U.S. DOL-ETA REGION V DISABILITIES TRAINING FORUM WIA Reauthorization: Important Elements for Serving Customers with Disabilities Adele M. Gagliardi, Manpower

U.S. DOL-ETA REGION V U.S. DOL-ETA REGION V DISABILITIES TRAINING FORUMDISABILITIES TRAINING FORUM

WIA Reauthorization: Important WIA Reauthorization: Important Elements for Serving Customers Elements for Serving Customers

with Disabilitieswith Disabilities

Adele M. Gagliardi, Manpower AnalystAdele M. Gagliardi, Manpower AnalystOffice of Policy Development, Evaluation and ResearchOffice of Policy Development, Evaluation and Research

Employment And Training AdministrationEmployment And Training Administration

eta EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATIONUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

eta WIA Reauthorization

• Reauthorization of the Workforce Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). Investment Act of 1998 (WIA).

• WIA is the statutory foundation of the WIA is the statutory foundation of the One-Stop Career Center SystemOne-Stop Career Center System

• Since WIA implementation, we have Since WIA implementation, we have made great strides in transforming the made great strides in transforming the workforce investment system into one workforce investment system into one that is that is accessible, comprehensive, accessible, comprehensive, responsive responsive and and successful. successful.

eta Challenges

• The U.S. workforce is experiencing significant The U.S. workforce is experiencing significant change.change.

• Overall high school graduation rates are too Overall high school graduation rates are too low.low.

• Graduation and employment rates for Graduation and employment rates for individuals with disabilities are too low.individuals with disabilities are too low.

• Resources are limited.Resources are limited.• Increasing pressure for: Increasing pressure for:

– Accountability and positive performance outcomes;Accountability and positive performance outcomes;– Keeping pace with technology; andKeeping pace with technology; and– Reaching customers who may traditionally experience Reaching customers who may traditionally experience

difficulty accessing services.difficulty accessing services.• The One-Stop Career Center system looks The One-Stop Career Center system looks

different across the country.different across the country.

eta Responding to Challenge

Reauthorization of WIA offers a great Reauthorization of WIA offers a great opportunity to further strengthen the opportunity to further strengthen the

system for system for allall customers, including those customers, including those with disabilities. with disabilities.

eta WIA Reauthorization

Today’s FocusToday’s Focus

• Opportunities the Administration sees for Opportunities the Administration sees for reauthorization of WIA Title I programsreauthorization of WIA Title I programs

• Status of the reauthorization processStatus of the reauthorization process

• Six key improvements the Administration sees, and Six key improvements the Administration sees, and how these improvements are addressed in the how these improvements are addressed in the House and Senate billsHouse and Senate bills

• Additional changesAdditional changes

• Highlight changes related to serving individuals Highlight changes related to serving individuals with disabilities. with disabilities.

eta Opportunities

OpportunitiesOpportunities

• Strengthen coordinating infrastructureStrengthen coordinating infrastructure

• Capitalize on innovations from states Capitalize on innovations from states and local communities and local communities

• Create a more responsive, demand-Create a more responsive, demand-driven systemdriven system

eta Legislative Status

• The House Bill, HR 1261, passed the The House Bill, HR 1261, passed the House on May 8, 2003House on May 8, 2003

• The Senate Bill, (language of S 1627), The Senate Bill, (language of S 1627), passed the Senate on November 14, 2003passed the Senate on November 14, 2003

• Next step – Conference CommitteeNext step – Conference Committee

eta Six Key Improvements to WIA

1)1) Comprehensive Services for AdultsComprehensive Services for Adults

2)2) Focusing resources on out-of-school youthFocusing resources on out-of-school youth

3)3) Removing statutory limitations to providing Removing statutory limitations to providing waiverswaivers

4)4) Streamlining membership of state and Streamlining membership of state and local workforce investment boards, and local workforce investment boards, and focusing the boards’ functionsfocusing the boards’ functions

5)5) Improving InfrastructureImproving Infrastructure

6)6) Simplifying and rationalizing the current Simplifying and rationalizing the current accountability systemaccountability system

eta1. Improve Comprehensive

Services for Adults

•Create a consolidated funding stream: Create a consolidated funding stream: WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker and WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker and Wagner-Peyser fundsWagner-Peyser funds

