Early Insights from State Implementation of WIOA in 2017

This brief offers an in-depth exploration of early Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) implementation across California, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Ohio, based on fall 2017 pilot site visits. These visits aimed to inform the WIOA implementation study and capture stakeholders' perspectives on WIOA requirements across five domains.

Aligned with significant WIOA milestones from April 2016 to September 2017, the study focused on state plan approvals, final joint rule issuance, and AJC operator selection. Building on insights from the Institutional Analysis of the AJCs study, the research identified challenges in the WIA to WIOA transition within the five key domains.

The WIOA Implementation Study explores state and local variations in implementing key provisions. This brief, centered on fall 2017 pilot visits, encapsulates changes and promising practices observed during WIOA implementation in each state. WIOA, enacted in 2014, aims to transform and modernize the public workforce system.

The four states were strategically chosen based on progress perceptions by the Department of Labor (DOL). Working with state workforce administrators, two local areas per state were selected for pilot site visits. Additional data from 14 states and 28 local areas provide a comprehensive understanding and identify areas for guidance.

The brief discusses findings from early site visits across the five domains, highlighting commonalities and differences in implementation. It explores factors influencing successes and challenges, providing valuable insights. The conclusion summarizes key areas requiring further assistance or guidance across the four states during the site visits.

Due to the timing of the site visits, the study team could explore in more depth both recently completed implementation activities and ongoing implementation efforts at the state and local levels. Site visits occurred following the completion of the state and local planning process but, while states and local areas were finalizing their one-stop operator competitions and negotiating infrastructure funding agreements (IFAs). The visits also enabled a look at the progress states had made in providing guidance and technical assistance to local areas so that they could meet upcoming deadlines for completing the IFAs and the associated memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between key partners regarding services and responsibilities, as well as aligning data systems and reporting.

Major Findings:

• Strategic Governance: States succeeded in codifying partner engagement but faced challenges in regional planning due to WIOA deadlines and local resistance.
• AJC Operations: Disparities existed in guidance for standardizing operator competition and negotiating MOUs and IFAs. State-level agreements may have positively impacted co-location among core partners.
• Services for Businesses: Three states adapted their employer engagement approach under WIOA. A state-led strategy centralized business services and promoted systematic data collection.
• Services for Youth and Adults: States introduced initiatives for expanded work-based learning, integrated service delivery, and increased co-enrollment, including efforts to facilitate Registered Apprenticeship offerings.
• Performance Accountability: States hesitated to adopt shared data management systems, exploring alternatives like central intake systems and dashboards.

Major Recommendations:

• Regional Alignment: Provide guidance on aligning regions with local labor markets and offer technical assistance for developing regional plans.
• IFAs and AJC Competitions: States need more guidance on setting up IFAs, especially for non-co-located partners. Guidance is required to generate interest from potential bidders for AJC operations.
• Statewide Employer Engagement: States express interest in more guidance on statewide employer engagement, sector-based strategies, and systematic tracking of employer-serving data.
• Technical Assistance on Performance Measures: States desire more technical assistance in tracking performance measures across WIOA core programs, particularly for AEFLA and VR programs, and guidance to ensure changes to indicators do not lead to service reductions for customers with higher barriers.

Implications for Future Guidance and Technical Assistance:
The experiences of the four states suggest that future guidance and technical assistance should focus on aligning regions with local labor markets, setting up IFAs, generating interest in AJC operations, facilitating statewide employer engagement, and systematically tracking performance measures. These insights, drawn from real-world implementation, underscore the need for targeted support in key areas to enhance the overall impact of WIOA reforms.

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2020
• Author(s): English, B.; Sattarb, S.; Mackb, M.
• Funding Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
• Posted by: Justin Venneri
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies