Program Description Handbook 2012-2013
OFFICE OF ADULT CAREER AND CONTINUING EDUCATION SERVICES
PROGRAM: Adult Basic Education (Welfare Education Program – WEP)
DESCRIPTION:
The State Literacy and Basic Education for Public Assistance Recipients Program, also referred to as the Welfare Education Program (WEP), provides funding for adult education programs for individuals receiving public assistance. Eligible agencies include school districts and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES).
REGENTS GOALS: 1; 4
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute:
Federal Regulation:
State Statute: Education
Law §207 & Chapter 53 of the Laws of 2002
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Part 164.1
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 100%
Federal-
Special Revenue-
Total- $1.84m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 2,440
CONTACT OFFICE: Adult Education Programs and Policy
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-8940 FAX: (518)
486-1751
PROGRAM: Adult Literacy Education (ALE) Program
DESCRIPTION:
The State Adult Literacy Education (ALE) Program provides funding for adult education programs for under-educated and disadvantaged adults. Eligible agencies include not-for-profit agencies (e.g., community-based organizations, postsecondary institutions, and literacy volunteer agencies).
REGENTS GOALS: 1; 4
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute:
Federal Regulation:
State Statute: Education
Law §207 & Chapter 53 of the Laws of 2002
State Regulation:
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 100%
Federal-
Special Revenue-
Total- $4.99m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 5,851
CONTACT OFFICE: Adult Education Programs and Policy
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-8940 FAX: (518)
486-1751
PROGRAM: Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS)
DESCRIPTION:
Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS) is authorized under Article 101 of the Education Law and Part 126 of the Commissioner’s Regulations to license, monitor, and regulate private career schools throughout the State. The mission is to ensure consumer protection; to promote increasing educational competence, high standards, accountability, and integrity within the proprietary school sector; and to implement monitoring and oversight with fairness and equity.
BPSS is funded by revenue from school licensing fees and tuition assessments. BPSS licenses and monitors over 500 private career schools, and certified English as a Second Language schools.
BPSS also manages a Tuition Reimbursement Account (TRA) on behalf of the Regents and the Commissioner. This fund is used to offer financial protection to the approximately 200,000 New York State students who attend a licensed proprietary school every year. These schools comprise a private sector industry that collects approximately $300 million in tuition per year.
REGENTS GOALS: 1, 2
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute:
Federal Regulation:
State Statute: Education
Law Article 101
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Part 126
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State-
Federal-
Special Revenue- 100%
Total- $5.67m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 200,000 students and over 500 schools
CONTACT OFFICE: Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision, Albany
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-3969 FAX: (518)
473-3644
CONTACT OFFICE: Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision, NYC
TELEPHONE: (212) 643-4760 FAX: (212)
643-4765
PROGRAM: Case Services
DESCRIPTION:
Case Services appropriations for the basic Vocational Rehabilitation Program provide educational and vocational services to individuals whose disabilities impose barriers to employment. The Program provides a wide range of services to individuals with disabilities including evaluation, job training, equipment and technology, counseling and guidance, and placement. The primary goal of the Program is to enable individuals with disabilities to achieve gainful employment. When employment is achieved, the investment pays dividends to the State. The annual wages earned by those same individuals exceeded $200 million and will grow each year. These earnings form the base for their tax contributions and stimulation of the economy.
The savings to State agencies, the tax contributions and the economic stimulus of these workers' spending recur and grow every year that these people work. Therefore, the return on the initial investment continues over the individual's working life.
Professional vocational rehabilitation counselors across New York State in The Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services’ 15 District Offices and 10 outstations help individuals with disabilities choose careers that are consistent with their individual strengths, priorities, abilities, capabilities, interests, informed choices and that meet current and future job market opportunities.
Purchased case services make up the largest single area within this program. Examples of case services include evaluation; training and related supports at such places as community rehabilitation agencies, boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES), trade schools, colleges and universities; transportation; and vehicle modifications. The combination of federal funding (Title I Section 110 of the Rehabilitation Act) and State matching funds supports the entire ACCES-VR program, including vocational counseling, purchased case services, unified contract costs, related administrative costs and indirectly applied charges. Federal funding is formula driven. State case services funding is required in concert with the basic federal award to meet the costs of ACCES’ increasing demand for services.
