The social, economic, political, historical, and racial context shaping the criminal justice system is complex and extensive. As a result, individuals who have been incarcerated face limited opportunities--particularly for education and training--both during and after incarceration. Historical investments in corrections and policies that…

Research conducted within Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) and Workforce Investment Act of 1998 systems indicates pervasive issues hindering program effectiveness for job seekers with disabilities. This population frequently experiences employment barriers beyond those…

Geneva College, a Christian institution in Pennsylvania, will be allowed to post job advertisements on a state-sponsored Web site even though the college requires employees to be Christians, according to the terms of a settlement reached in federal court. The college had sued the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and the U.S.…

This study investigated the services provided to students' participating in career preparation programs (e.g., career counseling, mentoring, apprenticeships, work-based learning, or GED programs) provided by the Massachusetts One-Stop Career Centers. A study conducted by the President's Task Force for Disadvantaged Students (2003) found that…

The purpose of this publication is to present Iowa's adult literacy program approved projected benchmark percentage levels for Program Year 2006 (July 1, 2005-June 30, 2006). The passage of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) [Public Law 105-220] by the 105th Congress has ushered in a new era of collaboration, coordinator, cooperation and…

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)…

This comprehensive document replaces the previously published Benchmark Report, Benchmark Report Executive Summary, Iowa's Community College Basic Literacy Skills Credential Report, Iowa GED Statistical Report, GED Annual Performance Report and Iowa's Adult Literacy Program National Reporting System Annual Performance Report (Graphic…

This Policy Brief is intended to help the National Commission on Adult Literacy consider state and federal policy strategies that hold promise for increasing the number of lower-skilled adults, including those with limited English skills, who earn postsecondary credentials that can open the door to family-supporting jobs and careers. It examines…

This document contains four papers (and an introduction by William Wilhelm) on teaching "soft" skills in business education programs. "The Skill Building Challenge: Preparing a Bridge for the Workforce Skills Gap" (Sheila M. Smith) examines the following topics: the workforce skills gap; the importance of academic and…

This document examines selected issues related to collaboration between the welfare and work force development systems under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, Welfare-to-Work grant program, and Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). The document begins with a brief overview of how recent policy developments have created…

The major needs of career and technical education (CTE) in the year 2000 were assessed. The regional needs-sensing networks of the National Dissemination Center and the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education were used to obtain input from members of the following stakeholder groups: state-level liaisons; representatives of…

The state of Washington's workforce development system agenda focused in 2002 on these four goals: (1) closing a perceived job skills gap; (2) training incumbent and dislocated workers in order to prepare them for changes in the economy; (3) achieving wage progression for low income individuals; and (4) integrating workforce development programs…

According to the most recent National Adult Literacy Survey, nearly half of Illinois adults lack sufficient reading proficiency to ensure job success and advancement in 21st century workplaces. The Test of Adult Basic Education is currently used as a pretest/posttest in Illinois' existing adult basic education, adult secondary education, and…

This handbook is designed to help Maine's citizens and business persons understand why work force development is important in Maine and how Maine's new work force development system will be organized to enable the state to implement the Workforce Investment Act. The following are among the topics discussed throughout the handbook: (1) the…

The practices and perceptions of Wisconsin employers regarding welfare recipients were examined. First, 500 employers outside the Milwaukee metropolitan area were interviewed by telephone. Those data were merged with data from a survey of Milwaukee-area employers, resulting in a statewide sample of about 1,250 Wisconsin employers (25%, 35%, and…