TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 4-01

TO:         ALL STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS
            ALL STATE WORKER ADJUSTMENT LIAISONS
            ALL STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES
            ALL ONE-STOP CENTER SYSTEM LEADS
                 /s/
FROM:	    EMILY STOVER DeROCCO
            Assistant Secretary
SUBJECT:    Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Readiness Workgroup Activities

1. Purpose. To transmit information about the activities of the WIA Readiness Workgroups to the workforce investment system.

2. Authorities and References.

• Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. L 105-220), August 7, 1998.

• WIA Regulations, 20 CFR Part 652 Subpart C, 660-671 et al.

3. Background. In June 2000, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) issued Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 15-99, which described contingency plan options for implementing WIA and included a list of "Elements of a Substantially Implemented WIA System". With these elements as the guide, ETA's Regional Offices conducted a series of on-site reviews to gauge the progress that states and local communities were making in implementing WIA, to identify the concerns and issues that have emerged, to identify promising practices, and to identify technical assistance needs. Focused on the early stages of implementation, the review was intended to examine the fundamental elements of a WIA system - not to assess quality or the degree to which WIA reforms had been achieved.Based on the reviews, ETA developed a WIA Readiness Report, describing the significant progress that the system has achieved in implementing WIA, as well as identifying the challenges that need to be addressed. The report has been widely shared with the system and is available at http://usworkforce.org/readiness-report.htm. To address the key issues identified in the WIA Readiness Report, ETA convened four groups of local, state and federal subject-area experts. These workgroups were tasked with suggesting strategies to assist the workforce investment system in addressing issues that have been identified as barriers to the successful implementation of WIA. The four workgroups were: (1) One-Stop Service Delivery; (2) Adult and Dislocated Worker Services; (3) Youth Services; and (4) Attracting and Retaining Employer Involvement on Workforce Investment Boards. Each workgroup met three times. A summary of the number of local, state and federal participants is found in Attachment B.

4. Discussion. Based on the workgroups' input and information, ETA has identified several actions that will be taken to address key readiness issues. In most cases these actions will by completed by December 2001. Information on the short term actions may be found in Attachment A. Longer term actions will be determined as the process unfolds.

In addition to the actions described in Attachment A, two additional activities underway include financial management training and the formation of performance accountability workgroups. A financial management technical assistance guide (TAG) has been drafted and is under review. It provides information on financial and administrative requirements that are applicable to ETA-funded programs functioning as required partners in the One-Stop System, which includes WIA Title I programs. The TAG includes chapters on allowable costs and cost allocation. The training sessions began in September 2001. The target audience is state, local and other grant staff responsible for ensuring that the program is being properly operated and fiscally sound. A listing of training dates and cities is posted on http://usworkforce.org/events/financialtraining.htm.

Issues related to performance accountability and reporting have been provided to the ETA Performance Team for consideration and appropriate action. Some issues, such as the renegotiation of performance levels and the development of additional indicators of performance, were discussed at a meeting held on September 5th and 6th in Washington, DC. Results of those meetings and plans for additional guidance on performance accountability will be made available in November 2001.

5. Action. States are requested to distribute this TEIN to all officials within the state who establish policies or deliver services to individuals through the One-Stop centers.

6. Inquiries. For information regarding the work of specific workgroups, please contact:

Workgroup	Contact	E-Mail	Phone Number
One-Stop	Maria Kniesler-Flynn	[email protected]	202-693-3045
Youth Services	Haskel Lowery	[email protected]	202-693-3608
Adult Services	Doug Holl	[email protected]	202-693-3576
Workforce Boards	Laura Ginsburg	[email protected]	202-693-2803

Inquiries on this TEIN may also be directed to your ETA Regional Office.

7. Attachments.

1. Tables of Short-Term Actions

2. Federal, State and Local Participation in WIA Readiness Workgroups

RESCISSIONS    None

EXPIRATION DATE    Continuing

Attachment A
Short-Term Actions

One-Stop:

The One-Stop workgroup discussed three key topics: (1) Service Integration; (2) Cost Allocation and Resource Sharing; and (3) Partnership and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) development.

Desired Result	Action	Timing
Demonstration of federal partner commitment to and support of the One-Stop delivery system and its coordinated services.	Develop a national issuance that communicates a common message that can be signed and distributed by all federal partner agencies.	Issuance drafted and circulated to the federal partners for comment by November 2001
Increased awareness of promising practices to better serve customers in a One-Stop Career Center.	Develop a website that links all current accounts of promising practices; periodically update with current information.	Prototype of website to be developed by State of Illinois-led consortium by February 2002.
Increased communication and discussion among One-Stop partner program representatives at the federal, state and local level on cross-cutting issues such as cost allocation and partnership (MOU) development.	Convene, in partnership with the federal partner agencies, a series of regional forums to discuss One-Stop system issues and experiences.	Six forums to be held by May 2002.