The following are some of the highlights of ACCES’ FFY 2010-2011 accomplishments in meeting its goals:
- 12,194 individuals with disabilities received assistance in obtaining employment including 4,504 youth (age 14- 21 at application).
- 9,616 individuals were placed in integrated employment with no supports, including 50 in self-employment.
- The number of individuals placed in supported employment or integrated employment with supports increased from 2,434 in FFY 2009-2010 to 2,578 in FFY 2010-2011.
- Average hourly wage increased to $10.88
REGENTS GOALS: 3; 4; 5; 6
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute: Rehabilitation
Act - Title I
Federal Regulation: 34 CFR 361 Et. Seq.
State Statute: Education
Law Sections 1001-1008
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Parts 246 and
247
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 30.4%
Federal- 69.6.%
Special Revenue-
Total- $177.5
m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 96,781 for FFY 2010-2011
CONTACT OFFICE: VR Operations
TELEPHONE: (518) 473-1626 FAX: (518)
486-6252
PROGRAM: College Readers Aid Program
DESCRIPTION:
Eligible students who are deaf, deaf-blind, or blind; are residents of New York State; and are matriculated in a degree-granting program may receive a monetary grant to employ readers, note takers, or interpreters to provide access to information vital to their studies, enabling them to succeed in their academic undertaking. During the 2010-2011 academic year 401 students attending 41 institutions of higher education received College Readers Aid Program funds; 224 were deaf, 173 were blind, and 4 were deaf-blind.
REGENTS GOALS: 3; 4; 5; 6
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute:
Federal Regulation:
State Statute: Education
Law Section 4210
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Part 147
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 100%
Federal-
Special Revenue-
Total- $0.29
m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 401
CONTACT OFFICE: VR Interagency, Legislative, and Community Affairs
Unit
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-7343 FAX: (518)
474-5190
PROGRAM: Employment Preparation Education (EPE) State Aid
DESCRIPTION:
Employment Preparation Education (EPE) provides funding to public school districts and boards of cooperative educational services that offer educational programs for adults leading to a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma. To be eligible to generate EPE aid, a student must be 21 or over without a diploma issued by any state or territory of the United States.
EPE provides reimbursement for educational services already provided based on the number of contact hours that are generated.
REGENTS GOALS: 1; 4
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute:
Federal Regulation:
State Statute: Education
Law §§3602 and 207
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Part 168.1-5
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 100%
Federal-
Special Revenue-
Total- $96m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 129,654
CONTACT OFFICE: Adult Education Programs and Policy
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-8940 FAX: (518)
486-1751
PROGRAM: General Equivalency Diploma (GED)
DESCRIPTION:
The ACCES - GED® program oversees the administration of GED® tests
and the approval of 24 college credits for the issuance of the New
York State High School Equivalency Diploma.
The office coordinates GED® test
administration throughout New York State for approximately 50,000 testers per
year and is responsible for all aspects of GED® testing, including:
- Approval of official GED® testing centers;
- Scoring of all GED® test materials;
- Generation of New York State High School Equivalency diplomas and/or transcripts, including archival requests;
- Training all examiners who administer the GED® tests; and
- Maintaining GED® testing records dating back to the 1950’s.
REGENTS GOALS: 1; 4
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute:
Federal Regulation:
State Statute: Education
Law §317
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Part 100.7
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 74%
Federal-
Special Revenue- 26%
Total- $3.66m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 50,000
CONTACT OFFICE: Adult Education Programs and Policy
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-8940 FAX: (518)
486-1751
PROGRAM: Independent Living Centers (ILCs)
DESCRIPTION:
Independent Living Centers (ILCs) provide individual services and systems change activities aimed at integration, inclusion and independence through 39 site locations across New York State. ILCs are nonresidential programs with services that promote integration of New Yorkers with disabilities and their families in all aspects of community life. ILCs also work to increase communication, programmatic and physical access to all services available in the public and private sectors.
ILC operation is based on a self-help model and State law requires that the majority of all ILC boards of directors be comprised of individuals with disabilities. ILCs provide an array of services to enable people with disabilities to make choices based on information that can maximize their independence and self-direction. Core services include: information and referral, peer counseling, individual advocacy, independent living skills development, personal assistance services, employment housing, transportation and related services.
On the systems level, ILCs lead their local communities in implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act and in advocating for individuals living, learning and working in the most integrated settings possible. ILC expertise and services are in high demand and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Two particular populations benefiting from ILC services are youth in transition from school to adult life and individuals seeking support to leave or circumvent admission to institutional settings.
REGENTS GOALS: 3; 4; 5; 6
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute: Rehabilitation
Act - Title VII
Federal Regulation: 34 CFR 367
State Statute: Education
Law Sections 1120-1124
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Part 248
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 93.2%
Federal- 6.8%
Special Revenue-
Total- $13.3m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 81,987 for FFY 10-11
CONTACT OFFICE: Independent Living Services Unit
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-2925 FAX: (518)
473-6073
PROGRAM: Integrated Employment
DESCRIPTION:
Through the passage of Chapter 515 of the Laws of 1992, integrated employment, including supported employment, is implemented through a collaborative interagency process. This legislation designated Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), now ACCES, as having the primary responsibility for the coordination of program development and administration of integrated employment. ACCES accomplishes this in collaboration with its interagency partners through innovative approaches directly with business, industry and labor and through enhancements in the provision of supported employment services. Collaboration with interagency partners to implement the State's workforce development efforts is also critical.
Integrated Employment – Workforce Development and Marketing
The primary focus of Workforce Development and Marketing is to target specific business sectors, industries, trade associations, and labor unions to accomplish the following:
•Enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
•Provide technical assistance to aid business and industry in recognizing
the value of people with disabilities as valued employees and a powerful consumer
segment.
Supported Employment
Supported employment (SE) provides job-based training and support services to individuals with the most significant disabilities to enable them to obtain and maintain competitive employment in integrated work settings in the community. For administrative and funding purposes, the Program is conceived as having two phases: intensive and extended services. Intensive services assist individuals to obtain jobs and become proficient in the performance expectations of an employment setting. Extended services provide individuals with the services and supports needed for the long-term retention of their employment upon completion of their intensive training phase. Funding for extended service requires coordination with the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
REGENTS GOALS: 4; 5; 6
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute: Rehabilitation
Act
Federal Regulation: 34 CFR Parts 361, 363
State Statute: Education
Law Section 1004
State Regulation: 8NYCRR Parts 246 and
247
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 8.0%
SE Intensive Services $1.66
m
Federal- 92.0%
SE Intensive and Extended Services $15.16
m
Special Revenue-
Total- $16.82
m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: ,982 individuals received supported employment intensive services during FFY 2010-2011; and approximately 4,500 individuals received supported employment extended services.
CONTACT OFFICE: VR Operations
TELEPHONE: (518) 473-1626 FAX: (518)
486-6252
PROGRAM: Social Security Reimbursement Account
DESCRIPTION:
The Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES) assists eligible Social Security beneficiaries by providing them with work preparation, employment placement and counseling services. The Social Security Administration is authorized by law to pay for vocational rehabilitation services for Social Security Income (SSI) recipients who become employed and are no longer eligible for Social Security benefits. ACCES files claims to receive reimbursement for each individual’s rehabilitation services.
REGENTS GOALS: 3; 5
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute: Federal
Social Security Act
Federal Regulation:
State Statute:
State Regulation:
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State-
Federal- 100%
Special Revenue-
Total- $2.88m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: n/a
CONTACT OFFICE: Fiscal and Administrative Services Team
TELEPHONE: (518) 486-4038 FAX: (518)
408-3615
PROGRAM: Workers’ Compensation Fund
DESCRIPTION:
The Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES) assists eligible injured workers by providing them with work preparation, employment placement and counseling services. The State Education Department is authorized under the Worker’s Compensation Law to receive funding for such injured workers.
