R1. Required Instruction

Centers must provide students with instruction in the following reading and mathematical content domains to enable students to master the U.S. Department of Education National Reporting System’s Educational Functioning Level (EFL) Descriptors for Adult Education as shown in the Exhibit 3-2​, and to meet standards​ for continuing education, training, and employment:

a. Reading

1. Phonological Awareness

2. Phonics and Word Recognition

3. Key Ideas and Details

4. Craft and Structure

5. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

b. Mathematics

1. Number and Operations in Base Ten

2. The Number System

3. Number and Operations – Fractions

4. Operations and Algebraic Thinking

5. Geometry

6. Measurement and Data

7. Expressions and Equations

8. Ratios and Proportional Relationships

9. Statistics and Probability

10. Number and Quantity

11. Algebra

12. Functions

13. Financial Literacy to include, at a minimum, the following subject areas:

(a) Understanding paycheck information and income taxes

(b) Managing money

(c) Banking and credit

(d) Becoming a wise consumer

14. Workplace mathematics related to the student’s specific career field

Centers must:

a. Test each student’s reading and mathematics proficiency at the beginning of enrollment in Job Corps using the reading and mathematics component of the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) 11/12, in accordance with Appendices 301 and 303.

b. Provide each student who scores below EFL 5 in reading and EFL 6 in mathematics with instruction.

c. Continue instruction in reading as a part of the student’s overall academic and career technical skills training program and conduct follow-up TABE testing until the student achieves EFL 5 or higher on the TABE 11/12.

d. Continue mathematics instruction as a part of the student’s overall academic and career technical skills training programs, and conduct follow-up TABE testing until the student achieves EFL 6 on the TABE 11/12.

e. Consult Appendices 301 and 303 for exceptions that apply to students with cognitive disabilities, and specific requirements for TABE test administration.

f. Determine where targeted training in reading and mathematics will take place, for example, in separate reading and mathematics courses, high school equivalency classes, high school courses, or through applied academic skills training in career technical skills programs.

g. Determine where supplemental instruction in reading and mathematics will take place; for example, in evening and weekend studies.​

h. Establish reading and mathematics scores for placement of students into reading and mathematics courses and programs.

i. Provide reading instruction and TABE testing for students as follows:

1. Administer follow-up TABE testing for students at Puerto Rico centers who test at EFL 4 or below on the TABE Español. (Initial Test Level – E-M; follow-up – Level M).

2. Administer follow-up TABE testing​ for students who test at EF​L 4 or below on the initial TABE 11/12 Reading subtest and include these students in the pool for tracking learning gains as ou​tlined in Chapter 5, Appendix 501a and Appendix 501e​.

j. Provide mathematics instruction and TABE testing for students as follows:

1. Administer follow-up TABE testing for students who test at EFL 4 or below on the TABE Español. (Initial Test Level – E-M; follow-up – Level M.)

2. Administer follow-up TABE testing for students who test at EFL 5 or below on the initial TABE 11/12 mathematics subtest and include these students in the pool for tracking learning gains as outlined in Chapter 5, Appendix 501a​ and Appendix 501e.

k. Place students in Limited English Proficient (LEP) classes based on TABE scores as specified in “Initial Testing: All Students” in Appendix 301​.

1. Administer the TABE within the first 90 days on center to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students who test at the “Beginning ESL Literacy Level” as specified in the “National Reporting System for Adult Education (U.S. Department of Education): Test Benchmarks for Educational Functioning Levels” (see ​https://nrsweb.org/solr-search?search_api_views_fulltext=test+benchmarks&field_resource_type=All&field_tta_training_type=All​​​​, select Test Benchmarks for NRS​, select Test Benchmarks for NRS Educational Functioning Levels​).

2. Adhere to the protocols specified in Appendix 301, Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE®) for students with disabilities.

R3. Center Requirements for Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

Centers must:

a. Develop strategies to meet the unique needs of LEP students in all phases of the Career Development Services System (CDSS).

b. Ensure the regular collaboration of English language instructors and career technical training instructors to develop strategies for working with LEP students in career technical training shops and classrooms.

c. Assign an ​LEP coordinator to oversee and monitor programs and services for LEP students.

R4. English Language Skills

Each center must develop the capability, and describe that capability in its Career Development Period (CDP) Plan (see Chapter 5, Section 5.1, R8), to provide instruction and training to LEP students aimed at enabling the students to demonstrate English proficiency.

R5. High School Diploma (HSD) Basic Requirements

Centers must assist students in attaining their high school diploma programs, where feasible, during their enrollment.

