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Conduct a Public Hearing to consider the Workforce Development Board of Solano County Local Workforce Plan revisions; and Approve the proposed Workforce Local Plan revisions, including newly negotiated WIOA performance measures
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Published Notice Required? Yes _ X _ No _ _
Public Hearing Required? Yes _X _ No _ _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors Conduct a Public Hearing to consider the Workforce Development Board of Solano County Local Workforce Plan revisions and approve the proposed Workforce Local Plan revisions, including newly negotiated WIOA performance measures.
SUMMARY:
The Workforce Development Board (WDB) and the Solano County Board of Supervisors approved the 5-Year Regional and Local Plans in 2017. Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), a biennial update of regional and local workforce plans is required in order to ensure plans remain current and account for “changes in labor market and economic conditions or in other factors affecting the implementation of the local plan.” The State of California has modified their state plan, which requires that local boards update their plans to keep them consistent with the policy direction of the state plan. The state plan, approved by the U.S. Department of Labor on June 11, 2018 can be viewed online at:
<https://cwdb.ca.gov/plans_policies/state-plan-modifications/>.
The North Bay Region and Solano County must submit modified workforce plans by March 15, 2017. A significant amount of stakeholder engagement and public involvement is required as part of both the regional and planning modification process. In addition, specific partners in each area of modifications to the regional and local plans are required as part of stakeholder engagement. Research Development Associates has been contracted through the Sonoma workforce board to complete the Regional Plan modifications.
The Workforce Board approved the proposed local plan modifications on January 18, 2019. Chief local elected officials are given the authority to approve and sign the local plan on behalf of Solano County. The Local Plan must be available for public comment for 30 days. Staff plan to have the local plan open for public comments from February 4 - March 6, 2019. A public notice will be posted in the newspaper during the week of January 28th. The WDB must make copies of the proposed plan available through electronic and other means, such as public hearings and local news media.
As part of the local plan revision, the Board of Supervisors provides approval for locally negotiated Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) performance measures for Program Year 2018-2019 and Program Year 2010-2020. The negotiated performance measures are included in the local plan for review.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The WDB does not receive general funds from the County. The WDB submits a plan for grant activities, service levels, and use of funds, to the State of California on behalf of the County. The State allocates Federal money to the WDB through the County based on predetermined funding formulas. The WDB may also receive discretionary funding awards through the North Bay Employment Connection regional collaborative, through federal/state/local funding awards for special workforce projects, and through other awarded service contracts. The local workforce planning process has been funded by Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds.
DISCUSSION:
On July 27, 2018, the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) and the Employment Development Department (EDD) released a directive outlining procedures required for a two-year modification of the regional and local workforce plans under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) due March 15, 2019. The state directive can be viewed at:
<https://www.edd.ca.gov/jobs_and_training/pubs/wsd18-01.pdf>.
As part of this directive, there are required and optional modifications to both the regional and local plan:
Modifications to the Regional Plan
• Required and optional modifications to align, coordinate, and integrate reentry and workforce services to the formerly incarcerated and other justice-involved individuals
• Required added content detailing compliance with State Plan guidance and state law relating to Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) pre-apprenticeship partnerships
• Required self-assessment using California’s Indicators of Regional Coordination and Alignment
• Optional additional changes in labor market and economic conditions or other factors affecting the implementation of regional plans, including modifications to negotiated performance goals
Modifications to the Local Plan
• Required and optional modifications arising from regional or local partnerships with county human service CalFresh programs
• Required and optional modifications arising from regional or local partnerships with Local Child Support Agencies (LCAs) to provide workforce services to unemployed, underemployed, and payment-delinquent non-custodial parents
• Required and optional modifications arising from regional or local partnerships with programs that serve individuals with disabilities, including detail on strategies to implement Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
• Required and optional modifications pertaining to services for English Language Learners, the Foreign Born, and Refugees
• Optional additional changes in labor market and economic conditions or other factors affecting the implementation of local plans, including modifications to negotiated performance goals
Required Community Engagement and Public Comment Process
The State has provided requirements for community engagement during the plan modification process in order to ensure that the interests of client populations are placed at the center of planning conversations. The local boards and regions must conduct outreach to each planning and corrections partner identified by the state in their region, and document all outreach activities, as part of the process. Additionally, local boards and regions must invite specifically defined stakeholders to participate in the planning processes.
In addition, the local board must provide an opportunity for public comment through the following means:
• Follow all open meeting requirements under the Ralph M. Brown Act.
• Boards must hold one public listening session or planning meeting outside of regular business hours.
• The local boards and region must notify CWDB of any planning meetings, listening sessions, or other public meetings related to the planning process at least 10 days before the meeting to be posted on the state website.
• Local boards must post the meeting notices on their website, in the lobby of offices, and within each Job Center.
• Copies of the proposed regional and local plan modifications must be made available to the public through electronic and other means, such as public hearings and local news media.
• The public and stakeholders must be given a 30-day opportunity for comment on the draft regional and local plan modifications. Public comments are to be considered for possible amendments to the drafts; any negative comments must be provided to the State with the final plan submissions.
Negotiated WIOA Performance Measures
WIOA outlines common measures with which to measure activities for enrolled Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth. WIOA Section 116(b) requires the state to reach an agreement with the Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) on state-level performance goals for the Wagner-Peyser, and WIOA Title IB Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs every two years. Once these measures are established, the state then negotiates performance goals for each local area. The Board and the County Board of Supervisors must approve local negotiated performance measures.
The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) negotiated Title IB WIOA primary indicators of performance for Program Year 2019 and Program Year 2020 with Local Areas through a negotiation process with representatives of the North Bay Regional Planning Unit on October 8, 2018. Solano’s Workforce Board approved the negotiated performance measures on November 16, 2018.
Primary Indicators of Performance to Negotiate
Each Local Area must negotiate performance goals for the Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs for each of the following primary indicators of performance:
1. Employment Rate - 2nd Quarter After Exit: The percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program (for Title I Youth, the indicator is the percentage of participants in education or training activities, or unsubsidized employment during the 2nd quarter after exit).
2. Employment Rate - 4th Quarter After Exit: The percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit from the program (for Title I Youth, the indicator is the percentage of participants in education or training activities, or unsubsidized employment during the 4th quarter after exit).
3. Median Earnings - 2nd Quarter After Exit:* The median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program. Title I Youth program is not required to negotiate goals for this indicator as DOL ETA has identified this measure as a baseline indicator.
4. Credential Attainment: The percentage of program participants enrolled in an education or training program (excluding those in OJT) who attain a recognized postsecondary credential, or a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, during participation in, or within 1 year after exit from the program. The state-level negotiated goals for Credential Attainment are being proposed as Local Area goals for FY2019 and FY2020.
5. Measurable Skill Gains (MSG): The percentage of program participants who, during a program year, are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment, and who are achieving an MSG, defined as documented academic, technical, occupational, or other forms of progress, toward such a credential or employment. The MSG measure is a baseline indicator and is not subject to Local Area negotiations; however, local areas must propose regional baseline MSG performance goals for the Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to receive the presentation from the WDB. This is not recommended because this presentation provides an overview of the county’s Local Workforce Plan. The Board may choose to not approve the proposed plan revisions or negotiated performance measures. This is not recommended because the timeline for public comment and submission to the state will be delayed.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrator’s Office has been consulted and concurs with the recommendation.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION