Program Memorandum OVAE/DAEL - FY 2001-8

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 106-554) reserves $70 million in funds for FY 2001 Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) State grants for "integrated English literacy and civics education services to immigrants and other limited English proficient populations."

The law directs the Secretary of Education to allocate 65 percent of the funds "based on a State’s absolute need as determined by calculating each State’s share of a 10-year average of the Immigration and Naturalization Service data for immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence for the 10 most recent years." The remaining 35 percent must be allocated to States "that experienced growth as measured by the average of the 3 most recent years for which Immigration and Naturalization Service data for immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence are available." The law further specifies that "no State shall be allocated an amount less than $60,000."

The resulting State allocations for integrated English literacy and civics education services are set out in the attached table. FY 1999 is the most recent year for which Immigration and Naturalization Service data on immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence is available. Thus, the 10-year average was calculated for FYs 1990 through 1999, while the 3-year average was calculated for FYs 1997 through 1999. Although Puerto Rico is eligible for funds under the statute, it has informed us in writing that it does not wish to receive this additional allocation in FY 2001. Therefore, funds that would have otherwise been allocated to Puerto Rico have been reallocated to the remaining States.

These funds will be included in the AEFLA allotment that we will make available to you after July 1, 2001, but they must be obligated solely for "integrated English literacy and civics education services to immigrants and other limited English proficient populations," as described in your State plan. If your State plan does not address the provision of "integrated English literacy and civics education services to immigrants and other limited English proficient populations," you may not obligate these funds until you have submitted a revision to your State plan and this revision has been approved by us. Under section 224(d) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, your proposed revision must be submitted to the Governor for review and comment; any comments by the Governor must be submitted to us along with your plan revision. Please note that States that are newly eligible for these funds in FY 2001 must conduct a new competition for that portion of the funds that will be made available to eligible providers.

If you have any questions about this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Area Coordinator.

STATE ALLOCATIONS FOR ENGLISH LITERACY/CIVICS EDUCATION - FY 2001