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| (From left to right) VT Council Chair Jerry Brown, VT Gov. Howard Dean, MI Chair Juanita Pierman, and WA Chair Betty Jane Narver at the Annual Meeting in Stowe, VT. |
Archives
USDOL Issues Interim Final Regulations for WIA
The U.S. Department of Labor issued Thursday, April 15, the interim final regulations for the Workforce Investment Act and state Job Service programs under the Wagner-Peyser Act. The rules will become effective May 17, 1999. States will have an additional sixty-day period, until July 14, to comment on the regulations. These regulations will govern "early implementation" plans submitted by ten states as well as preparations by remaining states to implement the new federal program by July 1, 2000, when the JTPA will expire. Final regulations governing all state programs must be issued by December 31, 1999.Copies of the interim final regulations are available on the Internet in both text and PDF formats at http://usworkforce.org/finalregs.htm. Workforce board chairs are invited to send comments regarding the interim final regulations to the Chairs’ WIA Transition Task Force. The WIA Transition Task Force will submit comments regarding the regulations to USDOL on behalf of the Association. Please send comments for the WIA Transition Task Force to Martin Simon at msimon@nga.org or fax 202/624-5313. Each workforce board chair is strongly encouraged to submit comments on behalf of his/her state separately to USDOL.
State Chairs to Meet in Washington, DC in February
The National Association of State Workforce Board Chairs will gather for their Winter 1999 meeting on February 27-28 at the Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel. The meeting will begin at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 27 with a luncheon and adjourn by 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 28. The meeting’s agenda will provide an opportunity for chairs to discuss the regulations and papers and to share information on progress made on implementing WIA in their states. A special pre-meeting session will be held on Saturday morning, February 27, from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. to provide an informal exchange on pressing WIA implementation issues that are challenging the states. Registration forms are due to NGA by February 12, 1999. For more information, see the logistics information sheet or Martin Simon.
State Chairs to Meet in Baltimore in December
The National Association of State Workforce Board Chairs will gather for their Fall 1998
meeting on December 11-12 at the Renaissance
Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.
The meeting's agenda
will focus on the state board's role in the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act
of 1998. The meeting will begin at 12:30 P.M. on Friday, December 11, immediately
following the NGA Center for Best Practice's Annual Workforce Development Policy Forum,
New Flexibility, New Opportunities: Strengthening State-Local Workforce Systems Using
the Workforce Investment Act." The hotel is approximately 15 minutes (8 miles)
from the Baltimore/Washington International
Airport (BWI), three miles from the Amtrak rail
station at Penn Station, and an approximately one hour (40 mile) drive from
Washington D.C. For more information, see the logistics
information sheet or the preliminary agenda
or contact Martin Simon or David Brown.(10/29/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Remaining States Awarded School-to-Work Implementation Funds
In September, the National
School-to-Work Office awarded the final eight states (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Mississippi, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wyoming) and the District of Columbia federal school-to-work implementation
grants. These states join Illinois, Montana, North Dakota, and Puerto Rico that were
awarded school-to-work implementation grants earlier this year. Because the authorizing legislation sunsets in 2001,
states awarded grants in 1998 will receive four annual grants, rather than the five annual
grants available to the 37 states funded
in previous years. Implementation grants are one-time venture capital investments
intended to help establish a statewide school-to-work (STW) system. States use
implementation grants to fund sub-state partnerships, provide innovative curricula and
staff development, ensure coordination of existing local education and training programs
and resources, collect data, provide technical assistance to local partnerships, encourage
the active involvement of employers and other stakeholders, improve public awareness of
STW systems, and ensure that all students are served by STW systems. (10/14/98)
| Alabama Arkansas Delaware District of Columbia Georgia Mississippi South Dakota Virginia Wyoming |
$4,725,000 $3,150,000 $1,800,000 $1,800,000 $6,000,000 $3,200,000 $1,800,000 $6,300,000 $1,575,000 |
USDOL and National Youth Employment
Coalition Honor Eleven Youth Programs
On September 10, the U.S. Department of Labor and the National
Youth Employment Coalition recognized eleven successful youth
employment and training programs from across the nation. Secretary of Labor Alexis M.
Herman congratulated the award recipients and the current and former program participants
in attendance during the third annual Promising
and Effective Practices Network (PEPNet) awards ceremony, held at the Labor
Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Secretary built on her Labor Day remarks
that focused on out-of-school
youth. "Today's global economy is unlimited for young people who are ready for it
and unforgiving to those who are not," Secretary Herman said. "These wonderful
programs mean that more of our young people will be ready. They face a future of unlimited
opportunity." Recently confirmed Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Employment and Training Raymond L. Bramucci, who presented the awards and engaged the
young people in a provocative and sometimes poignant dialogue, added, "Today's award
winners, like those in past years, are excellent models for helping young people gain the
skills, knowledge and self-assurance to become productive, responsible adults."
