participating families receive all four core components at high enough levels of quality, either through a collaborator or directly from the project, in order for families to make literacy achievement gains. |
For questions about this information, contact Jennifer Waldner (608) 266-5184
Last updated on 5/9/2011 12:38:30 PM
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