Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 9 - Education- Mississippi Community College Board
Part 3 - Programs
Chapter 15 - MCCB Workforce Project Guidelines GY 2005
Rule 9-3-15.1 - MCCB Workforce Project Guidelines GY 2005

A. Definitions

Advanced Automotive Projects are projects funded through the Department of Labor Earmark Grant II. These projects are for companies that produce an automotive component. These projects are for companies outside of Madison County.

Advanced Technology Projects are projects defined by the college based on the type of training and the local area. These classes are funded with state appropriated funds. Projects are reimbursed on a case by case basis.

Basic Skills Projects referred to in these guidelines provide trainees with fundamental instruction in reading, math, writing, language (ESL) and GED preparation. These classes are funded with state appropriated funds.

Short-Term Adult Classes are classes that are offered at night for the general public for the purpose of providing employability skills and upgrade skills. These classes are funded with state appropriated funds.

Workforce Projects are projects that provide pre-employment training, post employment job-specific skills training, upgrade and retraining. These projects are funded with state appropriated funds.

All projects approved by the MCCB shall be subject to the following guidelines and requirements. All projects must be submitted no later than 21 business days after the start of a class. Any project submitted after the 21 days will not be approved.

B. Instructor Salaries and Benefits

Instructor salaries are reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $25 per hour. Based on the type of training the Workforce Project Manager should determine the rate of pay. However, the rate should not exceed the instructor's salary with the company. When using in-house instructors, project manager should verify salary from the human resource department (not the training manager) and have documentation on file. All Basic Skill projects will be reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $18 per hour. Each Basic Skills class must have a minimum enrollment of 15 participants. Benefits will depend on the type of contract the college uses with their workforce instructors. Fringe benefits will be based on current rates applied by the college business office for the portion of the benefits not paid for by the college. These rates will be paid based on actual cost. No health or life insurance benefits will be reimbursed.

C. Preparation Time

Up to 25% of the total class instructional time may be allowed for instructor preparation time for new workforce classes or instructors. Prep time must be documented similar to instructional hours. A maximum amount of 10% of the total class instructional time may be allowed for classes or subjects previously taught regardless of the location of the class or project. Basic Skill projects are allowed 25% prep time.

D. Assessment Time

Pre and post assessment times may be allowed in the project for administering standardized assessments or recognized skill evaluations. This cost must be identified in the instructional cost section on the project. Assessment time must be kept to a minimum; for example, as many people as feasible should be assessed simultaneously to keep the assessment time reasonable. This is an expense that should be shared by industry. The test or assessment instruments used are usually considered part of the training materials cost and are listed under educational materials and supplies on the project. Assessment time must be documented similar to instructional hours.

E. Educational Materials and Supplies

Training manuals and textbooks are an allowable expense if the school is retaining them for future use. Assistance for other educational materials will be considered on a project-by-project basis, based on justification. These items and cost must be fully explained on the project application. There will be no cost sharing allowed on educational materials (books, manuals and workbooks). A local tracking system must be used for all expendable educational materials and supplies.

Basic skills projects will no longer receive the $35 per person for materials. All materials must be specified and listed in the project.

F. Leased Equipment

Equipment may be leased for training purposes and must be designated as such. This equipment cannot be used for production or profit.

G. Equipment Purchases

Equipment purchases will be considered on an individual project basis. Equipment will be purchased only if it will be located at a college campus, in a MCCB mobile unit or a training facility leased by the college. MCCB strongly recommends that the college's partner with business and industry on the use and purchasing of equipment. Colleges are encouraged to partner with the local secondary or post secondary vocational centers for the use of equipment and classrooms.

All colleges are required to maintain a complete and current inventory list of each property item, which costs $500 or more unless the items purchased fall within the following groups. These items will be reported as equipment, regardless of their purchase value: weapons, cameras and camera equipment, tape recorders, two-way radio equipment, typewriters, appliances (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, stoves, microwave ovens, etc.), televisions, VCR, lawn maintenance equipment, sterling silver, cellular telephones, major computer components, chain saws, air compressors, welding machines, generators, motorized vehicles, dictating equipment, and antiques.