Funded by USDOL and several private foundations, PEPNet was created in 1995 to identify
effective youth employment practices and show that such programs can make a difference in
young people's lives. PEPNet recognized thirty-two youth-serving organizations in 1996 and
1997. All awardees were selected by a review board of 50 experts based on the following
criteria: strong, stable and effective management; well-conceived and implemented
approaches to youth development; an emphasis on the development of skills, knowledge and
competencies that lead to jobs and careers and documented success.
1998 PEPNet Award Recipients:
(9/14/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
State Chairs Explore Implications of New Workforce Law During Annual Meeting
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| (From left to right) VT Council Chair Jerry Brown, VT Gov. Howard Dean, MI Chair Juanita Pierman, and WA Chair Betty Jane Narver at the Annual Meeting in Stowe, VT. |
The newly enacted federal workforce legislation was the focus of much of the discussion at the state chairs’ association annual meeting, which was held in Stowe, Vermont February 15-18. The meeting opened with a joint session with the board of the National Association of Private Industry Councils, during which the attendees were provided with an overview of the act and its key elements. The participants were particularly interested in provisions of the law concerning the composition, authority, and responsibilities of state and local workforce boards. The attendees were also addressed by Ray Uhalde, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, who urged the state and local chairs to "think big, think expansively, think system" as they consider implementation of the new law.
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| (From left to right) Acting NH Council Director Robert Stephen, VT Gov. Howard Dean, CA Council Executive Director Dean Smith, and SC Council Chair Frank Macchiaverna converse during the Annual Meeting. |
The chairs’ association also learned
about the use of technology in workforce development through presentations describing Motorola University, the Teaching Firm project, America’s Job Bank, and other Internet resources.
They also visited an exemplary summer youth employment program operated by the Lake Champlain Basin Science Center and
learned about quality practices at the Ben and
Jerry’s Ice Cream factory. During the final day of the meeting, association chair
Betty Jane Narver (Wash.) appointed a transition task force to ensure that the association
has input into the development of the regulations for the new workforce law. The
association also adopted a logo and changed its name to reflect the new workforce law. The
association’s new name is the National Association of State Workforce Board Chairs.
The next meeting of the state chairs’ association is scheduled for December 11-12 in
Baltimore, Maryland following the NGA’s annual workforce development policy forum.
(9/4/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Congress Enacts and President Signs Workforce Legislation
On Friday, August 7, President Clinton signed H.R. 1385, the Workforce Investment Act of
1998, into law. The bill was signed just 10 days after a House-Senate conference committee
agreed on a compromise bill and one week after that compromise passed the Congress. The
Labor Department now has 180 days (until February 4) to issue Interim Final Regulations
that will start the implementation cycle. The transition is expected to take 15 months
(March 1999 - July 2000) in most states.
Congress approved the conference report of the the bill on July 31. The House of
Representatives completed Congressional consideration of the bill when it adopted without
objection the compromise bill reported by a House-Senate conference
committee two days earlier. The Senate approved the compromise bill without objection
the previous night.
The complete text of the enrolled
bill is available on the DOL/ETA webpage as are a
side-by-side comparison of the
H.R. 1385 and current law and a summary of the new law. In
addition, NGA has prepared a
summary of H.R. 1385. (8/20/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Senate Confirms New ETA Chief
On Thursday, July 30 the Senate confirmed Raymond Bramucci as the new Assistant Secretary
of Labor. Bramucci fills the vacancy left 18 months ago in the Employment and Training Administration when Tim Barnicle
resigned. After taking the oath of office, Bramucci will take over from Acting Assistant
Secretary Raymond Uhalde. Mr. Bramucci has been the executive director of the Seton Hall
University Institute on Work and was the New Jersey Commissioner of Labor from 1990-1994.
(8/4/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Involvement in High Schools Pays Dividends for Employers
Employer involvement with schools need not be motivated merely by the desire to be a good
corporate citizen. The first nationwide study of corporate participation in schools shows
that companies that have worked closely with their local high schools had a young worker
(18 to 25 years of age) turnover rate that is half the turnover rate of employers who are
not involved with schools. The data was gleaned from the U.S. Census Bureau’s
National Employer Survey, which randomly sampled private business with twenty or more
employees. The study classified 25 percent of businesses as strongly involved in schools,
meaning they engaged in at least eight activities identified by the researchers, such as
visiting classes, tutoring, sponsoring clubs, and assisting with curriculum development.
