COVID-19 Guidance ADDENDUM #2

This COVID-19 Guidance memo provides Addendum guidelines for NYSED state and federally administered adult education programs. The COVID-19 Guidance memo issued on March 20, 2020 remains in effect with the addition of the following process guidance. There are three (3) new mandated guidance factors:

1. Beginning May 15, 2021, all new students (students who were not provided services in FY2020/2021) entering your program must be pre tested in person within the first 12 contact hours. Every program must make necessary provisions to administer an appropriate pre-test (TABE 11/12, BEST Plus 2.0, or BEST Literacy) in person. All current CDC and NYS health guidelines must be followed. AEPP acknowledges that programs across the state are in various stages of bringing students back to in-person services, regardless of where each program is within that process, this addendum guidance applies. The process of bringing students back to in-  person services should continue however, regardless of whether services are being provided in- person or remotely, all new students must be pre-tested in-person beginning May 15, 2021.
   • In addition, these same new students that begin on or after May 15, 2021 must also have a completed Individual Student Record Form (ISRF), with signature attained in person, on file at the program office.
2. This memo will signal the end to the option permitted for WIOA and ALE programs allowing teachers to stay at home and review curricula and create lesson plans. As of July 1, 2021 and forward, this option is no longer available to any WIOA or ALE funded program.
3. All AEPP funded programs (WIOA, ALE, WEP, or EPE) must submit a new Reopening Plan on or before June 4, 2021 with a clear indication of the program’s plan for FY2021/2022 (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022). The AEPP office will be releasing a new Reopening Plan template on April 15, 2021, all programs must complete the new template. In anticipation of this new requirement, programs will be asked to describe fully the anticipated plan and timeline for returning all services back to traditional programming at the start of FY2021/2022 (per each program’s grant, contract, or EPE application approval). If a program anticipates a problem with the expected return to traditional programming, the AEPP office requires the program to provide a description of all effort made to allow for the transition; programs should document any attempt to return to traditional programming that was not successful.
   • EPE funded programs will have an opportunity to apply for the traditional distance education packet programs on the FY2021/2022 EPE Application (due to be released in late April). EPE program staff must attend the required 6 hour EPE Distance Education certification training (offered through the RAEN centers) when it becomes available; more information on the EPE Distance Education certification training will be found in the FY2021/2022 EPE application.