Americans with disabilities depend on the disability services infrastructure, which consists of health, education, and social services programs. The need for these services is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades as a result of several factors, most notably the aging of the baby boom generation and declining birthrates. These…

This newsletter, published five times a year, features articles on issues of concern to adult, family, and youth literacy practitioners, as well as recommended resources, announcements, and teaching strategies. This issue includes: (1) Career Pathways for High School Dropouts: A National Survey (Jon Steinberg); (2) Work (Elyse Barbell); (3) Peer…

Directors of 505 local workforce investment boards (WIBs) nationwide were surveyed to understand implementation status, linkages with education, and factors affecting implementation of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. Findings indicated nearly all local WIBs established a youth council and a network of youth service providers; local…

In an effort to assess what progress states and localities are making in implementation of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, a study identified three issues of particular concern: (1) mandatory partners' participation in the one-stops; (2) job seekers' ability to receive enhanced choices for training; and (3) private-sector participation…

This policy brief identifies and describes the provisions of the proposed regulation describing the responsibilities of a state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency to design and operate the state VR program as an integral component of the statewide workforce investment system, as envisioned by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). The…

This information brief examines use of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 to address the transition needs of youth with disabilities. WIA funds a range of training, career development, and job placement services for diverse clients in one-stop centers. WIA contains specific provisions that support the participation of youth with…

Progress in integration of state-level welfare and work force development systems in the Midwest was examined through case studies of 10 communities in 7 states. The case studies focused on local-level coordination and/or integration between the welfare and work force development systems. Despite legislative mechanisms to encourage collaboration,…

This document includes comments on the adult provisions of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), informed by research conducted with employers, employer organizations, and others on the strengths and weaknesses of the current workforce development system from the perspective of employers and low-wage, low-skill employees. Jobs for the Future is…

Knowledge supply chains are market-driven, competency-based systems in which education and training are aligned to help employers, educators, workers, and students navigate more effectively in the global economy. Three key trends warrant attention in today's global economy: (1) knowledge and skill needs are escalating and changing rapidly; (2)…

In this guide, transition is defined as the period of time when adolescents are moving into adulthood. This guide is designed to (a) help youth and the adults who work with them understand the role of assessment in transition and (b) describe ways to collect and use data that will lead to informed choices based on accurate assessment of each…

To assess the current connections between the Unemployment Insurance (UI) and One-Stop (OS) systems, case studies were conducted of eight states and eight local areas. Findings indicated the major factor that influenced UI's role in the OS design was whether the state took initial claims by telephone or in-person; UI played differing roles in…

Coordination between Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)-related programs and Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)'s one-stop centers increased since spring 2000, when WIA was first implemented. Nearly all states reported some coordination between the programs at either the state or the local level. Most often, coordination took one…

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) programs can be coordinated in a number of ways, some of them especially focused on women. For example, research suggests the following: (1) WIA and TANF can be coordinated to improve low-income women's human capital development; (2) many states and localities…

This document, which is intended to provide technical assistance to individuals responsible for integrating year-round and summer employment and training services for youth under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), contains case studies of eight employment and training programs that have already or are in the process of integrating their summer…

An evaluation was conducted to assess progress in implementing the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 (which sought to streamline the delivery of employment and training services) during its first full year ending in June 2001. Data were gathered through contact with 12 national associations representing state and local implementers, visits to…