•House bill combines funding stream•Senate bill retains separate funding

streams•Senate bill also requires Employment

Services offices to co-locate with One-Stop Career Centers


Services for Adults

• Increase flexibility in delivery of Increase flexibility in delivery of intensive and training servicesintensive and training services– Both bills contain specific provisions Both bills contain specific provisions

allowing greater flexibility to move into allowing greater flexibility to move into intensive and training servicesintensive and training services

– Both bills also address what sort of Both bills also address what sort of employment is the appropriate goal in employment is the appropriate goal in assessing whether an individual can obtain assessing whether an individual can obtain employment through particular servicesemployment through particular services


Services for Adults

• Improve Eligible Training Provider systemImprove Eligible Training Provider system• House and Senate bills are similar to the

Administration’s proposal and allow governors to establish criteria and procedures for training providers to receive WIA funds

• House and Senate bills allow Governors to authorize local areas to establish additional criteria or modify the criteria established by the Governor

• House bill requires the governor to solicit and take into consideration the recommendations of the local boards and training service providers


Services for Adults

• Expand Individual Training AccountsExpand Individual Training Accounts– The House bill proposes ITAs can be The House bill proposes ITAs can be

combined with funds from outside the combined with funds from outside the adult program, and calls them “Enhanced adult program, and calls them “Enhanced ITAs”ITAs”

– The Senate bill proposes “Career The Senate bill proposes “Career Scholarship Accounts”Scholarship Accounts”

eta2. Creating a Targeted Approach

To Serving Youth

• Focus resources on out-of-school youth Focus resources on out-of-school youth through Targeted State Formula Programthrough Targeted State Formula Program

• Creating Youth Challenge GrantsCreating Youth Challenge Grants

• No longer requiring Youth CouncilsNo longer requiring Youth Councils

eta 3. Promoting State Flexibility

• Removing statutory limitations to Removing statutory limitations to providing waiversproviding waivers

eta4. Creating a More Effective

Governance Structure

• Streamlining membership of State and Streamlining membership of State and Local Boards and more tightly focusing Local Boards and more tightly focusing their functionstheir functions

– State Board membership State Board membership – Local Board membershipLocal Board membership– Planning cyclePlanning cycle



• State Board MembershipState Board Membership1)State Agencies responsible for administering 1)State Agencies responsible for administering the One-Stop partner programs, and the the One-Stop partner programs, and the Director of VR if it is not a state agency.Director of VR if it is not a state agency.2)Business Representatives2)Business Representatives3)Labor Representatives3)Labor Representatives4)State legislators4)State legislators5)Chief local elected officials5)Chief local elected officials6)Governor6)GovernorBusiness majority maintained in both billsBusiness majority maintained in both billsVocational Rehabilitation’s RoleVocational Rehabilitation’s Role

• Function of the State BoardFunction of the State Board



• Local Workforce Investment Board Local Workforce Investment Board CompositionComposition

1)1) Both bills – Boards are no longer required Both bills – Boards are no longer required to have mandatory partner members at to have mandatory partner members at the local level.the local level.

2)2) Senate bill - As a function of the local Senate bill - As a function of the local board, it specifies that it should ensure a board, it specifies that it should ensure a sufficient number of providers of services sufficient number of providers of services that maximized customer choice, including that maximized customer choice, including providers with expertise in serving providers with expertise in serving individuals with disabilities.individuals with disabilities.



• Planning CyclePlanning Cycle– Both bills shorten the planning cycle for state Both bills shorten the planning cycle for state

and local plansand local plans• House bill – Reduces period to 2 years• Senate bill – Reduces period to 4 years with a review

after 2 years

– Both bills require the state to describe how they Both bills require the state to describe how they will serve individuals with disabilities consistent will serve individuals with disabilities consistent with Section 188 and Executive Order 13217with Section 188 and Executive Order 13217

– Senate bill contains additional provisions for the Senate bill contains additional provisions for the state planstate plan

– Local planLocal plan

eta 5. Strengthen One-Stop Career Center System Infrastructure

• Finance the operational cost of One-Stops Finance the operational cost of One-Stops through “one-stop infrastructure funding”through “one-stop infrastructure funding”

– The House bill states each mandatory and The House bill states each mandatory and participating partner must provide funds to the participating partner must provide funds to the Governor to be allocated to local areas for One-Governor to be allocated to local areas for One-Stop CentersStop Centers

– The Senate bill states the local areas can:The Senate bill states the local areas can:1) Develop memorandums of understanding (MOU), or2) Participate in a process similar to the one described in the

House bill.

