The Dollar General Adult Literacy grants award funding to non-profit organizations that provide direct service to adults in need of literacy assistance. Organizations must provide assistance in one of the following instructional areas: Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Education Development (GED) preparation, and/or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).  Dollar General will fund up to 50 percent of the total project cost.  Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) is requesting $20,000.00 (the maximum allowable) to help fund a $42,210.00 project.  If approved, this $20,000.00 grant will benefit MTI’s Adult Education programs and 200 students by providing funding for ABE, GED and ESOL classes to be offered in the summer of 2009 and GED Express and ESOL Online classes to be offered in the Fall 2009.  The grant period is from May 14, 2009 to April 10, 2010. A copy of the Dollar General Adult Literacy Grant Application is attached for your review.

The Superintendent recommends approval to apply, accept and expend the $20,000.00 Dollar General Adult Literacy Grant for the period of May 14, 2009 to April 10, 2010.

Motion approval to apply, accept and expend the $20,000.00 Dollar General Adult Literacy Grant for the period of May 14, 2009 to April 10, 2010.

If awarded, the Dollar General Adult Literacy Grant would have a positive impact by giving the District $20,000.00 towards a $42,210.00 project.  The $22,210.00 remaining project cost will come from monies the District will receive from the Department of Education (DOE).  The $20,000.00 will fund the salaries of all the teachers for this grant project (all of whom are part-time), GED instructional materials, and scholarships for students to pay GED testing fees.  Of the remainder of the $42,210.00 project, $10,700.00 will come from government grants, $8,435.00 will come from in-kind funding from MTI and the School Board, and $3,075.00 will come from Workforce Development funding.

Adult, Career and Technical Education

DW/mh

03/23/09