	Introduction

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA; P.L. 113-28 ), which succeeded the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 ( P.L. 105-220 ), is the primary federal legislation that supports workforce development. WIOA was e nacted to bring about increased coordination and alignment among federal workforce development and related programs. Most of its provisions went into effect on July 1, 2015. WIOA includes five titles:
Title I—Workforce Development Activities—authorizes job training and related services to unemployed or underemployed individuals and establishes the governance and performance accountability system for WIOA; Title II—Adult Education and Literacy—authorizes education services to assist adults in improving their basic skills, completing secondary education, and transitioning to postsecondary education; Title III—Amendments to the Wagner-Peyser Act—amends the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 to integrate the U.S. Employment Service (ES) into the One-Stop system authorized by WIOA; Title IV—Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973—authorizes employment-related vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities, to integrate vocational rehabilitation into the One-Stop system; and Title V—General Provisions—specifies transition provisions from WIA to WIOA. Workforce development programs provide a combination of education and training services to prepare individuals for work and to help them improve their prospects in the labor market. This report focuses on the workforce development activities that the federal government supports through WIOA, which are designed to increase the employment and earnings of workers. This includes activities such as job search assistance, career counseling, occupational skills training, classroom training, or on-the-job training. Title III amends the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933, which authorizes the Employment Service (ES), to make the ES an integral part of the One-Stop system amended by WIOA. Title I programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), primarily through its Employment and Training Administration (ETA). WIOA authorizes appropriations for WIOA programs from FY2015 through FY2020. This section of the report provides details of the WIOA Title I state formula grant program's structure, services supported, allotment formulas, and performance accountability provisions. In addition, it provides a program overview for national grant programs. This system is supposed to provide employment and training services that are responsive to the demands of local area employers. Under the state formula grant portion of WIOA, which accounts for nearly 60% of total WIOA Title I funding, the majority of funds are allocated to local WDBs (after initial allotment from ETA to the states) that are authorized to determine the mix of service provision, eligible providers, and types of training programs, among other decisions. The WIOA system provides central points of service through its system of One-Stop centers . Local WDB Functions

The local WDB performs multiple functions in carrying out the programs and services authorized under WIOA, including the following:
development of a local plan for workforce investment activities; analysis of regional labor market conditions, including needed knowledge and skills for the regional economy; engagement of regional employers to promote business participation on the WDB and to coordinate workforce activities with needs of employers; development and implementation of career pathways; identification and promotion of proven and promising workforce development strategies; development of strategies to use technology to increase accessibility and effectiveness of the local workforce system; oversight of all programs for youth, adult, and dislocated workers; negotiation of local performance measures with the governor; selection of One-Stop operators and eligible providers of training; coordination of WIOA workforce development activities with local education providers; development of a budget and administration of funding to service providers; assistance in development of a statewide employment statistics system; and assessment of accessibility for disabled individuals at all local One-Stop centers. Unified State Plans, which were optional under WIA, must outline the workforce strategies for the six core WIOA programs—adult, dislocated worker, and youth programs (Title I of WIOA), the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA; Title II of WIOA), the Employment Service program (amended by Title III of WIOA), and the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grant Program (amended by Title IV of WIOA). The workforce development system designed by WIOA is premised on universal access, such that an adult age 18 or older does not need to meet any qualifying characteristics in order to receive career services.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA; P.L. 113-128), which succeeded the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220) as the primary federal workforce development legislation, was enacted in July 2014 to bring about increased coordination among federal workforce development and related programs. Most of WIOA's provisions went into effect July 1, 2015. WIOA authorizes appropriations for each of FY2015 through FY2020 to carry out the programs and activities authorized in the legislation.
Workforce development programs provide a combination of education and training services to prepare individuals for work and to help them improve their prospects in the labor market. They may include activities such as job search assistance, career counseling, occupational skill training, classroom training, or on-the-job training. The federal government provides workforce development activities through WIOA's programs and other programs designed to increase the employment and earnings of workers.
WIOA includes five titles: Workforce Development Activities (Title I), Adult Education and Literacy (Title II), Amendments to the Wagner-Peyser Act (Title III), Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Title IV), and General Provisions (Title V). Title I, whose programs are primarily administered through the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), includes three state formula grant programs, multiple national programs, and Job Corps. Title II, whose programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), includes a state formula grant program and National Leadership activities. Title III amends the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933, which authorizes the Employment Service (ES). Title IV amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which authorizes vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. Title V includes provisions for the administration of WIOA.
The WIOA system provides central points of service via its system of around 3,000 One-Stop centers nationwide, through which state and local WIOA employment and training activities are provided and certain partner programs must be coordinated. This system is supposed to provide employment and training services that are responsive to the demands of local area employers. Administration of the One-Stop system occurs through Workforce Development Boards (WDBs), a majority of whose members must be representatives of business and which are authorized to determine the mix of service provision, eligible providers, and types of training programs, among other decisions. WIOA provides universal access (i.e., an adult age 18 or older does not need to meet any qualifying characteristics) to its career services, including a priority of service for low-income adults. WIOA also requires Unified State Plans (USPs) that outline the workforce strategies for the six core WIOA programs—adult, dislocated worker, and youth programs (Title I of WIOA), the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA; Title II of WIOA), the Employment Service program (amended by Title III of WIOA), and the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grant Program (amended by Title IV of WIOA). Finally, WIOA adopts the same six "primary indicators of performance" across most of the programs authorized in the law.
This report provides details of WIOA Title I state formula program structure, services, allotment formulas, and performance accountability. In addition, it provides a program overview for national grant programs. It also offers a brief overview of the Employment Service (ES), which is authorized by separate legislation but is an integral part of the One-Stop system created by WIOA.