– Administration’s proposal was similar to the House Administration’s proposal was similar to the House bill, but contained additional limitations for the bill, but contained additional limitations for the GovernorGovernor

eta 5. Strengthen One-Stop Career Center System Infrastructure

• Increase State role in establishing Increase State role in establishing minimum qualificationsminimum qualifications– House bill establishes procedures and House bill establishes procedures and

criteria for periodically certifying One-criteria for periodically certifying One-Stop Career CentersStop Career Centers

– Senate Bill SWIBs establish procedures Senate Bill SWIBs establish procedures and criteria to assess effectiveness and and criteria to assess effectiveness and continuous improvement, and are advised continuous improvement, and are advised to consider accessibilityto consider accessibility

– Section 188 ChecklistSection 188 Checklist

eta 5. Simplifying and RationalizingPerformance Accountability

• • New performance indicators called “Common New performance indicators called “Common

Measures” are included in the House and Measures” are included in the House and Senate billsSenate bills

• Developed by OMB, in coordination with federal Developed by OMB, in coordination with federal agencies.agencies.

• Intended to institute uniform definitions for Intended to institute uniform definitions for performance across 31 programs, administered performance across 31 programs, administered by six federal agencies. by six federal agencies.

• The Senate bill retains customer satisfaction The Senate bill retains customer satisfaction and adult credential measureand adult credential measure

eta Common Measures

ADULT MeasuresADULT Measures

• Entered EmploymentEntered Employment

• Employment RetentionEmployment Retention

• Earnings Increase after Earnings Increase after EmploymentEmployment

• Efficiency MeasureEfficiency Measure

• S 1627 retains adult S 1627 retains adult credential and customer credential and customer satisfaction measuressatisfaction measures

YOUTH MeasuresYOUTH Measures

• Placement in Employment Placement in Employment or Education or Education

• Attainment of degree or Attainment of degree or certificate certificate

• Literacy and Numeracy Literacy and Numeracy GainsGains

• Efficiency measure (Cost Efficiency measure (Cost per participant in S 1627)per participant in S 1627)

• S 1627 retains customer S 1627 retains customer satisfaction measuresatisfaction measure

eta Common Measures

• House Bill – Core indicators of performance House Bill – Core indicators of performance covered by the state plan must be adjusted covered by the state plan must be adjusted based on, among other things, poor work based on, among other things, poor work history, lack of work experience, and history, lack of work experience, and disability status.disability status.

• Senate Bill – Requires the Secretary to Senate Bill – Requires the Secretary to establish long-term national goals for levels establish long-term national goals for levels of performance. State plan performance of performance. State plan performance levels at the local levels must ensure that levels at the local levels must ensure that the levels involved are adjusted using the levels involved are adjusted using objective statistical methods based on, objective statistical methods based on, among other things, disability status. among other things, disability status.

eta Common Measures

What’s NextWhat’s Next• Without new legislation, ETA plans to implement the Without new legislation, ETA plans to implement the

common measures administratively. common measures administratively.

• ETA intends to implement a workforce reporting ETA intends to implement a workforce reporting system that provides the basis for reporting a wide system that provides the basis for reporting a wide array of information on workforce system activities, array of information on workforce system activities, including the common measures.including the common measures.

• ETA is looking into strategies to adjust performance ETA is looking into strategies to adjust performance based upon economic and other factors.based upon economic and other factors.

• The DOL Strategic Plan for FY 2003-2008 anticipates The DOL Strategic Plan for FY 2003-2008 anticipates ETA will measure groups with special barriers. ETA will measure groups with special barriers.

