Advancing_Equity_in_CTE_NA_PWS-FINAL-051415.pdf

TAEP150016AP – Advancing Equity in Career and Technical Education PWS Last revised on 5/14/15

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Advancing Equity in Career and Technical Education

U.S. Department of Education (Department)

Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE)

Division of Academic and Technical Education (DATE)

A. Background

President Obama is committed to advancing equity at all stages, from birth through childhood to adulthood, and aims to expand opportunities for all students, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status. However, persistent and significant gaps in achievement still exist and not all students enter school with the same advantages. President Obama and Secretary

Duncan have both recognized the critical implications of making more investments to close gaps in educational opportunities and performance achievements.

The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) will be making a new two-year investment in a project focusing on advancing equity in career and technical education: the

Advancing Equity in Career and Technical Education (CTE) project. This investment supports goals 1 and 4 of ED’s FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan as well as OCTAE’s goals to ensure that all youth and adults are ready for, have access to, and complete college and career pathways and that all youth and adult students have equitable access to high quality learning opportunities on demand.

In 2014, the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE) explained that although women and girls have made some advances in career technical education (CTE) since

Title IX passed in 1972, barriers to entry—including gender stereotypes, implicit bias, unequal treatment, and sexual harassment—remain high. Title IX is designed to ensure equal opportunity in education for all students, from kindergarten through postgraduate school, regardless of sex.

Title IX mandates equity in CTE programs, including those traditionally dominated by men, as well as those traditionally dominated by women.

According to an analysis of data from the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education

(OCTAE) conducted by NCWGE’s CTE Task Force, women’s participation in CTE programs leading to non-traditional careers has increased from close to 0 percent in 1972 to over 25 percent nationally in 2009–2010. The federal statute that funds CTE, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins), requires states to set targets for performance on

1 http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/strat/plan2014-18/strategic-plan.pdf 2 http://ncwge.org/TitleIX40/Career-Tech.pdf

3 http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html

4 http://cte.ed.gov/docs/perkins_iv.pdf http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/strat/plan2014-18/strategic-plan.pdf http://ncwge.org/TitleIX40/Career-Tech.pdf http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html http://cte.ed.gov/docs/perkins_iv.pdf a measure of non-traditional enrollment and completion by gender. Despite women’s gains in non-traditional fields as a whole, the rate of female enrollment in certain career clusters remains at stubbornly low levels, with some well beneath the 25 percent threshold. Additionally, students of color and Native students are graduating at rates as much as 25 percent lower than the national average.

About 42 percent of Hispanic students, 43 percent of African American, and 46 percent of American Indian students will not graduate on time with a regular diploma, compared to 17 percent of Asian students and 22 percent of white students.

If U.S. high schools and colleges were to raise the graduation rates of Hispanic, African American, and Native American students to the levels of white students by 2020, the potential increase in personal income would add more than $310 billion to the U.S. economy.

Even though tremendous progress has been made in career and technical education, there are many issues that create unique barriers for students that put them at a disadvantage from having access to or fully completing CTE programs. In order to ensure equitable access to, participation in, and completion of CTE, OCTAE is focused on closing achievement gaps and identifying and removing barriers that students face based on their race, ethnicity, or national origin; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; disability; English language ability; religion;

socioeconomic status; or geographical location as outlined in Goal 4 of the U.S. Department of

Education’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan

Currently, OCTAE administers two federal grant programs, one of which is the Carl D. Perkins

Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. Perkins IV includes gender considerations relative to nontraditional occupations and related programs and provides some degree of authority and provision to advance equity related to underserved students that struggle with barriers that include, but are not limited to, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. However, a proactive and multicomponent approach is needed to improve the outcomes of underserved students and increase their access, participation, completion, and placement in career and technical education programs that prepare them for in-demand careers.

In support of the Department’s Strategic Plan, OCTAE is furthering not only the Department’s commitment to advancing equity but also the Administration’s. OCTAE’s proposed equity projects aim to help address these issues and will ensure that students, both youth and adult, have equitable access to key educational resources, specifically in career and technical education. This

5 http://careertech.org/career-clusters

6 http://all4ed.org/wp-content/uploads/CaughtCrisisSOC.pdf

7 http://www.ncacinc.com/sites/default/files/media/research/HighCost-2.pdf

8 http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED510880

9 http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/strat/plan2014-18/strategic-plan.pdf http://careertech.org/career-clusters http://all4ed.org/wp-content/uploads/CaughtCrisisSOC.pdf http://www.ncacinc.com/sites/default/files/media/research/HighCost-2.pdf http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED510880 http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/strat/plan2014-18/strategic-plan.pdf new investment will help OCTAE support the development of a long-term strategic plan to help reduce inequities in career and technical education access, participation, completion and post-program outcomes through the support and development of policy proposals, program initiatives, and the sharing of emerging and promising practices. National activities funds pursuant to section 114(c)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins

IV) will be used to support this project.