The study also showed that companies involved with high schools look more carefully at
high school transcripts as a basis for hiring decisions. According to the researchers,
"By actively engaging their local educational systems, establishments may be helping
to generate a future labor force that is more stable, more work-ready, and better matched
to the workplace of the future." The study is to be published in the September issue
of The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. (7/14/98).
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
New Council Chair Selected in Alaska
Alice Galvin of ATU Communication in Anchorage was recently selected to take-over as chair
of the Alaska Human Resource
Investment Council. Dr. Galvin has served on the state council since its inception in
January 1996. Before becoming council chair, she was chair of the council’s policy
and planning committee. Galvin replaces JoAnn Henderson, who just completed her two-year
term. (7/14/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Workforce Conference Committee Reconciling Differences
Members of the Congressional workforce
development conference committee, which began work in May, are
hoping to achieve a conference agreement by the week of July 20. After two meetings of the
committee leadership, conferees have resolved a number of concerns raised by the National Governors’ Association (NGA) and National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). As part
of the tentative agreement, conferees have agreed on a governance structure that reflects
the recommendations of the State and Local Task Force; agreed to expand a limited form of
work-flex to all states; adopted the Senate wavier language; and adopted the narrower
grandfathering language included in the Senate bill. In addition, the agreement includes a
provision that makes drug testing of job training participants optional, as was provided
under the welfare reform legislation. Unresolved issues include the unified plan and
language on school-to-work issues. A PDF version of NGA’s side-by-side comparison of the House
and Senate bills has been posted on the NGA Center Workforce Development
page. (7/14/98).
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Twenty-Six States Awarded Welfare-to-Work Grants to Date
As of June 29, the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Welfare-to-Work
(WtW) grants to twenty-six states. Since early May,
Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and
Wisconsin grants have been awarded part of the $2.2 billion available nationwide in state
formula grants to help local communities transform the lives of long-term welfare
recipients.
The Labor Department reports that forty-four states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam applied for a WtW formula
grant by the June 30 deadline. The states of Idaho, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming chose not to apply for WtW funding and Ohio declined WtW funding after its plan
was approved. The NGA Center for Best Practices is compiling a state-by-state matrix of
key elements of WtW plans submitted to the U.S Department of Labor. The matrix
is posted on the NGA website and is regularly updated. (7/8/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Remaining States Seek School-to-Work Implementation Funds
The National School-to-Work Office reports that all
eleven of the states not yet awarded state school-to-work implementation grants submitted
implementation grant applications by the May 31 deadline. This was the last chance for
states to secure federal implementation funds. The states whose application’s are
currently under federal review include, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas,
Mississippi, South Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia, Wyoming, as well as the District of
Columbia.
In addition, on May 26 the Departments of Education and Labor announced that Montana was awarded a $1.8 million school-to-work
implementation grant. Montana’s $1.8 million award represents first-year funding
of a four-year grant commitment, which will total $9.6 million. Earlier this year,
Illinois, North Dakota, and Puerto Rico were awarded school-to-work implementation grants.
Because the authorizing legislation sunsets in 2001, states awarded grants in 1998 will
receive four annual grants, rather than the five annual grants available to the 37 states
funded in previous years. (6/17/98).
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Alaska HRIC Director and Member Receive Job Corps Award
On June 17, Mike Andrews, executive director of the Alaska Human Resource Investment Council,
and Alaska’s Lt. Governor Fran Ulmer, a member of the Alaska’s HRIC, received
1998 National Job Corps Alpha Awards, presented each year at a dinner hosted by the
National Job Corps Coalition. The Alpha awards honor communities, businesses, and
individuals for their commitment to helping disadvantaged youth succeed through Job Corps. Both were nominated for the
award by the Alaska Job Corps Center for their outstanding leadership at the state level
on behalf of Job Corps. Andrews has been a supporter of the Alaska Job Corps Center since
it opened in 1994 and continues to provide valuable assistance to the center by educating
center staff about the state’s workforce development system. He has also included Job
Corps as an official component of Alaska’s statewide job training and one-stop
system. Ulmer, among other things, helped the center secure a special designation for its
Child and Family Development Center, enabling single parents to continue to receive public
assistance during their participation in Job Corps. (6/17/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Workforce Legislation Goes to Conference
On Friday, May 22, the House of Representatives, agreed by unanimous consent to go to
conference with the Senate on H.R. 1385 approved by the Senate on May
7. The conference committee will try to reconcile differences in House and Senate
versions of the legislation (the Senate version also is known as S. 1186).
