Report 2021-101 Recommendation 17 Responses

Report 2021-101: K-12 Strong Workforce Program: State and Regional Administrative Shortcomings Limit the Program's Effectiveness in Supporting Grant Applicants (Release Date: February 2022)

Recommendation #17 To: South Central Coast Regional Consortium

To ensure consistency in scoring applications, the South Central Coast Regional Consortium should collaborate with the other regional consortia to establish a standard approach for addressing score variations that selection committees statewide will use, beginning with the fiscal year 2022-23 grant application period, when evaluating whether applications meet eligibility criteria.

6-Month Agency Response

A group of regional consortia chairs and K-14 Technical Assistance Providers collectively developed a standard methodology that will be used by all 8 consortia for addressing score variations and determining, based on reviewers' scores, which grants are eligible for funding. The approved methodology was reviewed by each of the regional consortia and will be utilized for the Round 5 K12 SWP grant application process.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

At the February 16th statewide Regional Chairs meeting, it was noted that there does not appear to be a place for a "joint response" in the portal but rather each region should have the same wording and approach for addressing score variations. To this end the following was begun: 1) the statewide K14 TAPs convened in order to gather each region's current approach to score variations and then develop a proposed standardized statewide approach. In addition, it was decided that the most efficacious way to move forward statewide is to hold a once monthly statewide Joint Regional Chair/Fiscal Agent/K14 TAP meeting where these issues can be discussed with all. The joint group met on February 23, March 23 and will meet again on April 20. The proposed methodology is currently being reviewed by each of the Regional Consortia. This review will be completed and a final common methodology will be adopted by mid-May, well in advance of when it is needed to be included in the Request for Applications for Round 5 of K12 SWP grants. Therefore, this recommendation is not yet fully ready for implementation. Regional Chair and K14 TAP are responsible.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

We look forward to reviewing the results of the consortia's collaboration in the six-month response to this recommendation.

All Recommendations in 2021-101

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.