B. Purpose and Objectives

In 2014, the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) reported that only 20.5 percent of women and girls are enrolled in STEM and CTE programs; 11 percent of students with disabilities are pursing STEM degrees; and 9 percent of low-income students graduate from college. Additionally, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released Part II of its 2009-10 Civil

Rights Data Collection (CRDC) exposing significant inequities in educational resources and opportunities provided to minority students nationwide. Data from a national survey of more than 72,000 schools serving 85 percent of the nation’s students revealed the following:

• Only 29% of high-minority schools offered calculus courses, though 55% of schools with the lowest Black and Hispanic enrollment offered calculus.

• Students learning English (ELL) were 6% of the CRDC high school enrollment, but made up

12% of students retained.

• Teachers in high-minority schools were paid, on average, $2,251 less per year than their peers teaching in low-minority schools in the same district.

• While Black students make up only 18% of students surveyed, Black students account for

35% of students suspended more than once and 39% of school expulsions.

• Students protected by the Individuals with Disability Education Act are more than twice as likely to receive one or more out of school suspensions

The Advancing Equity in CTE project will complement the current activities of OCR and related organizations by proactively investing in activities and programs that will better help the

Department identify local, State, and national trends in CTE affecting students from underserved subpopulations. Additionally, OCTAE seeks to advance programs and activities in CTE to serve all students; ensure the needs of underserved student subpopulations are being met; and increase student diversity in CTE programs.

10 http://www.napequity.org/

11 http://ocrdata.ed.gov/ http://www.napequity.org/ http://ocrdata.ed.gov/

In order to achieve the objectives set forth by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical

Education Act of 2006, OCTAE plans to use this project to provide the Department with information regarding strategies and promising practices in advancing equity in CTE programs across the nation. OCTAE plans to share the information obtained (via electronic means) from this project with the field via a comprehensive literature review that identifies the causes of inequity that impede access to education, resources and jobs for CTE students. The literature review will provide an evidence base to help inform internal and external stakeholders’ understanding of “equity” and “equity barriers,” which will become the foundation for the development of policies and program proposals, as well as for the identification of policies and practices to be eliminated that currently hinder equity in career, technical and adult education programs and services.

Additionally, the Department will develop methods to identify and disseminate practices in equity that have the potential for replication to advance and/or improve access and opportunity for career, technical, and adult education learners. These emerging or promising practices will be made available for public consumption via electronic access.

The Department will also develop and disseminate an advancing equity in CTE toolkit that will serve primarily as a resource, particularly for state and local education agencies, academic staff, school administrators and counselors, parents and equity coordinators, to introduce issues of equality that fosters excellence in the development and delivery of programs, services and teaching and learning practices. The toolkit will assist education providers to promote accessible and inclusive learning environments for career, technical, and adult education learners. In order to accomplish these tasks the contractor shall meet the following project objectives:

I. Research and Analysis

Research and document how equity is defined within the educational and stakeholder community.

Conduct a literature review that addresses the role, if any, equity plays in CTE recruitment, retention, program completion, and transfer into postsecondary education.

Define and identify “equity barriers” that impede access to, participation in, and completion of career and technical education for students.

Support the field in ensuring high quality data collection and analysis in order to effectively monitor equity as it relates to program access, opportunity, and completion.

Identify and highlight examples of evidenced-based and promising practices in order to scale up programs that advance equity.

II. Advancing Equity in CTE Promising Practices

Research and document promising practices of advancing equity in CTE.

Develop methods to identify promising practices in equity that have the potential for replication to advance and/or improve access and opportunity for career, technical, and adult education learners.

Disseminate emerging or promising practices for public consumption via engaging electronic resources.

III. Development of Technical Assistance Resources via Advancing Equity in CTE

Toolkit

Develop and disseminate promising practices in advancing equity in CTE using a toolkit based on the findings from the literature review and the identified promising practices. The online, web based toolkit, which will be housed on OCTAE’s Perkins

Collaborative Network (PCRN), will serve as a clearinghouse of resources, particularly for state and local education agencies, academic staff, school administrators and counselors, parents and equity coordinators. The resources provided in the toolkit will address issues of equality and foster excellence and equity in the development and delivery of programs, services (including counseling), recruitment and retention, teaching and learning practices, and curriculum design in order to create accessible and inclusive environments for career, technical, and adult education learners.