The U.S. Department of Labor recently completed a summary of the Senate bill and a side-by-side comparison of the House and
Senate versions. (5/29/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Workforce Legislation Approved by Senate
On May 7, the Senate approved workforce development reform legislation (H.R. 1385) by a
vote of 91 to 7 and asked the House for a conference to work out a compromise between the
House and Senate legislation. However, prior to the vote the Senate accepted three
controversial floor amendments without recorded votes, making them easier to deal with in
conference. They included:
During its winter meeting, the National Association of
State Workforce Investment Policy Council Chairs voted to support the
three-point position on the Senate bill, forged by a state-local coalition. Most of
the provisions sought by the coalition were included in the Senate bill. Further action on
the bill is up to leaders of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, who will
have to decide how to proceed. That meeting will be delayed while the full House completes
debate on the higher education bill (H.R. 6), which includes provisions affecting billions
of dollars of federal student loans that must be enacted by July 1. Also complicating the
passage of workforce development legislation is the inclusion of vocational education
reauthorization in the Senate bill. The House put similar provisions in a separate bill
(H.R. 1853). It may be a week or more before any decisions can be made. (5/13/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
NGA Center for Best Practices Issues Reports on State
Workforce Reforms and Standards-Based Education Reform
The NGA Center for Best Practices recently issue two reports relevant to workforce
development. A StateLine titled An Update on
State Workforce Development Reforms summarizes the results of a survey focusing on
state workforce development system-building reforms and the role of state employment and
training agencies in welfare reform. The survey reveals that states are continuing to seek
ways to build effective workforce development systems. The reforms described in the StateLine
attempt to promote the strategic use of resources, simplify access to services, better
meet the needs of job seekers and employers, and create a continuum of services for people
throughout their lifetimes. The StateLine also reveals that forty states have
established a human resource investment council (HRICs) or similar body. The overwhelming
majority of these councils have the authority to review and comment on a broad range of
initiatives, including one-stop and school-to-work programs.
Preparing
Students for the Twenty-First Century examines the roles of academic standards and
skill standards and school-to-work programs in building a unified education system that
prepares students for the rigors of postsecondary education and entry into the workplace.
It describes what a unified education system could look like, discusses what standards are
and what role they could play in a unified system, and considers how academic standards
and skill standards could be integrated to enhance educational achievement. (5/13/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Chairs Appointed to Five New State
Workforce Councils
The Governors of Maine, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and the Virgin Islands recently
appointed chairs to lead their newly established workforce development councils. Maine
Governor Angus King appointed Buzz Fitzgerald to head the Maine Jobs Council, established
by legislation in 1997. On May 6, Tom Hill of Kimray Corporation was tapped by Oklahoma
Governor Frank Keating to chair the Oklahoma Workforce Development Council, which was
established by executive order in March 1998. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge recently
appointed William Hudson, of AMP, Inc. as chair of the Pennsylvania Human Resource
Investment Council that he established by executive order in December 1997.
In addition, two former state job training coordinating council chairs have been selected
to head their states’ newly established workforce councils. Alan Simon has been
appointed chair of the Nebraska Human Resource Investment Council, established by Governor
Ben Nelson by executive order in October 1997. On April 14, 1998, Charles Parrott was
tapped by Virgin Islands Governor Roy L. Schneider to chair the Virgin Islands Human
Resource Investment Council, established by executive order in December 1997. All five of
the new councils replaced the state job training coordinating councils. (5/13/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Seventeen States Awarded Welfare-to-Work Grants to Date
On May 5, Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman announced that Alabama had been approved for a Welfare-to-Work grant totaling close to $14 million for
Fiscal Year 1998. Alabama joins Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, South
Carolina and Tennessee, which have been awarded Welfare-to-Work formula grants over the
since late January 1998. The seventeen states have awarded part of the $2.2 billion
available nationwide in state grants to help local communities transform the lives of
long-term welfare recipients. Additional state grants are expected to be announced as they
are approved in the next several weeks. The NGA Center for Best Practices has developed
and reguarly updates a summary of state
plans for Welfare-to-Work formula grant funds. (5/13/98)
New State Council Staff Directors Appointed
The National Association of State Workforce Investment Policy Council Chairs welcomes four
new state council staff contacts. Jeff Nall of Iowa Workforce Development is now the staff
director of the Iowa Workforce Development Council. The Kentucky Job Training Coordinating
Council is being staffed by William Gaunce of the state’s Workforce Development
Cabinet. Mike Magill, Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist’s special assistant for
workforce development, has been tapped to staff the Tennessee Workforce Development Board.
The new staff director of the Illinois Human Resource Investment Council is Sarah Hawker,
Illinois Governor Jim Edgar’s assistant for workforce preparation. (3/31/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
State Chairs’ Association Votes to Support
State-Local Coalition Position on Senate Workforce Reform Bill
During its winter meeting in Washington, DC, the National Association of State Workforce
Investment Policy Council Chairs voted to support the three-point position, forged by a
state-local coalition comprised of the National Governors'
Association, the National Conference of State
Legislatures, the National Association of Counties,
the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities, on the Senate workforce reform
bill. Martin Jensen of NGA explained to the attendees of the February 28 to March 1
meeting that the coalition submitted language to the Senate on February 20 to fix
important shortcomings in the latest version of the Workforce Investment Partnership Act
(S.1186). The coalition’s proposal reaffirms
its support of voluntary unified plans to authorize states to consolidate workforce
development programs. The coalition’s state unified plan proposal is similar to
provisions in the original S.1186, which the Senate changed after organized
opposition from the education lobby emerged late last year. The coalition also
proposed reducing the number of core performance standards from 27 to 12, holding states
accountable for placements, job retention, earnings and skill gains for disadvantaged
adults, dislocated workers, and youth. The third element of the proposal would allow the
"grandfathering" of state reforms enacted into law before December 31,1997.
Mr. Jensen also indicated that the nation’s Governors adopted a policy statement during the
NGA’s winter meeting (February 21-24) that they cannot be counted on to press for
action on workforce reform legislation unless the coalition’s proposals are reflected
in the bill. Tom Lindsley of the National Alliance of
Business, who served on the panel with Mr. Jensen, stressed that the window of
opportunity is very small and that if the Senate does not approve a bill in the next few
weeks, a workforce bill should not be expected this year. During its business meeting, the
chairs’ association voted, with one dissent and one abstention, to forward a letter
to the Senate leadership supporting the state-local coalition’s proposal. (3/2/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Chairs’ Association Meets in Washington, DC
The National Association of State Workforce Investment Policy Council Chairs convened
for its winter meeting from February 28 to March 1 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington
DC. The meeting was held just prior to the annual NAPIC Forum. In all, twenty-one states
were represented at the winter meeting, including Fred Blackwell, the new Alabama SJTCC
chair, and Edna Rothwell, the recently appointed West Virginia HRIC chair.
The winter meeting began with a luncheon address by Eli Segal, president and CEO of the Welfare to Work Partnership. Mr. Segal outlined
the mission and activities of the partnership and urged the chairs to both join the
partnership’s effort to enlist employers to provide job opportunities for welfare
recipients and encourage their Governors to join the partnership’s advisory board,
co-chaired by Delaware Governor Tom Carper and Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson.
Following the luncheon, the attendees were given a federal legislative
update by Martin Jensen of NGA and Tom Lindsey of the National Alliance of Business.
During the business meeting on March 1, the chairs’ association voted to authorize
its Quality Task Force, headed by Vermont council chair and former association chair Jerry
Brown, to develop a strategic plan for the association’s proposed leadership
institute. The plan will be presented to the association during the annual meeting. Based
on recommendations proposed by its Welfare-to-Work Task Force, chaired by Texas council
chair Roland Cordobes, the association will explore the use of technology to expose new
chairs and state councils to strategies and best practices leading-edge states have
implemented to make their workforce development systems more responsive to employer needs.
The association also agreed to hold its 1998 Annual Meeting from August 15 to 18 in Stowe,
Vermont. The annual meeting will include a joint session and reception with the board of
the National Association of Private
Industry Councils, which will also be meeting in Vermont just prior to the state
chairs’ association meeting. (3/2/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Six States Granted
Work-Flex Waivers
On February 3, Vice President Al Gore and Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman
announced that six states won approval to operate their multi-million dollar federal job
training programs with less oversight and fewer restrictions from the federal government.
The states of Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, and Texas are part of the Workforce Flexibility (Work-Flex)
Demonstration Program, which runs through June 30, 2002. Work-Flex demonstration
projects allow Governors to grant waiver authority to local public training programs,
eliminating the need to get prior permission from the federal level. This will allow local
programs to pursue greater innovations and customize their job training programs for
displaced workers, welfare recipients and disadvantaged youth and adults. In exchange for
increased flexibility to design a better system to deliver services, the local communities
commit to improved accountability and performance outcomes.
Congressional appropriations legislation allows the Secretary of Labor to waive provisions
in both the Job Training Partnership Act and the Wagner-Peyser Act, as well as
corresponding regulations, in response to state requests. To date, the Secretary has
approved general
waivers for 30 states and territories and waiver requests from an additional 7 states
are under review. The Work-Flex demonstration projects present even greater opportunity
for local innovation for the six approved states. (2/9/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Five States Awarded
Welfare-to-Work Grants
On January 29, Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman announced the first of $2.2 billion
in state grants to help local communities transform the lives of long-term welfare
recipients. The Welfare-to-Work plans of Illinois,
Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Nevada were approved and the five states will receive
grants totaling $122 million for Fiscal Year 1998. Other state grants will be announced as
they are approved.
