WIOA Overview

1. WIOA Overview April, 2016 Content Adapted from RSA Presentation, November 2014

2. Background • Signed into law on July 22, 2014 • Effective Dates Vary • Title IV (VR and Supported Employment) became effective upon enactment • Most other sections effective July 1, 2015 • Effective for 6 years (through 2020) • Proposed regulations currently out for comment

3. Core Programs • Amends/reauthorizes four programs • Workforce Investment Act of 1998 • Adult Education and Family Literacy Act • Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 • Rehabilitation Act of 1973

4. Please Note: The Federal VR program allows some variety in how states implement services. This handout discusses all the changes now required by WIOA for all states.  Any changes WIOA has made to your state’s VR program depends on how your VR program was set up prior to WIOA.  For example, states that already had a 90-day limit to develop Individualized Plans for Employment (IPEs) will not be impacted by this deadline that is now required of all states because they already meet it.

5. Key Changes: Alignment • Aligns Federal investments to support job seekers and employers • Unified strategic planning across “core” programs at State level; • Plans include strategic vision and goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce and meeting needs of employers; • Unified plan must address a State’s strategy for engaging community and technical colleges as partners in workforce system.

6. Key Changes: Performance • Establishes common performance measures and encourages common data systems across core programs • Six primary indicators of performance to be negotiated with each State by Secretaries of Education and Labor as part of the Unified State plan. • States negotiate performance levels with local areas. • Indicators include employment-related outcomes, credential attainment and measurable skills gain. Performance goals reflect economic conditions and participant characteristics.

7. Specific Measures • Adult: Unsubsidized employment; earnings; secondary diploma or recognized postsecondary credential; measurable skills gains toward a credential or employment; and business engagement. • Youth: Education or training activities or unsubsidized employment; earnings; secondary diploma or recognized postsecondary credential; measurable skills gains toward a credential or employment; and business engagement.

8. Overall Emphasis • Renewed commitment to workforce development with an eye to the future through innovation and support for individual, community, state and national economic growth • Increasing opportunities, particularly for those facing barriers to employment (explicitly including individuals with disabilities) • Invests in connection between education and career preparation.

9. Title IV Areas of Emphasis • Students with disabilities leaving school without jobs or postsecondary training, requires a focus on creating opportunities for success. • Dual customer approach, requiring addition of targeted services for employers and opportunities for input by employers.

10. Key Changes: Employment • Emphasizes achievement of competitive integrated employment through: • Customized employment; • Supported employment; and • Individualized services. • Emphasizes career advancement through graduate degrees, particularly in STEM careers.

11. Key Changes: Dual Customer • Expands VR focus on employer engagement to provide work-based learning experiences and to identify competitive integrated employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the job-driven workforce • VR portion of the Unified Plan must describe how VR agencies will work with employers to accomplish these aims; • VR agencies will assist individuals with disabilities to gain the skills and training to promote careers matching employers’ needs; • Work-based learning includes internships and apprenticeships.

12. Key Changes: Transition • Places significant emphasis on serving students and youth with disabilities by increasing opportunities to practice and improve workplace skills, including internships and apprenticeships. • Promotes participation in postsecondary education in high demand jobs and careers, including STEM. • Requires 15% set aside of Federal VR funds to provide pre-employment transition • Adds pre-employment transition services (PETS) • Strengthens coordination between VR and LEAs for services provided under IDEA and PETS

13. Key Changes: PETS Required • Pre-employment Transition Services • job exploration counseling; • work-based learning experiences (including internships); • counseling; • work readiness; • instruction in self-advocacy, including peer mentoring • Funds cannot be used for administrative costs.

14. Key Changes: PETS Authorized • Strategies to increase IL and inclusion in workplaces • Strategies for individuals with SD to participate in postsecondary education experiences & obtain employment • Instruction to VRCs & school personnel on supporting students • Disseminating innovative, effective and efficient approaches • Coordinating activities with transition under IDEA • Applying evidence-based findings to improve policy, procedures and practices for youth • Developing Model Transition Demonstration Projects • Developing multi-state or regional cross-system partnerships • Disseminating strategies to improve transition for underserved

15. Key Changes: Definitions • Competitive Integrated Employment • Customized Employment • Student with a Disability • Youth with a Disability • Pre-employment Transition Services

16. Key Changes: State Plan • VR State plan is now the VR portion of the Unified State Plan in title I of WIOA. • VR portion includes additional descriptions on how the VR agency will work with employers to identify competitive integrated employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

17. Key Changes: Miscellaneous • WIOA permits States under an OOS to elect to serve eligible individuals who require specific services or equipment to maintain employment. • Timeline for IPE development is as soon as possible, but not later than 90 days after the determination of eligibility, unless the individual and VR counselor agree to a specific extension. • Reporting requirements now include open-case data on some elements (training/PETS). • Emphasizes use of AT and coordination with state programs under the AT Act.

18. Key Changes: VR Services • Emphasis on customized employment • Revisions to the “Services to Groups” provisions to increase flexibility • Transition services • AT demos, loan programs and financing • Services to businesses

19. Key Changes: CSPD • Requires that personnel have a 21st century understanding of the evolving labor force and the needs of individuals with disabilities. • Requires the DSU to describe in its CSPD the continuing education of rehabilitation professionals and para-professionals, particularly with respect to rehabilitation technology. • Eliminates the requirement in the VR portion of the plan that VR agencies describe the steps to be taken to retrain or hire personnel to meet the appropriate professional requirements in the State.

20. Key Changes: SE • VR agencies provide SE services for a period of not more than 24 months except that period may be extended as necessary, in order to achieve the employment outcome in the individual’s IPE. • Limits allowable administrative costs in the SE allotment to 2.5%. • Requires VR agencies to reserve and expend 50% of their Federal SE allotment for the provision of SE services to youth with the most significant disabilities to assist them to achieve an SE outcome. • Permits VR agencies to provide extended services for youth with the most significant disabilities up to four years. • The State must provide a match of at least 10% for the total amount of expenditures incurred with the funds reserved to provide SE services to youth with the most significant disabilities.

21. Key Changes: Subminimum Wage • Places limitations on the payment of subminimum wages by entities holding special wage certificates under FLSA. • Requires individuals with disabilities seeking or continuing employment w/these entities to access services, including VR. • Individuals age 24 or younger may not begin work paying subminimum wage unless the individual has completed, and produces documentation indicating completion of each of the following: • Received PETS or transition services under IDEA, and • Applied for VR services and found ineligible for services, or • Eligible for VR services but has not been successful and has been provided career counseling, I&R to other appropriate resources

22. Key Changes: Training Grant • Eliminates the State VR Unit “In-Service Training” program. Current In-Service Training grants (84.265A and 84.265B) initiated in FY 2010 will end on 9/30/2015.

23. Key Changes: Program Transfers • Transfers programs from ED to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in HHS • State Independent Living Services Program • Centers for Independent Living Program • National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research • Programs under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 • RSA maintains administration of Independent Living for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program.

24. Acronyms • AT – Assistive Technology • CSPD – Comprehensive System of Personnel Development • DSU – Designated State Unit • ED – Education Department • FLSA - Fair Labor Standards Act • HHS – Health and Human Services • IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act • IL – Independent Living • IPE – Individualized Plan for Employment • I & R – Information & Referral

25. Acronyms, cont. • LEA – Local Education Authority • OOS – Order of Selection • PETS – Pre-employment Transition Services • RSA – Rehabilitation Services Administration • SD – Severe Disability • SE – Supported Employment • STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math • VR – Vocational Rehabilitation • VRC – Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors • WIOA – Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act