Include virtual online events to provide guidance and technical assistance regarding the identified promising practices, particularly to clarify and affirm how these practices have been found to advance equity in CTE.

Provide open source electronic tools, resources, strategies, videos and lessons for potential replication that can be used to train CTE leaders (train-the-trainer resources) and stakeholders on overcoming the common barriers to implementing equitable high-quality CTE programs.

Develop a final report which includes a summary of the project’s tasks, activities, findings, implications, recommendations and next steps.

C. Legislative Authority

This project is authorized under section 114 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical

Education Act of 2006. Under section 114 (c) (1) of the Act, the Secretary is authorized to carry out research, development, dissemination, evaluation and assessment, capacity building, and technical assistance with regard to career and technical education programs under the Act.

D. Period of Performance

The period of performance for this Performance Work Statement shall be for one 12-month Base

Period and one 12-month Option Period.

E. Scope of Work

The contractor shall be responsible for carrying out all phases of work associated with the major activities under this fixed price contract. The contractor is required to provide the services described in section F. Tasks (see below) of this Performance Work Statement (PWS). All tasks are to be interpreted with reference to the information provided in the Background and Purpose and Objectives sections above. The contractor shall work in coordination with OCTAE leadership and staff, especially during the development phases of all tasks, and OCTAE will be involved in the review of all deliverables.

F. Tasks

OCTAE has envisioned a strategic approach to advancing equity in career, technical, and adult education through the engagement and implementation of the following tasks by the project contractor in consultation with the COR:

Task 1. Project Management and Administration

The contractor shall develop and implement a quality project management plan that will ensure the goals, objectives and outcomes for OCTAE are achieved on time. The contractor shall be responsible for the following project management duties and functions:

Subtask 1.1 Conduct an Initial Project Kick-off Planning Meeting with OCTAE

The contractor shall meet with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), the Contracting

Officer (CO), Contract Specialist (CS), and other OCTAE staff in the Washington, DC area following the award date of this contract. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss upcoming tasks as well as the goals and objectives of this project, review key target dates and deliverables, and review the scheduling of activities and other issues related to the contract. The COR will identify the exact time and place for the meeting and will assume responsibility for inviting relevant OCTAE staff. Two (2) weeks prior to the kick-off meeting, the contractor shall submit to the COR for review a draft agenda and materials for the meeting following award of the contract. Potential topics may include:

Establishing project goals and objectives (What is our work?)

Team identity (Who are we?)

Establishing a clear working approach (How will we work together?)

Staying on track (How will we monitor our progress and keep on track?)

The COR will review the draft agenda and provide feedback to the contractor within three (3) days of receipt. The final agenda is to be submitted to the COR no later than one (1) week prior to the kick-off meeting. The contractor shall submit to the COR a draft summary of the kick-off meeting within one week after the meeting. The summary shall include, at a minimum, the revised COR-approved agenda, meeting notes, a work plan and timeline that shall be kept current, and a deliverable schedule with hard calendar dates based upon the award date as well as any other items discussed and agreed upon during the meeting. The COR will review the meeting summary materials and provide feedback to the contractor within three (3) days of receipt. The contractor shall submit the final summary report two (2) weeks after the kick-off meeting.

Deliverables for Subtask 1.1:

1.1.a An electronic copy of the draft and final agenda and materials for the kick-off planning meeting

1.1.b A draft and final summary of the kick-off planning meeting (agenda, meeting notes, work plan, and deliverable schedule)

Subtask 1.2. Ensure Accountability with OCTAE through Reporting

Subtask 1.2.a Submit Monthly Reports

The Contractor shall submit all reports to the CO, CS, and COR, by email. The COR will review each report (described below) and provide comments to the contractor within seven (7) days of receipt. The reports include:

Monthly Phone Calls: The contractor shall conduct monthly telephone calls to update the

Department on the status of all activities. These phone calls will take place on the first

Thursday of each calendar month at a mutually agreed upon time between the COR and the contractor. Additional ad-hoc calls and email communications may be needed throughout the life of the contract to ensure the successful completion of activities.

Monthly Progress Reports: The contractor shall prepare progress reports that will be due to the Department monthly, by the second Tuesday of each calendar month, starting one month after the contract award date. These monthly progress reports shall identify and discuss any guidance that may be needed from the COR. These reports shall be prepared and signed by the contractor’s Project Director. These progress reports shall:

Not exceed three (3) pages;

Provide a summary of the major activities and accomplishments for the reporting period

(past performance information; status of completed work; status of current issues and risk);

Specify the extent to which the project is on schedule (in accordance to the agreed upon timeline);

Identify and discuss significant challenges that arose, significant deviations or problems that were encountered, and how they were addressed (variance analysis—deviations between planned and actual performance);

Provide a brief highlight of the activities planned for the next reporting period (upcoming work; forecasts of time and budget needs);

Update to the work plan and timeline; and

Other items for review.