The welfare-to-work state grants are part of a $3 billion national effort to combat
dependency among welfare recipients who face the most difficult obstacles to employment.
Under the Budget Reconciliation Act of 1997, $2.2 billion will be allocated by formula
over two years to states based on their population of poor people and adult recipients of
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. Eighty-five percent of those funds will be sent to
private industry councils (PICs) that will design and operate collaborative, integrated
programs tailored to meet local labor market needs. The grants may be used to fund, for
example, unsubsidized and subsidized employment; work experience; on-the-job training; and
post-employment retention services, such as child care and transportation assistance.
(2/9/98)
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Idaho Governor Lauds Council in State of the State Message
Idaho Governor Phillip E. Batt recognized the work of the Idaho Workforce Development
Council during his January 12 State
of the State Address. The Governor explained that the council he established a little
over a year ago by consolidating four advisory councils is charged with coordinating
several important initiatives, such as welfare reform, school-to-work, one stop career
centers, and economic development." He added that "the council has moved beyond
the formative stages and is working to streamline and strengthen Idaho’s workforce
development system." Governor Batt also commended the "tenacious" efforts
of council chair Karen McGee and his aide and council staff contact Tana Shillingstad,
noting that "It’s almost like rounding up cats to get all these entities working
together." After the address, a surprised Karen McGee stated the consistent support
of the popular Governor has enabled the council to bring all of the key state programs and
agencies to the table to jointly reform Idaho' workforce development system. (1/27/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Study Contrasts Views on Student Preparation for Workplace and College
Employers and college professors have very different views than parents, students, and
elementary and secondary education teachers about whether public school students are
academically prepared for the workplace or college, according to Reality Check, a new study
from Public Agenda and Education
Week. Sixty-three percent of the employers and 76 percent of the professors of
college freshman and sophomores surveyed believe a high school diploma from a local public
school is no guarantee that a student has learned the basics, but only 26 percent of
elementary and secondary education teachers, 32 percent of parents, and 22 percent of high
school students surveyed have similar concerns. Nearly seven in ten employers say the
graduates they see are not ready to succeed in the workplace, and just over half of
college professors say the students they observe lack the skills necessary to succeed in
college.
The parents surveyed say their states and school districts are raising academic standards,
but few know how their children's skills measure up to those of students in other regions.
While nearly half of elementary and secondary education teachers state they expect more
from students due to local standards, a similar number report their expectations have not
changed. The report also revealed that four in ten teachers surveyed have not changed
their methods in response to new education standards and students report that most of
their classmates only do the bare minimum to get by. (1/27/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
New State Council Chairs and Staff Contacts Appointed
The National Association of State Workforce Investment Policy Council Chairs welcomes
three recently appointed state council chairs and two new executive directors. West
Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood recently appointed Dr. Edna Rothwell, director of
corporate training and employee development at the McJunkin Corporation, as chair of the
West Virginia Human Resource Investment Council. Governor Underwood also selected Dennis
Davis to serve as executive director of the new West Virginia council, established via
executive order in August. Richard Hashimoto, former chair of the Hawaii SJTCC, has been
tapped by Hawaii Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano to serve as the first chair of the state's
Workforce Development Council, established in the summer of 1997. Colorado Governor Roy
Romer recently appointed Kate Paul, president of the Rocky Mountain Division of
Kaiser-Permanente, as co-chair of the Governor's Workforce Coordinating Council. In
December, William Reece was chosen to take the helm as executive director of the Texas
Council and Workforce and Economic Competitiveness. (1/15/98)
[Home Page] [Top of Page]
Vice President Announces Plan To Expand Info-Tech Workforce
On January 12, Vice President Al Gore announced a series of administration actions to
help meet the growing demand for workers with information technology skills. According to
the U.S. Department of Labor, the demand for computer scientists, engineers, and systems
analysts will double over the next 10 years—an increase of more than 1 million
high-skill, high-wage jobs. Today, many employers report difficulty in recruiting enough
workers with these skills. Specific steps taken by the administration include the
following.
Chairs' Association to Examine the State Council Role in
Welfare-To-Work
During the fall meeting of National Association of State Workforce Investment Policy
Council Chairs, the association's chair, Betty Jane Narver of Washington State,
established a task force to explore the role of state workforce councils in promoting
private sector involvement in the implementation of state Welfare-To-Work initiatives. The
task force, headed by Texas chair Rolando Cordobes, will make formal recommendations
during the association's next meeting, February 28 to March 1, 1998 in Washington DC.