H. Mobile Labs

Mobile labs purchased with MCCB funds prior to FY 00 are the property of the college for which they were purchased, or are currently located. The remaining mobile units are available to be transferred from college to college on an as needed basis. If a college finds it has a mobile lab not being utilized, it should notify the Workforce Education Unit at the MCCB that it is no longer being used.

I. Contractual Services

Assistance for the following training items are an allowable cost and must be included in the Contractual Services section on the project: cost for acquiring educational software (no company production software), repairs and maintenance of facility, installation of equipment, documented utilities, rental or lease of training facility or equipment, and vendor training. No instructional salary should be listed in this category; however $0 line item must be listed under instructional salary.

J. Satellite Seminars/CCN Training

Inter-active video seminars offer the workforce centers a unique opportunity to provide presentations in their district at little or no cost. When the cost for such programming is an approved project cost, the state will reimburse the cost of the video seminar and transmission cost for CCN up to $500 per class.

K. On-Line Workforce Training

Workforce training provided through MindLeaders, PRIMEDIA and PRIMEed will be reimbursed based on the rate agreed on between MCCB and the college with documentation of successful completion of the course(s). Reimbursement for other on-line workforce training will be reimbursed at a rate of $120 per person.

L. Instructional Training and Curriculum Development

The RCU is the primary provider of assistance in developing manuals, training videos, CD's and other training materials. When RCU Services are needed, it will be necessary for a local workforce staff person to be present for the initial meeting between the RCU and the company. If the materials are to be developed by the RCU or used from the RCU, then the project manager must list the names or areas of training materials to be developed or used in the project's moa. If these materials cannot be produced because of RCU's workload or inability to meet a specific requirement, the Workforce Development Center Director may seek to provide the training manuals and videos through another public entity, such as the local community and junior college, IHL labs, or ETV. If the aforementioned cannot be accomplished, the Workforce Development Center Director may consider purchase of commercial materials. Justification must be a part of the project, submitted under the educational materials and supplies section, and must have prior approval from the MCCB.

In other circumstances, if training aids or curriculum is needed to be developed, curriculum development hours will be considered on a special needs basis with prior approval from the MCCB.

M. Train-the-Trainer Cost

Costs are allowed for individuals to attend train-the-trainer sessions. Approved training in this area should provide the company with a resource to train employees in a discipline not currently available through the community or junior college. No more than (2) individuals will be reimbursed to attend the same training in a non-production area. Cost associated with train-the-trainer sister plant training is limited to no more than (4) individuals per production training area. The Workforce Project Manager must include the justification on the project application. Travel cost for train-the-trainer training should be included in the travel section of the project application. In-state travel will be reimbursed for mileage at the current college rate but never to exceed the state rate. Out-of-state travel cost will be reimbursed for mileage at the current college rate but never to exceed the state rate for mileage for the use of a personal vehicle or for the price of a 7-day advance purchased, coach fare ticket, whichever is less. $50 a night will be reimbursed for motel cost in the continental USA. A maximum of $30 a day will be reimbursed for meals. Maximum duration for cost associated with meals and lodging will be limited to four (4) consecutive weeks per person, per production training area. If the person makes a trip home on weekends, then it is considered a 2nd trip. All state travel rules and regulations must be followed. The regulations can be accessed @ www.dfa.state.ms.us [File Link Not Available]. Reimbursements per trainee will be limited to maximum of (4) out-of-state trips per fiscal year. All travel must be recommended and justified by the Workforce Development Center Director and approved by the MCCB prior to travel. The college will require the industry to maintain documentation for travel expenses for 5 years for audit purposes. Car rental fees, gas, and telephone calls are not considered allowable cost for reimbursement. The maximum reimbursement per company in this category will be $10,000 per fiscal year.