Should a significant problem arise, the contractor shall notify the COR in writing and by phone within two (2) calendar days to determine the action that should be taken. Furthermore, the progress reports also shall identify and discuss any guidance that may be needed from the COR.

If there are no problems/issues, the report shall state that there are no problems/issues. If there are problems/issues with the schedule of activities or deliverables, the contractor shall describe its plan for solving the problems.

Deliverables for Subtask 1.2.a:

1.2.a Twenty-three (23) Monthly progress reports

Subtask 1.2b Submit Final Project Report

The contractor shall prepare a draft and final report that includes recommendations for next steps. The contractor shall prepare a final report that shall be inclusive of all data relating to the activities over the life of the contract. The final report shall describe in detail the planning, development, implementation, launch and evaluation stages of the project. The final report shall be a written document of no more than 50 pages (excluding abstract, executive summary, table of contents, and attachments). The contractor shall submit a draft final report to the COR prior to the end of the contract. The COR will provide feedback to the contractor within two (2) weeks of receipt of the draft final report. The contractor shall incorporate the COR’s comments and submit the final report prior to the end of the contract. The final report shall include the following information:

Purpose and design of the Advancing Equity in CTE Project;

Challenges encountered and how the challenges were addressed and/or resolved;

Detailed definition and explanations of barriers to equitable outcomes for students and adults, and thus, the identified strategies to overcoming these barriers to achieve equity goals;

Evaluation of findings, including what factors contributed to a successful study or any limitations of the study;

Recommendations on what would have enhanced the implementation and dissemination of findings;

Recommendations for how to expand the dissemination of the research findings and future research; and

Recommendations for future federal investments in the advancing of equity in CTE, establishing and implementing of OCTAE’s equity agenda, assisting in identification and removal of disparities in policy and practice that hinder progress in the development of effective policies and practices that advance equity in career and technical education.

Deliverables for Sub-task 1.2b:

1.2.b Draft final project report

1.2.b Final project report

Subtask 1.3 Conduct Quarterly Briefings

The contractor shall conduct quarterly briefings in person or via a virtual online event to update the Department on the status of all activities. These briefings shall take place each quarter at a mutually agreed upon time between the COR and the contractor. Senior managers from OCTAE and other principal offices sometimes participate in the briefings to be informed on the status of a particular contract activity. The quarterly briefings are to be held on the second Tuesday of every third calendar month after the award date. Please note that the dates of the briefing may be rescheduled as needed by mutual agreement between the COR and the contractor. The contractor shall be responsible for providing the online conferencing platform (e.g. WebEx, Adobe Connect), an agenda and supporting materials for the briefings. The contractor shall provide the draft agenda to the COR no later than two (2) weeks prior to each briefing. The COR shall provide feedback to the contractor within five (5) days of receipt. The contractor shall incorporate the COR’ s comments and submit the final agenda and briefing documents five (5) days prior to each briefing. The contractor shall provide a quarterly briefing report that includes a summary of the information and action items discussed during the quarterly briefing, an attendees list, the agenda and all supporting materials provided during the briefing. The briefing report shall be due two (2) weeks after each quarterly briefing meeting.

Deliverables for Subtask 1.3:

1.3.a Eight (8) quarterly briefing reports (meeting summary, agendas and supporting materials)

Task 2: Research and Analysis

It is essential that the contractor coordinate and conduct a well-structured research design that analyzes equity barriers and the role equity plays in students’ access to education, resources, and jobs for career and technical education. In order to address the project’s research questions, the contractor shall undertake the following key tasks:

Subtask 2.1 Conduct Research and Analysis

The contractor shall plan and implement research using the most rigorous and appropriate method of inquiry to respond effectively to the priorities and research questions identified in this

PWS. The contractor shall conduct comprehensive research and develop a final report that presents findings based on the agreed upon research questions. The contractor shall ensure that the research team responsible for this project has professional research experience and scholarly publications in educational equity, career and technical education, student recruitment, retention, completion and transition to postsecondary education.