• Implementation of the new system and the common Implementation of the new system and the common measures is expected in program year 2004measures is expected in program year 2004..

eta Additional Proposals

• Local Area DesignationLocal Area Designation– House and Senate bills propose to continue to House and Senate bills propose to continue to

“grandfather” designation of local areas with “grandfather” designation of local areas with populations over 500,000, making continued populations over 500,000, making continued designation contingent on successful performance designation contingent on successful performance and sustained fiscal integrityand sustained fiscal integrity

– Senate bill proposes continued designations for Senate bill proposes continued designations for workforce investment areas with populations under workforce investment areas with populations under 500,000 if they meet performance measures and 500,000 if they meet performance measures and sustain fiscal integrity. sustain fiscal integrity.

– The Administration proposed eliminating the The Administration proposed eliminating the grandfather provision. grandfather provision.


• Priority of ServicePriority of Service– House bill proposes to give priority for intensive House bill proposes to give priority for intensive

and training services to unemployed individuals and training services to unemployed individuals and other low income individuals if funds for and other low income individuals if funds for serving them are insufficient.serving them are insufficient.

– Senate bill retains the current law priority for Senate bill retains the current law priority for public assistance and low income individuals.public assistance and low income individuals.

– Both bills add to the definition of low income Both bills add to the definition of low income those eligible to receive a free or reduced price those eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch.lunch.


• Funding FormulasFunding Formulas– Both bills propose changes to the Both bills propose changes to the

formulas for allocating funds to the formulas for allocating funds to the states and local areas. states and local areas.

– To examine more closely, review the To examine more closely, review the language at language at thomas.loc.govthomas.loc.gov. .


• Temporary Assistance to Needy Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Food StampsFamilies (TANF) and Food Stamps– Both bills add TANF as a required Both bills add TANF as a required

partner in the One-Stop system, partner in the One-Stop system, unless the Governor opts out. unless the Governor opts out.

– In addition, both bills allow additional In addition, both bills allow additional partners, programs that serve partners, programs that serve individuals with disabilities. individuals with disabilities.


• Religious organizations Religious organizations – The House bill would allow religious The House bill would allow religious

organizations that provide services organizations that provide services under WIA to take religion into under WIA to take religion into account in hiring staff. account in hiring staff.

– The Senate bill contains no such The Senate bill contains no such provision. provision.

eta Additional Proposals Disability Focus

• Purpose of WIAPurpose of WIA– Currently to unify a fragmented Currently to unify a fragmented

employment and training system into a employment and training system into a comprehensive workforce investment comprehensive workforce investment system that better serves job seekers.system that better serves job seekers.

– Senate bill lays out 13 purposes, includingSenate bill lays out 13 purposes, including• Promoting informed choice (also in House bill)• Eliminate training disincentives for hard-to-

serve populations• Increase employment, retention, and earnings

of individuals with disabilities.

eta Additional Proposals Disability Focus

• Incentive Grants to States and Local Incentive Grants to States and Local AreasAreas– Both bills allow the Governor to award Both bills allow the Governor to award

local areas for serving hard-to-serve local areas for serving hard-to-serve populationspopulations

– House provides incentive grants for House provides incentive grants for exemplary performance of states, for exemplary performance of states, for among other things, performance in among other things, performance in serving special populations, including serving special populations, including individuals with disabilities.individuals with disabilities.

eta Resources

• To view legislation: To view legislation: thomas.loc.govthomas.loc.gov

• Training and Employment Guidance Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 15-03 Common Measures Letter No. 15-03 Common Measures PolicyPolicy

• ETA’s website: ETA’s website: www.doleta.govwww.doleta.gov

eta

Adele M. GagliardiAdele M. Gagliardi

Manpower AnalystManpower Analyst

Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and ResearchOffice of Policy Development, Evaluation and Research

Employment and Training AdministrationEmployment and Training Administration

U.S. Department of LaborU.S. Department of Labor

(202) 693-3985(202) 693-3985

[email protected]@dol.gov

Documents

U.S. DOL-ETA REGION V DISABILITIES TRAINING FORUM WIA Reauthorization: Important Elements for Serving Customers with Disabilities Adele M. Gagliardi, Manpower