More effectively engaging the private sector in workforce development and the state
council role in Welfare-to-Work implementation were the dominant themes of the
association's fall meeting, held December 12-13 in Riverside, California. The attendees,
led by Missouri chair Patti Penny and Connecticut vice-chair Samuel Koutas, shared
innovative state strategies for involving employers in the public sector workforce
development system. In addition, the attendees heard from representatives of BFGoodrich,
Chevron, and Intel (New Mexico vice-chair Jonathan Barela) who described their
corporations' initiatives to train new and incumbent workers and employ welfare
recipients. During the lively panel discussion moderated by Wisconsin chair J. Michael
Borden, the corporate representatives outlined what their firms expect of job applicants
referred by public employment and training programs. A reoccurring issue was the need for
applicants to have solid academic, work readiness (e.g. trustworthiness and reliability),
and communication skills. This led to a lengthy discussion on the private sector and state
council role in improving public K-12 education and the lessons to be learned from the
nation's military training systems.(12/21/97)
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Pennsylvania Governor Announces Intent to Establish New
Workforce Council
During his monthly radio address
on December 5, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge announced that he is "leading the
nation's governors in urging Congress to consolidate the federal government's 163
job-training programs into a job-training block grant." Ridge said that while he
hopes such reforms will come soon, "Pennsylvania can't afford to wait for the federal
government to move" and added that "Later this month, I will issue an executive
order to change the way we approach job training in Pennsylvania. The order will create a
new council to oversee the state's 36 job-training programs, and to coordinate between the
five state agencies that run them. "Ridge stressed that the council will be comprised
primarily of employers, workers and educators -- not government officials. The council
will institute performance standards to reward job-training providers who excel at placing
people into jobs; assist in cutting bureaucratic red-tape to make job-training more
friendly for the people who use it; and integrate the state's job-training strategy with
Gov. Ridge's broader economic-development strategy. "My charge to them will be quite
simple: help me structure our job-training programs so that the bottom line is preparing
and placing Pennsylvania workers into good, family-sustaining jobs." (12/9/97)
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State Chairs' Association Weighs
in on Senate Workforce Legislation
On November 5, the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Workforce
Investment Policy Council Chairs forwarded a letter to the leadership of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee
commending them for moving forward legislation (S.1186) that begins to make federal
workforce development programs more responsive to the needs of their customers. Reflecting
the recommendations of the association's Legislative Committee, presented during the
August state chairs' meeting in Dearborn, the letter asserts
that "the provisions in this bill which call for locally delivered workforce
development programs, under the direction of private sector led boards, will encourage
business involvement and support." Consistent with the concerns
raised by the coalition of state and local elected officials, the Association
recommends that the reported bill "retain and strengthen" the provisions
permitting states, working with localities and the private sector, to design and implement
a single, comprehensive and responsive workforce development system. Debate about this
unified plan provision of S.1186, opposed
by education groups, has delayed Senate action on the bill. Senate action on the bill
is expected early next year.(11/7/97)
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New State Chairs and Council Staff Contacts Appointed
The National Association of State Workforce Investment Policy Council Chairs welcomes
two recently appointed state council chairs and two new council staff contacts. Last
month, Alabama Governor Fob James appointed Fred Blackwell, the personnel manager of
Uniroyal/Goodrich Tire Company in Opelika, as the new chair of the Alabama Job Training
Coordinating Council (JTCC) and Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating appointed Jack Moore, the
president of City College in Norman, as chair of the Oklahoma JTCC. In addition, Robert
Strong, staff to Delaware council chair Lt. Governor Ruth Ann Minner, was recently
appointed executive director of Delaware's Workforce Development Council and Robert
Simoneau, director for workforce development at the Montana Department of Labor and
Industry, is now staff contact for the Governor's Workforce Preparation Coordinating
Council. (11/20/97)
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Nebraska Governor Establishes HRIC
In October, Nebraska Governor E. Benjamin Nelson signed an executive order
establishing a human
resources investment council (HRIC). Nebraska joins thirty-six other states that have
created HRICs or similar broad-based workforce development councils. The executive order
states that the Nebraska council was formed "to bring together the broad range of
stakeholders to provide state-level coordination and integration among federal and state
workforce policies and programs, and to establish goals and guidelines for the development
of a single state plan for the delivery of workforce development services and make
recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature of the effective use of
resources." The chair of the HRIC will come from business and industry and shall be
appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor. Staff support is to be provided
by the Nebraska Department of Labor's State Job Training Administration. The Nebraska Job
Training Council will assist in the transition to the new HRIC and will continue to
function until it is disbanded by executive order, which will not occur until all of the
members of the HRIC have been appointed. (11/2/97)
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Thirteen More
States and Guam Receive Waivers
On October 21, Vice President Al Gore and Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman
announced that 13 more states and Guam won approval to operate their federal job training
programs with less oversight and fewer restrictions from the federal government. The
states receiving waiver approval are:
California, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New
York, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. "These waivers will allow states to
tailor their employment and training efforts to better meet the needs of job-seekers and
local employers," said Vice President Gore. These waivers are in addition to the 14 states
granted waivers in July from requirements of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) and
the Wagner-Peyser Act. The waivers are intended to enable states to bypass certain federal
regulations and customize their job training programs for displaced workers, welfare
recipients and disadvantaged youth and adults. In exchange for increased flexibility to
design seamless delivery of services, the states commit to improved accountability and
performance outcomes. (11/2/97)
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Coalition of State and Local Elected Officials Takes Stand on
Senate Workforce Bill
On October 10, the National Governors' Association, the National Conference of State
Legislatures, the National Association of Counties, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the
National League of Cities forwarded a joint letter to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee
indicating their conditional support for the Workforce Investment Partnership Act (S.
