To inform local stakeholders of implementation strategies of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in Colorado, The Colorado Workforce Development Council held a regional meeting in Alamosa on June 16, 2015. Handouts from the meeting are available by visiting this website.

This overview of WIOA from the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) provides an introduction to the law, including a cross-comparison of WIA and WIOA and descriptions of the core programs.

As states near the final stages of WIOA planning, many in the field are asking what final steps they can take to impact their state plans. National Skills Coalition’s (NSC) partners at Chicago Jobs Council (CJC) are organizing activities that provide examples for other policy advocates and service providers.

This brief from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) provides an overview of the WIOA legislation and a justification for why the new provisions were needed. It also outlines the specific provisions within the legislation that create opportunities for economic and career success for low-income workers.

On Tuesday, March 15, 2016 the Office of Family Assistance hosted an Affinity Call Webinar for the TANF/WIOA Peer Exchange Initiative sites. The webinar focused on data sharing and integration, and highlighted Mississippi’s partnership with the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center to build a system that facilitates data sharing between TANF, WIOA, and other partners. The presenters provided information on what it takes to build a collaborative commitment, strategies for meeting different programmatic needs, and an overview of their common intake form and electronic referral system.

This guide from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) provides an introduction to labor market information (LMI) for TANF administrators. It includes uses for LMI data, distinctions among types of data, and explains how TANF practitioners can work with staff in state departments of labor to help their clients find good jobs.

This guide from Ascend at the Aspen Institute highlights resources and cross-sector strategies to help engage employers and create meaningful work opportunities for low-income individuals. The guide also emphasizes how WIOA presents opportunities to advocate for two-generation approaches that support youth and adults.

Mathematica Policy Research is evaluating Pathways to Careers, an innovative employment program for people with disabilities. This webinar, from Mathematica’s Center for Studying Disability Policy, discussed evaluation findings, alignment of the program’s provisions with WIOA, trends in best practices for rehabilitation, and Pathways’ strategies for delivery of services and engagement of employers.

As states release draft Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) state plans for public comment, advocates and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to offer suggestions for improvement. CLASP is offering this list of questions to help review the plans with a focus on how WIOA can improve economic and career success for low-income youth and adults.