Youth Services:

The Youth Workgroup has been discussing issues related to: (1) engaging Youth Councils; (2) determining eligibility of low-income youth; (3) meeting the 30 percent requirement for serving out-of-school youth; and (4) youth program design.

Desired Result	Action	Timing
Youth Council members and staff have greater understanding about function and responsibilities of Youth Council.	1. Disseminate to states and local areas a youth resource guide that provides information on strategic planning and community resource/asset mapping that may be done by Youth Councils. 2. Sponsor an "Institute" for Youth Council members on strategic planning; evaluate approach and disseminate results as appropriate. 3. Develop a tool kit of resource materials for Youth Council members and staff.	1. Dissemination began August 2001; guide available via the Internet at http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/maps-founding.asp 2. October 2001. 3. Tool kit to be completed by November 2001.
Increased enrollment of and services to youth, both in-school and out-of-school, using appropriate eligibility criteria.	In collaboration with Adult Services, develop system guidance to facilitate the development at state and local levels of appropriate eligibility determination policies and procedures.	Guidance to be issued in January 2002.
Increased enrollment of and services to out-of-school youth.	1. Develop guidance clarifying the definition of alternative schools; use of ITA's and eligible training providers for older youth; and documentation and verification of youth eligibility. 2. Develop tips and identify existing resources for effective strategies for recruiting, retaining and providing program services to out-of-school youth.	1. Guidance to be issued in December 2001. 2. Guidance to be issued by January 2002.

Adult Services:

The Adult Services Workgroup has been discussing issues related to: (1) Individual Training Accounts and Eligible Training Providers; (2) eligibility determination; (3) the implications of service design and mix on WIA title I programs; and (4) the point of registration for adult and dislocated worker programs.

Desired Result	Action	Timing
Increased participation of training providers as Eligible Training Providers.	Develop system guidance that discusses ways to address barriers to training provider participation in the One-Stop system.	Guidance to be issued by November 2001.
Eligibility determination policies and procedures developed by states and local areas.	In collaboration with Youth Services, convene workgroup to develop appropriate framework and guidance on aspects of eligibility that require the development of state and/or local policies, eligibility determination processes and documentation. Communicate outcomes to system.	Guidance to be issued by January 2002.
Appropriate services provided to job seeker customers, including reemployment services and post-placement services and follow up.	Develop system guidance clarifying WIA policy on work first and customer-focused services, including reemployment services.	Guidance to be issued by December 2001.
Appropriate classification of services.	Develop system guidance clarifying types of services and eligibility for each service.	Guidance to be issued by December 2001.
Consistent measurement of participant services throughout the system.	1. Convene workgroup of partner representatives to develop additional indicators of performance, including measures of self-service and informational activities. 2. Identify current practices of collecting data on non-registrants.	1. Workgroup formed in September 2001; guidelines will be available for PY 2002. 2. Report drafted for comment by November 2001.

Employer Involvement on Boards:

The Employer Involvement Workgroup examining employer involvement on Workforce Investment Boards focused on two issues: the difficulty in attracting employers and the difficulty retaining employers on the Boards. To attract employers to the workforce boards it is important that elected officials understand the role of the board and to retain employers it is critical that the boards be recognized within the system as an essential component.

Desired Result	Action	Timing
Elected officials have greater understanding of the functions and role of workforce boards, leading to more strategic employer appointments to boards.	Continued outreach to elected officials by intergovernmental organizations, including development of brochures and informational seminars.	Ongoing
Workforce boards have greater understanding about their operations and responsibilities.	Develop and distribute a list of products and information available for board members.	Guidance to be disseminated by December 2001.

Attachment B

Federal, State, and Local Participation in WIA Readiness Workgroups

WORKGROUPS	FEDERAL (ETA)	FEDERAL (NON-ETA)	STATE	LOCAL	OTHER (National Orgs., IGOs, etc.)	TOTAL
One-Stop	21	17	18	14	0	70
Youth Services	29	3	19	32	4	87
Adult Services	30	2	22	13	4	71
Employer Involvement on Workforce Investment Boards	20	1	7	9	11	48
Total	100	23	66	68	19	276