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Workforce Investment News Archive

ETA Publishes Final Planning Guidance for WIA Stand-Alone and Unified Strategic Plans
Apr 12, 2005
The Workforce Investment Act provides the framework for a reformed workforce investment system designed to meet the needs of the nation's employers, job seekers and those who want to further their careers.

Through separate notices in the April 12 FEDERAL REGISTER, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has officially published the Planning Guidance and Instructions for use by States in submitting two years of their Strategic Five-Year Plan for Title I of the Workforce Investment Act. These Guidance documents -- respectively tailored for standalone and unified plans -- provide a framework for the collaboration of Governors, Local Elected Officials, businesses and other partners to continue the development of workforce investment systems that address customer needs, deliver integrated, user-friendly services; and are accountable to the customers and the public. The Guidance emphasizes that the planning process must be dynamic, fluid, and future-oriented.

  • Standalone Plan Guidance and Instructions (April 12, 2005)
  • Unified Plan Guidance and Instructions (April 12, 2005)

    ETA announced and described the proposed revisions of the strategic planning requirement through:

  • Training and Employment Guidance Letter 14-04 (January 21, 2005)
  • Federal Register notice for Standalone plans (February 7, 2005)
  • Federal Register notice for Unified plans (February 24, 2005)

    These Federal Register notices directed the workforce system to copies of the proposed Guidance for both standalone and unified plans. Comments were invited to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The final Guidance and Instructions for both types of plans incorporate the results of the OMB recommendations based on those comments. There are only a few changes from the February 7 and February 25 publication:

    Stand Alone

    • Increased use of flexibility provisions in WIA section provides waiver Web site.
    • Overarching State Strategies and Labor Market Analysis ? one requests the data elements being used and the strategies requests the approach States are using based on the analysis of the data.
    • Additional information on the eligible training provider list.
    • Performance management and Accountability adds information on baseline data for the common measures.

    Unified

      Statement of Purpose and Submission of State Unified Plans sections contain information on the process for submitting plans under Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 and the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.
    • Section 501 Programs and Activities provides contact information for the various programs.
    • The Performance Accountability section provides clarifying information on the common measures
    • Plan development and Implementation clarifies requirements around TANF.
    • The section on major state policies and requirements includes a request for information on administrative costs.
    • A new section (4) was added in the Service Delivery section related to the Jobs for Veterans Act plan.