At a minimum, centers must:

a. ​Ensure that all high school programs provided to students are recognized as public, private, charter, special purpose, or other high schools by the states in which the programs are located. Additionally, centers are required to provide documented evidence of ongoing quality monitoring requirements as described in Appendix 302, Guidelines for the Ongoing Quality Monitoring of Job Corps High School Diploma (HSD) Programs.​​​

b. Ensure that high school diploma programs provided to students are accepted by all colleges and universities, all branches of the military, employers, apprenticeships, and technical training programs.

c. Meet HSD program of study requirements as outlined in Appendix 306, Job Corps High School Diploma (HSD) Program of Study.

d. Ensure that the Center's engagements with third parties for HSD related work, whether in the form of a partnership agreement(s), subcontract, memorandum of understanding (MOU), or otherwise, are effective to meet the requirements of the Center operations contract, and the requirements in Section 3.2 R7 or Section 3.2 R8, as applicable, and that any such engagement with third parties is properly documented.

e. Not require students to pay any high school program fees. In addition, if students are required to supplement high school diplomas with additional courses for acceptance into all branches of the military, centers must provide courses to students at no cost to the student.

f. Assess students with disabilities (For centers that are degree-conferring high schools, Local Education Agencies (LEA), and/or receive funds from the U.S. Department of Education) who may need special education services, and provide those services accordingly. Centers that meet these criteria must confirm with an appropriate local, state, or federal education agency official that its high school program is in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973​​ and/or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) as applicable. The process for assessing students and providing special education services to those students with disabilities must be documented in the center plan (see Chapter 5, Section 5.1, R8​).

g. Provide students who have completed 80% of their high school diploma program the opprtunity to complete their high school diploma program of studies requirements found in Appendix 306 before the program discontinues its high school diploma offering at the center.

R6. High School Equivalency (HSE) Preparation and Testing

Centers must implement programs to support student attainment of HSE certification as required by the states in which the centers are located or where students are sent for HSE testing.

a. Centers must provide instruction in content areas necessary for students to pass state-designated high school equivalency assessments and achieve state high school equivalency certification.

b. Establish linkages with local HSE test sites to provide regularly scheduled testing dates. A center that cannot access local testing sites may submit a request to its Regional Office (RO) to obtain permission to apply to the appropriate state department overseeing HSE testing for approval to become a local testing site.

c. Ensure high school equivalency tests taken at test sites on the center be administered by a third party test administrator from a local educational or community institution (e.g., a community college or local school district). High school equivalency tests must not be given by an employee of the Job Corps Center.

d. Pay all fees associated with student HSE testing and certification.

R7. Concurrent HSD/HSE Programs

For purposes of this section, "concurrent" is defined as students simultaneously enrolled in Job Corps and enrolled in a local HSD or HSE-preparation program. Centers are encouraged to develop concurrent HSD/HSE and/or program opportunities through local or public educational agencies, private educational agencies, or online/virtual learning programs, whenever such entities provide education and training substantially equivalent in cost and quality to that which the center could provide, and meet all the requirements of Section 3.2 R5.

​​In the instance of local or public educational agencies, such as a public high school, where the Center does not provide payment or other valuable consideration to the local or public educational agency, it is anticipated that the Center operator will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with such agency. In the instance of a private educational agency or online/virtual learning programs, where payment or other valuable consideration is being provided, it is anticipated that the Center operator will be entering into a contract with such entity, and such entity will be a subcontractor under the Center's operations contract. The Center operator will ensure that it provides for​ the appropriate type of agreement (MOU or contract).

Centers pursuing concurrent HSD/HSE arrangements will submit the MOU and/or contract, as applicable, and the HSD and/or HSE provider's test integrity procedures to the Regional Director for an HSD Package Completeness Check and endorsement to submit to the National Office for a Comprehensive HSD Program Review and approval. Once the National Office approves the HSD package, the Regional Office will alert centers on formalizing the concurrent HSD/HSE arrangements by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or contract, as appropriate.

At a minimum, HSD/HSE MOUs and/or contracts must include:

a. Job Corps program eligibility of all participants as a mandatory pre-requisite

b. Name and physical location/s of the provider and the registered location of the HSD/HSE program provider

c. Detailed description of the roles and responsiblities of the HSD/HSE provider and the center to ensure that students receive the full services of the Job Corps program

d. Detailed description of how services will be delivered and coordinated throughout the student’s Career Development Period (CDP)

e. Detailed plan for executing center monthly reporting protocol on cheating incidents and data irregularities that may flag staff or student misconduct

f. Requirements for submitting related HSD/HSE program integrity center standard operating procedures (SOPs) (see Exhibit 5-1.c and t)

g. Detail methods for determining student enrollment, progress, and completion in the concurrent HSD/HSE program

h. The specific authorized body/school, certifying attainment of the HSD or HSE certificate

i. Documented evidence of meeting required minimum HSD program of study (see Appendix 306)

j. Detailed plan for ongoing program quality monitoring (see Appendix 302)

k. All associated costs to the center

l. Nondiscrimination clauses and commitments to adhere to all applicable state and federal laws with regard to students with disabilities (e.g., IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, ADA, etc.)

m. In the case of a subcontractor, flowed down clauses as prescribed in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Department of Labor's Acquisition Regulation

Every effort should be made to reduce class size in approved HSD/HSE programs. However, concurrent arrangements must ensure that both programs are not paying for the same services provided to Job Corps students. For example, if the Center operator contract was premised on the operator providing the HSD/HSE program, then the operating budgets/staffing must be adjusted to account for the services being provided by a concurrent enrollment institution.