1186), which is pending consideration and approval by the full Senate. While the coalition
expressed regret that the bill does not include a significant consolidation of federal
employment and training programs, the groups are pleased that the bill reflects many of
their bipartisan, state and locally supported recommendations and contains provisions that
will permit real reform at the state and local levels. However, the coalition conditioned
their ongoing support on the continued inclusion of the bill's provision permitting the
consolidation of programs at the state level through a unified planning process. Education groups have strongly criticized this provision. The
coalition letter states, "This provision is the closest that we have seen to real
consolidation and its inclusion is critical to our support." The coalition also urged
the Senate to consider the bill prior to adjournment. To review USDOL's
side-by-side comparing the JTPA reform provisions of the House Workforce Bill (H.R. 1385)
and S. 1186 with current law, click
here. (10/16/97)
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Education Groups Oppose Elements of Senate Workforce Bill
The Workforce Investment Partnership Act (S. 1186), which was unanimously adopted by
the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee
on September 24, is being criticized by 19 of the nation's most influential education
groups, including the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Association
of State Boards of Education, because it ties vocational education activities to
employment and training activities. In particular, the groups are opposed to the unified
state plan and one-stop system provisions of the Senate bill. In a letter to the
Committee, the groups said that some provisions of S. 1186 could divert federal funds away
from school-based programs and reduce the authority of public education officials over the
use of those dollars. The bill, however, contains almost all of the provisions sought by a
coalition of organizations representing state and local elected officials—National
Governors' Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, U.S. Conference of
Mayors, and National League of Cities. Committee staff has indicated that Senate passage
of the workforce bill hinges on broad consensus among affected interests. (10/6/97)
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Senate Labor Committee Approves
Workforce Bill
On September 24, the Senate Labor and Human
Resources Committee ordered
S. 1186, the Workforce Investment Partnership Act, reported to the Senate for
consideration. The bill was reported with minor amendments and subject to continual
fine-tuning—but not wholesale rewriting of any major provision—up to the time
that the bill comes up in the Senate. Senator Jeffords (R-Vt.), the committee chair, is
aiming to have the bill heard on the Senate floor the week of October 20. Jeffords and
Senator Kennedy (D-Mass.), the ranking Democrat, both indicated that they do not expect a
conference committee with the House until next year. Effective date of the new law would
be July 1, 1999. (9/26/97)
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Senators DeWine, Jeffords, Kennedy, and Wellstone Introduce Workforce
Investment Partnership Act
On Wednesday, September 17, Senators DeWine (R-Ohio), Jeffords (R-Vt.), Kennedy
(D-Mass.), and Wellstone (D-Minn.) of the Senate
Labor and Human Resources Committee introduced the Workforce Investment Partnership
Act (S. 1186). The bill includes separate titles for adult education, vocational
education, and job training for adults, youth and dislocated workers. Additionally it
provides linkages to and coordination with welfare to work activities, the Wagner-Peyser
Act, the Older Americans Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Bureau of Apprenticeship and
Training, veterans programs, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and other job training and
related programs. While introducing the bill, Senator DeWine stated, "Just like we
did with welfare reform, job training reform is about recognizing the leadership of States
that have shown innovation and initiative over the last few years, even in the midst of
numerous Federal barriers and obstacles. It is about allowing them and encouraging them to
continue with the innovations they have implemented without Federal reform
legislation." According to Senator DeWine, S. 1186 "provides States and
localities the flexibility to develop training programs that meet the real needs of those
seeking training." The bill as introduced addresses many of the concerns raised, by
the National Governors' Association and other groups, with a working draft of the bill
circulated by committee staff in late August. (9/22/97)
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