HIGHLIGHTS OF WIOA REFORMS FOR ADULT EDUCATION

Spring 2015 Administrators’ Meeting

Quick Facts• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) revised

and reauthorized the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) (July 2014)

• Seeks to improve coordination between primary federal programs

• Created to help an individual acquire a combination of basic academic, critical thinking, digital literacy, and self-management skills

Core Programs• The Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth formula (Dept.

of Labor—Title I)

• The Adult Education and Literacy (Dept. of Ed.—Title II)

• The Wagner-Peyser Act employment services program administration (Dept. of Labor--Title III)

• The programs under Title I of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act administered by ED under Title IV.

Key Principles of WIOA

Program

Alignment

• Creates unified strategic planning across programs• Enhances role of State & Local WIBs in developing and

implementing a Unified State Plan

Increased

Accountabilit

y

• Establishes common measures • Increases accountability and transparency through reporting

and evaluations

Enhanced

Service

Delivery

• Promotes engagement of employers and education alignment• Strengthens partnerships and investments in one-stop

delivery system

AEFLA: Unified State Plan

• Align content standards for adult education with state-adopted academic standards

• Fund local activities using considerations for grants

• Programs for corrections education• English literacy and civics education• Integrated education and training• Use funds to carry out State Leadership Activities• Assess the quality of adult education providers

Some of our State Partnerships

• Adult Education Division (AED)

• Apprenticeships• Arkansas Career

Technical Institute (ACTI)

• Arkansas Community College (ACC)

• Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS)

• Career Technical Education (CTE)

• Chamber of Commerce• Dept. of Education• Dept. of Workforce

Services (DWS)• Workforce Investment

Boards (WIB)• AR Economic

Development Commission

Title II-Retains AEFLA Purposes• Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge

and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency

• Assist adults who are parents or family members become a full partner in the education development of their children

• Assist adults in completing high school

Expands AEFLA Purposes• Promote transitions from adult education to post

secondary education and training through career pathways

• Assist immigrants and English Language Learners• Improve reading, writing, math, speaking, and comprehending the

English language• Acquire understanding of American government, individual

freedom, and responsibility• Activities must be provided in combination with Integrated

Education and Training (IET) activities

Key Changes for Adult Education• Strengthens alignment of adult education with

postsecondary and workforce activities

• Strengthens career pathways and integrated education and training

• Links English Literacy/Civics with integrated education and training

Key Changes for Adult Education• Requires specific state leadership activities:

• Alignment of services with the workforce system• Quality professional development• Technical assistance to local providers• Monitoring and evaluation of local providers

• Requires that the local adult education plans be reviewed by the local workforce board to ensure alignment.

Key Changes for Adult Education• Supports educational and career advancements for

incarcerated individuals

• Encourages establishment of a high-quality local adult education delivery system• 13 Considerations must be met• Activities that promote IET; coordination with education, training,

employers, and social service providers to promote career pathways

Important Title I Definitions• Individual with Barriers to Employment

• Career Pathway

• One-Stop Partner

• Supportive Services

• Workforce Development System

Individual with Barrier to EmploymentA member of one or more of the following populations:

Displaced homemakers Ex-offenders Long-term unemployed

Low income individuals Homeless individuals, or homeless children and youth

Individuals within 2 years of exhausting lifetime eligibility under the SSA, title IV part A

Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians

Youth who are in or have aged out of foster care

Single parents (including single pregnant women)

Individuals with disabilities, including youth

English language learners, individuals with low levels of literacy, and individuals facing substantial cultural barriers

Such other groups as the Governor determines to have barriers to employment

Older individuals Migrant and seasonal farm workers

Career pathwayA combination of rigorous and high quality education, training, and other

services that--

Aligns with skill needs of industries in the State and regional economy

Organizes education, training, and other services to meet the particular needs of an individual to accelerate educational and career advancement

Prepares individuals to be successful in secondary or postsecondary education options, including registered apprenticeships

Enables an individual to attain a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and at least 1 recognized post secondary credential

Includes counseling to support in achieving the individual’s education and career goals

Helps and individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster

Includes education offered concurrently with workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster

Supportive Services

Membership of State Boards• Reduces the size of State Workforce Development

Boards• State Director of adult education and local adult director have seats

on the board

• Include business majority, labor organizations, an apprenticeship (new), organizations serving individuals with barriers tor employment

• Includes the lead State official with the responsibility for the core programs

Functions of State Workforce Board• Develop and implement State Plan

• Align core programs and develop and improve workforce system• Develop career pathways• Develop and implement one-stops• Identify economic development regions and local market areas

• Establish state performance measures and targets to assess effectiveness of core programs

Functions of State Workforce Board Cont.

• Develop policies to coordinate services

• Align technology and data systems across one-stop partners

• Technological improvements for digital literacy, accelerating learning, accessibility, and professional development

Ultimate Goal

•Help individuals gain the education and skills they need to transition into postsecondary education/training and/or workforce.

Group Discussion• What opportunities exist for partnering with external

stakeholders in your region in implementing the new WIOA law? Challenges?

• What are the high-skill, high-wage job industries in your area that can be used to develop career pathways?

• What specific resources do you need to assist students and employers?

• How do you see your role in the implementation of the new law?

References• http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/wioa

-reauthorization.html• AskAEFLA@ed.gov• National Council of State Directors of Adult Education

(NCSDAE) www.ncsdae.org• www.doleta.gov/WIOA• http://www.ed.gov/aboutst/offices/list.osers/rsa/wio-authori

zation.htm.

• Career Clusters• http://ace.arkansas.gov/cte/careerClusters/Pages/default.aspx

References• One-Stop Center Service Design Quick Start Action

Planner (QSAP)• http://qsap.workforce3one.org/page/planner

• Adult Education and Family Literacy Act: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Comment Expires: June 15, 2015• https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/04/16/2015-05540/pro

grams-and-activities-authorized-by-the-adult-education-and-family-literacy-act-title-ii-of-the

• Search for Proposed Federal Regulations• http://www.regulations.gov/