REGENTS GOALS: 3; 5
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute:
Federal Regulation:
State Statute: State
Finance Law § 97-LLL; Worker’s Compensation Law §15(9)
State Regulation:
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State- 100%
Federal-
Special Revenue-
Total- $0.86m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: n/a
CONTACT OFFICE: Fiscal and Administrative Services Team
TELEPHONE: (518) 486-4038 FAX: (518)
408-3615
PROGRAM: Workforce Investment Act (WIA) - Title II
DESCRIPTION:
The federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) funds, authorized by the Workforce Investment Act, are allocated in accordance with the Coordinated Education Plan which is updated annually and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education. Eligible agencies include school districts, boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES), postsecondary institutions, public libraries, and other not-for-profit agencies. This Act provides adult education and family literacy services to:
- Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge
and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency.
- Assist adults who are parents to obtain the educational skills necessary
to become full partners in the educational development of their children.
- Assist adults in the completion of a secondary school education.
- Assist immigrants and other limited English proficient populations
to receive English literacy and civics education instruction.
REGENTS GOALS: 1; 4
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute: Workforce
Investment Act, Public Law 105-220, Title II
Federal Regulation: 20 CFR Part 652 and Parts 660-671
State Statute:
State Regulation:
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State-
Federal- 100%
Special Revenue-
Total- $29.99m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 75,982
CONTACT OFFICE: Adult Education Programs and Policy
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-8940 FAX: (518)
486-1751
PROGRAM: Workforce Investment Act (WIA) - Title II - Integrated English Literacy/Civics Education
DESCRIPTION:
The growing demand for English literacy and civics education programs and services surpasses the availability of instruction, and additional services are needed to meet this high and increasing demand. Many adults with limited proficiency in English have never attended high school in the United States, and, therefore, have limited or no institutional civics education experience. For the purposes of this Program, civics education is defined as “an educational program that emphasizes contextualized instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, naturalization procedures, civics participation and U.S. history and government to help students acquire the skills and knowledge to become active and informed parents, workers and community members.”
As a recipient of these federal funds, the State Education Department is required to ensure that local educational agencies, institutions of higher education and other public and private nonprofit organizations serve adults and out-of-school youths who have limited ability in speaking, reading, writing and understanding the English language, and whose native language is a language other than English, or who live in a family or community environment where a language other than English is the dominant language.
In fulfilling its obligations under this Act, the State Education Department is responsible for designing and developing adult education programs and related activities serving immigrants and limited English proficient populations, ensuring that these programs integrate English literacy and civics education. The Department is also responsible for program assessment and evaluation, as well as reporting the success of these programs to the Federal government.
REGENTS GOALS: 1; 4
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute: Workforce
Investment Act, PL 105-220, Title II
Federal Regulation: 20 CFR Parts 652 and Parts 660 through
671
State Statute:
State Regulation:
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State-
Federal- 100%
Special Revenue-
Total- $9.47m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 14,284
CONTACT OFFICE: Adult Education Programs and Policy
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-8940 FAX: (518)
486-1751
PROGRAM: Workforce Investment Act (WIA) - Title II - Section 225 Programs for Incarcerated and Institutionalized Individuals
DESCRIPTION:
Section 225 of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) provides funds to assist incarcerated and institutionalized individuals to meet the performance goals of WIA. Much of the effort goes to helping these individuals transition back into society so as to reduce recidivism. The Programs are available in all county and municipal jails and correction centers.
REGENTS GOALS: 1; 2; 3; 4
AUTHORITY:
Federal Statute: Workforce
Investment Act, Public Law 105-220, Title II
Federal Regulation: 20 CFR Parts 652 and Parts 660-671
State Statute:
State Regulation:
FUNDING SOURCE(S):
State-
Federal- 100%
Special Revenue-
Total- $2.70m
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED: 1,574
CONTACT OFFICE: Adult Education Programs and Policy
TELEPHONE: (518) 474-8940 FAX: (518)
486-1751