The contractor shall include a review of literature in the research report. The review of literature will identify the problem to be addressed by the research in the form of clear, unambiguous and structured questions. The contractor shall conduct an extensive search for studies using multiple resources, including a review of OCR’s Methods of Administration findings reports, which are to be based on the research questions; the contractor shall record and report on the rationale and reasons for the inclusion and exclusion of research questions. Activities shall include cataloguing additional lists of barriers to promising practices of equitable access to career and technical education using standards, identified through ongoing reviews of the literature and submissions by interested groups including States and national organizations who work specifically with equity and access issues. The draft review of literature and research report are to be submitted to the COR for review two (2) weeks prior to the second Technical Working Group (TWG)

Meeting (see subtask 2.3). The COR shall provide feedback to the contractor within five (5) days of receipt. The contractor shall incorporate the COR’s and TWG’s comments and submit the final literature review and research report prior to the end of the contract.

Deliverables for subtask 2.1:

2.1.a Literature Review draft report

2.1.b Literature Review final report

Subtask 2.2 Conduct Telephone Conference Interviews

In an effort to identify promising practices in advancing equity in CTE, the contractor shall research and document promising practices of advancing equity in CTE that have the potential for replication to advance and/or improve access and opportunity for career, technical, and adult education learners. The contractors shall conduct telephone interviews with promising career and technical education program/institutions as part of the research and analysis component of the project.

The contractor shall conduct at least 20 telephone interviews with representatives from educational institutions that have demonstrated, based on the research findings, promising practices as it relates to the implementation of equity strategies and action plans that positively impact CTE recruitment, retention, program completion and transfer into postsecondary education. The contractor shall develop a standard format of interview questions that will serve to verify and confirm the promising practices identified by research findings. However, the contractor shall, as appropriate and with the approval of the COR, adapt the interview questions in accordance with the interviewee. The contractor shall be responsible for obtaining OMB clearance for all interview questions that will be asked during the telephone interviews. The contractor shall prepare a draft plan for the telephone interviews to be conducted with the potential representatives. The draft plan for the telephone interviews shall be submitted to the

COR at least fourteen (14) days prior to submitting the questions to OMB for clearance. The

COR shall review the draft plan for the telephone interviews and provide feedback to the contractor within seven (7) days. Once draft plan has been approved by the COR, the contractor shall submit the final telephone interview plan to the COR and OMB for clearance within seven

(7) of receiving feedback from the COR. OMB clearance shall be obtained by the contractor prior to the first scheduled interview.

The draft plan shall include, at a minimum, the following information for each of the educational institutions/programs to be interviewed:

Name and contact information of the program/institution

Names, titles and contact information of all representatives to be interviewed

Brief (one page maximum for each program/institution) rationale and summary of the promising practices for each of the selected institution/program as identified by the research findings.

OMB approved standard and adapted interview questions to be asked of each representative of each educational program/institution.

A proposed timeline for conducting all of the telephone interviews

A listing (including names, titles and specialty areas) of each person who will be conducting the interviews with the selected representatives of the programs/institutions

Upon completing these interviews, the contractor shall use a standardized format to provide an analysis and summary of each telephone interview. The comprehensive analysis and summary for each interview shall be submitted to the COR as part of the final recommendations report of programs/institutions with promising practices in advancing equity in CTE within two (2) weeks of the final scheduled interview.

The contractor shall inform OCTAE of which programs/institutions they recommend to be included in the advancing equity in CTE toolkit. The contractor shall present the recommendations in a written format that details the logic behind their selection process as well as any advantages and disadvantages that OCTAE should consider when making the final decision about which educational programs/institutions will be included as part of the advancing equity in CTE toolkit (Task 3). The recommendation report shall also include information about promising CTE programs/institutions (not part of the phone interviews) that were researched and analyzed as part of Task 2.1 of the project. These programs and institutions should be representative of high-quality CTE programs that have an established track record of advancing equity in CTE such that warrants their inclusion as a resource for stakeholders such as secondary and postsecondary students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators, postsecondary faculty, state agencies as well as business and industry leaders in the toolkit. The draft programs/institutions recommendation report shall be submitted to the COR within fourteen

(14) days of the last scheduled telephone interview. Within ten (10) days of receiving the contractor’s draft recommendation report, the COR shall provide the contractor with feedback including recommended revisions for the report. Within ten (10) days of receiving the feedback and/or recommended revisions from the COR, the contractor shall submit the final programs/institutions recommendation report.