R8. Online High School Program Requirements

Centers will submit the MOUs or contracts, as applicable, for HSD online providers and providers' test integrity standard operating procedures to the Reginoal Office for review. Online HSD programs must meet all the requirements of Section 3.2 R5.

At a minimum, the MOU/contract must include:

a. A requirement ensuring online high school services are available to all Job Corps enrollees.

b. Name and location of the HSD/HSE program provider.

c. Detailed description of how services will be delivered and coordinated throughout the student's Career Development Period (CDP).

d. Detailed plan for executing center monthly reporting protocol on cheating incidents and data irregularities that may flag staff or student misconduct.

e. Requirements for submitting related HS​D/HSE program integrity center standard operatin​g procedures (SOPs) (see Exhibit 5-1.c and t).

f. Detail methods for determining student enrollment, and diploma completion in the online HSD program.

g. Proof of HSD minimum quality requirements (see Appendix 306)

h. Proof of ongoing program quality monitoring (see Appendix 302)

i. Nondiscrimination clauses and commitments to adhere to all applicable state and federal laws with regard to students with disabilities (e.g., IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, ADA, etc.)

j. In the case of a subcontract, flowed down clauses as prescribed in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the DOL Acquisition Regulation.

MOUs and/or contracts must also adhere to the following requirements when implementing online high school diploma programs:

a. All guidelines and requirements established by the online high school diploma program.

b. Cell phones and other electronic devices, including cameras, must not be used for any purpose in the classroom.

c. Online high school program or other approved Job Corps sites must be the only sites authorized on the classroom computers.

d. Online high school teachers must create and maintain student passwords and usernames for the online program, and change them on a regular basis to prevent misuse.

e. Students must not take exams outside of the online high school classroom or the academic building.

f. Examinations must be administered in a controlled environment. Peers or other class activities must not interrupt students during exams. The teacher must closely monitor students during examinations to prevent disruptions or cheating.

g. Students must not use online search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, etc.) to find test answers.

h. Students must not leave the testing environment with examination codes or passwords.

i. Teachers must enter the test code for each exam for every student, or students must be provided the test code and at the conclusion of the daily training time in the online high school program, the teacher must change the codes for any incomplete examinations.

j. Proof of student testing accommodations (see Appendices 301 and 303)

a. All centers must develop, comply with, and submit annually to their Regional Offices for approval Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that establish basic cheating prevention controls for students and staff. At a minimum, the SOPs must include:

1. Communication procedures to ensure students and staff understand:

(a) Job Corps' definition and examples of cheating and plagiarism found in Appendix 302a​

(b) Process for handling and actions taken for cheating infractions

2. An academic honor and conduct code signed by students and staff

b. If the HSD/HSE provider, operator staff, a Fact-Finding board, or a Job Corps' Regional Office discovers or determines that cheating took place, the operator must:

​1. Report the incident to the Regional Office immediately upon discovery. Incidents of data irregularities indicative of cheating must be reported within two working days.

2. Conduct a Fact-Finding Board as required by Exhibit 2-2 and within the timeframe specified in Exhibit 2-2​ for reported discoveries of students suspected of being involved in cheating.

3. Investigate incidents of staff cheating and take appropriate disciplinary action if the incident is confirmed.

4. Coordinate with the Regional Office and HSD/HSE provider within five training days of the reported incident to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to address the cheating incident(s) and ensure that no credit is earned for impacted student work.

5. Contact the Regional Office to receive direction regarding how students may continue to pursue a HSD or HSE without receiving credit for work where cheating occurred in instances where:

(a) A student is involved in a cheating incident, but the student is not discharged, or,

(b) If a student involved in a cheating incident is discharged but re-enrolls.

6. Submit to the Regional O​ffice within five working days of Regional Office request, justification, and supporting documentation for HSD/HSE completions flagged during a Regional Office Targeted Assessment (ROTA) or investigated during a Regional Office Center Assessment (ROCA).

c. Centers that provide HSD or HSE programs through a contract or MOU with a service provider must:

​1. Forward to the Regional Office within two days of receipt of any report from the HSD/HSE provider of data irregularities or any other circumstance that may flag student or staff misconduct.

2. Submit to the Regional Office within five working days of Regional Office request justification​​​ and supporting documentation for HSD/HSE completions flagged during a ROTA or investigated during a ROCA.