International train-the-trainer travel cost is allowable for a 7-day advanced purchase, coach fare airline ticket. Reimbursement per trainee will be limited to no more than (3) round trips per individual, per fiscal year, up to a maximum of $20,000 per company. No other cost will be reimbursed for international travel.

N. Travel

The MCCB will consider paying travel for workforce training instructors under special circumstances. Travel cost will be reimbursed for an instructor that must travel a minimum of fifty (50) miles or more one-way. In-state travel will be reimbursed for mileage at the current college rate but never to exceed the state rate. In state travel must have points of travel and the number of miles listed in the MOU.

O. One-On-One Training or OJT

Salaries for One-on-One or On-the-Job Training (OJT) must be documented and justified. Reimbursement will not exceed $25 per hour. One-on-One and OJT training are defined as less than five (5) participants per instructor. The maximum number of trainees eligible for One-on-One and OJT training reimbursement shall not exceed the total number employed per industry location. The total reimbursement for this category will not exceed 10% of the total project cost or a maximum allowable amount of $8,000 per industry location per year.

P. Vendor Training

Reimbursement for vendor training will be considered on an individual project basis. Vendor training is training provided by a third party that is not affiliated with the company receiving the training. Vendor training must be directly related to the production process. On-site vendor training will be reimbursed for one-half of the daily cost with a maximum of up to $500 a day. There is a 10-day limit for reimbursement per training area. A copy of the invoice from the vendor must be furnished to the college for reimbursement. A vendor may not be a private trainer providing training to the college or the company.

Off-site vendor train-the-trainer cost will be reimbursed at a maximum of $500 per person for training registration. Training will be obtained at the closest location to the industry. Off-site vendor training is limited to no more than (2) individuals per training area and it must be directly related to the production process. Travel cost for off-site vendor training will be reimbursed according to the set rates listed under the Train-the-Trainer Cost category.

Q. Proprietary Programs

AchieveGlobal, Plexus, ISO-9000, QS-9000, ISO-14000-01, Zig Ziglar, Phi Theta Kappa Leadership and Stephen Covey are training packages that require certified trainers. A company or business may receive a maximum of $4,000 subsidy toward the instructor's payment based on actual instructional time and a maximum of $5,000 subsidy toward the training materials to be utilized per program. A company may participate in multiple programs receiving the above allowance for each program. Colleges training more than 100 persons in any of the above programs may request additional financial assistance. Instructor salaries for these programs are reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $50 per hour.

R. Short-Term Adult Classes

Instructional salaries are the only allowable cost for short-term adult classes. No prep time, assessment time, educational materials and supplies or equipment are eligible for reimbursement. These projects will be reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $20 per hour. Each class must have a minimum enrollment of 10 participants. Projects must be submitted to MCCB for approval no later than 10 working days after the first class meeting. No credit courses will be reimbursed due to the new funding formula.

S. Inmate Training Classes

Instructional salaries, which will consist of prep time and assessment time, and benefits, are the only allowable cost for vocational training for inmates. No educational materials and supplies or equipment are eligible for reimbursement. These projects will be reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $20 per hour. Each class must have a minimum enrollment of 10 participants. Parole dates are checked in order to give priority to offenders with twenty-four (24) months or less to serve before parole eligibility or release date. Interested applicants are given the Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE). Test results are evaluated for eligibility. Officials from the host organization must provide 6-month follow up information on the placement of completers of this program.

T. Other Training Needs

Consideration for other training needs, determined by the Workforce Development Center Director as essential to the success of the project, will be considered by the MCCB on an individual project basis.

U. Annual Accountability

The Legislative Accountability Report (LAR) will remain the primary reporting document. The legislature also requires that the following information be collected: Name of training classes, number of classes, number of trainees per class, location of training, and cost of each class. The items specified will have to be tracked by each Workforce Development Center Director and submitted annually on the Workforce Accountability Summary Report.