Deliverables for sub-task 2.2:

2.2.a Draft and final telephone interview draft plan

2.2.b Draft and final programs/institutions recommendation report

Subtask 2.3 Convene a Technical Work Group (TWG) of Advancing Equity Coaches

The contractor shall convene a technical work group (TWG) comprised of subject matter experts

(SMEs) who may also serve as advancing equity coaches (AECs). The TWG shall include AECs with expertise relevant to creating, supporting and implementing place-based initiatives that advance equity in CTE. The purpose of the TWG is to provide guidance and subject matter expertise to the government regarding this project. The SMEs who also serve as AECs may also serve as Train-the-Trainers and virtual online event presenters on virtual resources developed in

Task 3. The identified AECs may be used to conduct training virtual online events geared toward topical areas as it pertains to advancing equity in CTE. The AECs (with clear statements that they are not being endorsed by ED/OCTAE) would share promising or innovative practice as it pertains to equity in CTE.

The contractor shall convene a technical work group (TWG) comprised of no fewer than ten (10)

SMEs representing a cross-section of secondary and postsecondary equity leaders and researchers, CTE programs and institutions, local/state educational agencies, tribal entities and local/national equity organizations. Expertise and leadership in the field shall be evidenced by relevant advanced degrees, years of work in the field of equity for CTE students as, for example, an educational equity leader for a non-federal organization, a teacher, counselor, researcher, director, community leader, business leader, civic leader, policy director, advocate, or community organizer.

The contractor shall submit a list of recommended TWG members along with current resumes or curriculum vitae, no more than eight pages per resume, to the COR within six weeks after award date. The COR will provide feedback to the contractor within seven (7) days. The COR will provide feedback to the contractor within seven (7) days. The contractor shall then proceed with identifying TWG members based upon COR feedback. The contractor shall submit a final roster of confirmed TWG members (including identified AECs) to the COR within two weeks of receiving feedback from the COR. If during the course of the contract, a TWG member needs to withdraw participation, the contractor shall propose a replacement member within ten (10) days of the member’s withdrawal by submitting the recommended individual’s resume or curriculum vitae to the COR. The COR will provide feedback to the contractor within seven (7) days. The

COR has final approval of TWG members.

Deliverables for subtask 2.3:

2.3.a. Draft list of recommended TWG members including members recommended serving as advancing equity coaches

2.3.b. Roster of confirmed TWG members

Subtask 2.4 – TWG Meetings

The contractor shall convene the TWG for no less than three (3) virtual meetings per contract year of this multi-year project. The contractor shall coordinate with the COR to ensure that meetings shall be convened at times, which enable participation of appropriate OCTAE staff.

The COR will be responsible for identifying appropriate OCTAE staff and coordinating with them. The contractor shall share research findings and phone interview summary reports with the members of TWG. The contractor shall submit a proposed agenda for each TWG virtual meeting to the COR for review no fewer than 21 days prior to each TWG virtual meeting. The COR shall provide feedback to the contractor within seven (7) days. The final agenda for each meeting shall reflect the COR’s feedback and be submitted ten (10) days prior to the scheduled virtual TWG meeting. Within seven (7) days of each TWG virtual meeting, the contractor shall submit a written draft summary report of each TWG virtual meeting, including documents and materials presented during the meeting. The meeting summary report shall include the input, feedback, recommendations and suggestions from the TWG members. The COR shall provide feedback to the contractor within seven (7) days. The final summary report of each TWG virtual meeting shall be due seven (7) days after receiving feedback from the COR. The contractor shall support the logistics for all meetings including all virtual/online environments (e.g. Adobe Connect, WebEx), materials, supplies, audio-visual equipment, and any required facilitators or presenters.

The contractor shall work with the COR to identify an appropriate online host in which to hold the meetings.

Deliverables for subtask 2.4:

2.4.a Draft and final TWG virtual meeting agendas, dates and logistical information (virtual meeting platform, audio-visual equipment, etc.) for three meetings

2.4.b Draft and final TWG virtual meeting summary reports for three meetings

Task 3: Development and Dissemination of Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance

Toolkit

Subtask 3.1 Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit

The contractor shall develop and disseminate an online advancing equity in CTE technical assistance toolkit based on the findings from the literature review and promising practices identified that will serve as a resource, particularly for local and State education agencies, academic staff, school counselors, and equity coordinators, to introduce issues of equality and to foster excellence and equity in the development and delivery of programs, services, teaching and learning practices, and curriculum design in order to create an accessible and inclusive environment for career, technical, and adult education learners. The toolkit, which is to be housed on OCTAE’s Perkins Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN), shall be comprised of emerging and promising practices for public consumption via interactive electronic access. The toolkit will serve as a repository of equity in CTE resources that has been collected and analyzed as part of Phase #1 of the project. In order to accomplish this task, the contractor shall devise a creative plan for disseminating this information to a variety of stakeholders such as secondary and postsecondary students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators, postsecondary faculty, business and industry leaders, etc. local, state and national educational leaders and institutions including but not limited to teachers, counselors, local/state equity compliance officers, administrators and local, state and national educational leaders.

