Examines the shift from the Manpower Development and Training Act to the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and the difference between these programs and the Job Training Partnership Act. Also discusses the training of welfare recipients and setting priorities for the future of such programs. (CT)

This hearing before the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources focuses on national goals for employment and poverty reduction. Testimony was heard from government officials, union representatives, economists, and other interested persons. Excerpts from articles and publications were submitted for review. The testimony included the following…

During the 1990s, the federal government promised low-income families that work would pay. Parents moved into jobs in response to new welfare rules requiring work, tax credits and other work supports that boosted take-home pay. Unfortunately, the record shows that low-income families have not progressed much. Many do not bring home enough to cover…

Welfare programs and the people who use them have a bad public image. Any attempts at welfare reform should include the dissemination of factual information to eliminate the misconceptions. This information should include the following facts: (1) only 60% of poverty stricken households receive welfare; (2) most government services and funds to…

Despite welfare reform initiatives emphasizing job training, the complexity of dealing with county, state, and federal agencies and regulations often forces low income women to choose between working/training and keeping child-care assistance. Adult educators can advocate for policy changes in financial aid, child care, and other support services.…

This review attempts to consider all publicly available studies that examine employment outcomes for people who have left welfare. Only studies that describe their methodology clearly and report survey response rates of 50% or higher are included, for a total of 11 studies reviewed. These studies cover various geographic areas, labor market…

Reviews education and training aspects of Clinton proposals and recommends funding of prenatal care, Head Start, and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); parenting training for WIC, Head Start, and welfare recipient parents; revival of career education; expansion of cooperative education and tech prep; assessment of national standards and…

The poverty rate in America has increased during the Reagan Administration. Real welfare benefits have fallen sharply and people with jobs have been disqualified from government assistance. Using lessons from the public and private sectors, legislators are attempting to change the regulations of public assistance and welfare work programs to…

Recent research by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC) indicates that while recipients in public housing may be a more difficult-to-employ group in some locales, they may also benefit the most from mainstream welfare-to-work programs. Some policy implications raised by the evidence include the following: (1) the link between…

This newsletter double issue is totally devoted to this report. The report presents an overview of recent policy changes related to job training and education for welfare recipients. It also presents the findings of research on several types of job training programs, discusses the data on the economic value of basic and higher education, and…

A study examined major performance standards issues in the context of employment and training programs targeted toward the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) population. Telephone interviews were conducted with representatives from Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs and departments of public welfare in nine states. A…

Nationwide, public attention has increasingly focused on the need for a variety of early care and education arrangements to meet the changing needs of families. The demand for early care and education has grown for families from all socioeconomic sectors, intensifying as participants in welfare-to-work programs enter the workforce, and as work…

This paper evaluates the effect of Federal resettlement policy on Southeast Asian refugee women's employment training programs and describes the extent to which this training contributed to the refugees' economic mobility and acculturation. The report is divided into three major sections. Part 1 introduces the study by discussing its background,…

A study examined time limits from the perspectives of welfare recipients and line staff in welfare agencies. Data on time-limited welfare were drawn from staff surveys and from group and individual interviews with both staff and recipients in selected locations in Florida, Vermont, and Wisconsin during the first half of 1996. Findings indicated…

The past several years have seen basic changes in policies and programs concerning poverty, work, and workforce development. The essence of the changes is putting work first, and many states and localities are building "Work First" into welfare-to-work programs funded under Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and many are adopting…