Moore applauds Webster Public Schools on receipt of $205k adult education award

Funds to help prepare residents for competitive job market

BOSTON – Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, announced that the Webster Public Schools has been selected to receive a $205,000 award through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (ESE) highly competitive Community Adult Learning Center grant program.

“A professional skill set is critical to remain competitive in today’s job market. These funds will enable Webster residents to receive the training they need in order to return to work,” said Moore. “I commend Terri Stone, and the Webster Schools’ Adult Education Office, for their hard work and efforts in the area of adult education and workforce training,” he continued.

The Community Adult Learning Center grant is one of two major awards, including the Adult Career Pathways grant, offered through ESE. These grants support adult basic education services to under-educated adults (16 years of age and older who do not possess the skills expected of a high school graduate) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) instruction. Both grant programs are outcomes-driven, with a strong emphasis on past performance, staff qualifications, and program design that reflects practices of demonstrated effectiveness; these include curricula leading to college and career readiness, opportunities for accelerated learning, and increased use of instructional technologies.

Funding is allocated based on need in the 16 workforce development regions, and applicants compete for funds within each region.

Proposals were scored based on 100 points. The first 15 points were awarded based on the need for ABE services in the city or town served, using U.S. Census data. The next 35 points were awarded based on the program’s FY 2007 to FY 2011 performance in the following areas: student learning gains, achievement of quality outcomes (e.g., earning the GED, getting a job, etc.), attendance and average attended hours, participation in required assessments, and completion of educational functional levels (the adult student equivalent of completing “grade levels”). The remaining 50 points were awarded based on the quality of the proposed program design and the qualifications of the staff who would administer the program, teach, and support the students.

The Webster Adult Basic Education program offers educational pathways that seek to improve the quality of students' lives in a safe, professional, and supportive learning environment. The program strives to provide positive, effective, and motivational guidance to students that will maximize their productivity as individuals, family members, community members, and employees. In addition to the ESE grant, the Webster Adult Basic Education program is funded through appropriations from the Central Massachusetts Regional Employment Board, and the Town of Webster.

For more information on Sen. Moore’s efforts in the area of job creation and workforce development, visit www.senatormoore.com, or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com.

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���h0�e area of job creation and workforce development, visit www.senatormoore.com, or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com.

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