The contractor shall identify information and products, based on research findings and recommendations of the TWG, that provide identified audiences with relevant and useful resources that provide promising practices in ensuring equitable educational opportunities for

CTE students; propose targeted strategies educational institutions could implement to ensure equity for all students; and are engaging, interactive and housed on OCTAE’s PCRN. The contractor shall provide web-based, open source electronic tools, resources, strategies, videos and lessons for potential replication that can be used to train CTE leaders and stakeholders on overcoming the common barriers to implementing equitable high-quality CTE programs. The online toolkit will include the following mechanisms for dissemination (at a minimum and in multiple languages):

OCR Guidance Information and Resources

OCTAE/DATE Resources and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (including contractor developed resources) currently housed on PCRN

Resources Identified by the Advancing Equity Coaches (TWG)

Websites of equity providers with resources regarding advancing equity in CTE

Recorded Modules/Train-The-Trainer Materials

Development of postsecondary policy and guidance regarding advancing equity

Monthly Blogs, Virtual online events and Facilitated Discussions (conducted in part by

AECs) o Sample Topics may include:

Identifying Equity Issues-Data and Root Cause Processes

Funding Equity Priorities

Federal Legislation with Significant Equity Provisions

Data Diving to Discover Equity Issues and Plan of Action Development

Innovative Promising Practices in Advancing Equity (Provided by OCTAE and

OCR)

o Focus Areas may include:

Local providers

Gender Equity Providers

OCR/Non-compliance Reviewers

Innovative/Promising Practices (focused on equity categories based on an evidence-based gap analysis)

Other resources presentations, virtual online events, posting on PCRN

Other websites, articles and guest blogs as recommended by the AECs.

Development of the toolkit prototype will begin during the base period of this project and will continue through Option Year 1 with additional items that may be identified by the COR. The contractor shall design, develop, maintain and update the website hosting the Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit. The contractor shall develop a plan (see Subtask 3.2) that details the contractor’s methodology for developing, disseminating and maintaining the toolkit to the identified audiences.

Deliverables for Subtask 3.1

3.1.a. Web-based Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit Prototype on PCRN

Subtask 3.2 Creation of Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit Plan

The contractor shall develop and submit an Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance

Toolkit Plan. The purpose of the technical assistance toolkit plan is to describe the contractor’s overall plan for design, coordination, implementation dissemination, and maintenance of the toolkit as described in Subtask 3.1. The contractor shall suggest recommendations regarding the dissemination methodology and maintenance of the toolkit information and resources via the plan. The contractor shall submit the draft plan for the development of the toolkit to the COR for review no later than nine (9) months after the contract start date. The COR shall review the plan and provide feedback to the contractor within ten (10) days. The contractor shall revise the plan based on the COR’s feedback, submit the final dissemination plan to the COR within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the COR’s feedback, and implement the approved dissemination plan.

Deliverables for sub-task 3.2:

3.2.a Draft Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit Plan

3.2.b Final Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit Plan

NOTES:

(1) All major products and deliverables will need explicit clearance by Office of the Assistant

Secretary, ED/OCTAE, prior to public release. All reports shall conform to the guidelines stated in ED’s Guide to Publishing at the U.S. Department of Education at http://www2.ed.gov/internal/PubGuide.pdf.

The Department of Education recommends the following sources for editing: for spelling –

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, for abbreviations, capitalization, dates, numerals, usage and titles – Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, and for bibliographies and footnotes – Chicago Style Manual.

(2) The contractor shall provide all deliverables (all products and web materials) intended for posting on the Department’s website in accordance with the following:

• must meet the requirements for posting content stated in the ED.gov Management and

Publishing Policies at http://www.ed.gov/internal/wwwstds.html.

• must be user-ready and 508 compliant. (All on-line materials developed under this work statement will meet the standards for accessibility established by the Section 508 technical standards for Internet applications at 36 CFR 1194.22 http://www.section508.gov. Although social media sites are not 508 compliant, the contractor shall ensure that the same information is available in a 508 compliant environment.)

• must be an electronic file in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) containing a copy of the deliverable with the same layout and pagination as the printed version (current specifications for PDF files are defined in the ED.gov Style Guide at http://www.ed.gov/internal/styleguide/index.html);

Note: Large documents for which the PDF file exceeds five megabytes in size shall also be provided in multiple PDF files that subdivide the document into logical units each smaller than one megabyte.

• an electronic copy of the deliverables (two copies if on disk or CD-ROM), including all files complete with any embedded links and objects (e.g., an Excel spreadsheet table embedded in a

Word document), in formats defined on the ED website’s list of acceptable electronic formats (a current list is maintained at http://www.ed.gov/internal/styleguide/index.html in editable form suitable for (a) conversion to HTML and web graphic formats or (b) posting as-is (e.g., accessible Word or PDF documents);

• final versions of all electronic files that contain the exact same content as the final printed deliverable, including any galley proof changes;

• a printed or electronic plain text document accompanying the electronic files that includes the following information: title and description of the product; file name and format for each file, including embedded charts, tables, and images; if multiple files, explanation of component pieces and how they fit together to form the complete product; contact information, including name, email address, and telephone number.

Deliverables that are created specifically for the web and do not have published counterparts in print form shall follow the same guidelines. Hardcopy shall be submitted along with the electronic files through appropriate Department clearance and sign-off requirements, which will http://www2.ed.gov/internal/PubGuide.pdf http://www.ed.gov/internal/wwwstds.html http://www.section508.gov/ http://www.ed.gov/internal/styleguide/index.html http://www.ed.gov/internal/styleguide/index.html be the same as or equivalent to those for publications. Deliverables shall meet the requirements for posting on ED.gov stated in the ED.gov Management and Publishing Policies:

http://www2.ed.gov/internal/wwwstds.html

Notes on symposiums and meetings

Requirements for Option Year 1

In Option Year 1, if exercised, all tasks shall be continued as identified in the Base Year. In the Option

Year, if deemed sufficient by the COR, the opening meeting (Task 1.1) may be held by teleconference within the first 5 working days after exercise of the option year.

SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES

http://www2.ed.gov/internal/wwwstds.html

The contractor shall follow the deliverable schedule as directed below. All materials shall be prepared in MS Word, 12 pt. The contractor shall submit one electronic copy of each draft and final deliverable to the COR, and one electronic copy of each final deliverable to the Contract

Specialist.

Task Deliverable/Activity Due Date

Task 1. Project Management

1.1.a Draft agenda and materials for kick-off meeting Due two weeks prior to kick-off meeting

1.1.a Final agenda and materials for kick-off meeting Due one week prior to kick-off meeting

1.1.b Draft summary of the kick-off meeting Within seven days after kick-off meeting

1.1.b Final summary of the kick-off meeting Within two weeks after kick-off meeting

1.2.a Monthly progress reports (23) Second Tuesday of each calendar month, starting one month after the contract award date

1.2.b Draft final project report Due prior to end of the contract

1.2.b Final project report Due at the end of the contract

1.3.a Quarterly briefing reports (8) Due two (2) weeks after each quarterly briefing that is held on the second Tuesday of every third calendar month after the award date

Task 2. Research and Analysis

2.1.a Literature Review draft report Complete two weeks prior to second TWG meeting

2.1.a Literature Review final report Submit by end of contract

2.1.b Draft research report Complete two (2) weeks prior to final TWG meeting

2.1.b Final research report Complete by end of contract

2.2.a Draft telephone interview draft plan Due fourteen (14) days prior to submission to OMB for clearance

2.2.a Final telephone interview draft plan Due seven (7) days prior to submission to OMB for clearance

2.2.b Draft programs/institutions recommendation report Due fourteen (14) days of the last scheduled telephone conference interview

2.2.b Final programs/institutions recommendation report Due ten (10) days after receiving feedback from COR

2.3.a Draft list of recommended TWG members Due within six (6) weeks after award date

2.3.b Final roster of confirmed TWG members Due within two (2) weeks after receiving feedback from the COR

2.4.a Draft TWG virtual meeting agendas, dates and logistical information (3)

Submit twenty-one (21) days prior to each TWG virtual meeting

2.4.a. Final TWG virtual meeting agendas, dates, and logistical information (3)

Due ten (10) days prior to each TWG virtual meeting

2.4.b Draft TWG virtual meeting summary reports Due seven (7) days after TWG virtual meeting

2.4.b Final TWG virtual meeting summary reports Due seven (7) days after receiving feedback from the

COR

Task 3. Development and Dissemination of Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit

3.1.a Web-based Advancing Equity in CTE Technical

Assistant Toolkit Prototype on PCRN

Agreed upon components of toolkit completed by the end of the contract

3.2.a Draft plan for the web-based Advancing Equity in CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit

Due no later than nine (9) months after the contract start date

3.2.b Final plan for the web-based Advancing Equity in

CTE Technical Assistance Toolkit

Due within fifteen (15) days of receiving feedback from the COR