This study examined the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) One-Stop Center model, which is the local service mechanism for providing employment and training services. It reviewed the processes and service patterns of four program designs that offer an array of services that align with the WIA program's allowable activities. The purpose of the study…

The Workforce Investment Act, enacted in 1998, aims to enhance the capacities of the national workforce and improve working conditions. The Act, which funds workforce education, career pathways programs, and other programs typically aimed at assisting low-income and other vulnerable populations, has not been reauthorized since its passage;…

Unemployment is a major social problem in a small East Coast county, with lack of work experience and few marketable skills serving as the contributing factors. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) training program is a federal program implemented by the states to improve the occupational skills and the employability of the workforce. Scholars have…

On April 7, 2011, Jobs for the Future (JFF) Policy Vice President Raymond Uhalde testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies about the success of workforce development projects for youth and adults funded by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the importance of sustaining…

In 2009, President Obama and his administration sought to overhaul the existing educational reform program and launched their initiative titled Race to the Top (RTTT). RTTT, a competitive grant program, comprised six priorities designed to help states reform their current educational systems. Priority five calls for states to evaluate their…

This bibliography summarizes recent research on the structure and effectiveness of workforce development programs. While the term "workforce development" can mean many things, this document focuses on programs to help low-skill, low-wage and displaced workers increase their employment and earnings, as well as labor market trends that…

High school career academies are a time-tested model for improving academic outcomes and preparing students for both college and careers. Career academies (1) are smaller learning communities taught by a team of interdisciplinary teachers, (2) provide a rigorous academic curriculum based on a career theme that demonstrates how knowledge is used…

Over the past several years, a number of new programs, policies, and initiatives designed to promote the employment of people with disabilities have been implemented by state and federal agencies, and are being evaluated to greater and lesser degrees. The purpose of this report is to provide a review of the recent evaluation activities being…

This paper presents the recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Job Corps to the Secretary of Labor pertaining to the review, development and implementation of policies, legislation and regulations for the Job Corps program. This document represents the culmination of an intensive and comprehensive nine-month process undertaken by the…

This book describes a 10-state study of work force development efforts in Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin. The book is organized in eight sections. Section 1 describes the overall visions and practices that states have created, examining the difficulties in implementing these…

This report presents an analysis of research on the state of transition, post-secondary education, and employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities over the past 25 years. It identifies what has worked in the areas of transition planning, services, and supports. It also considers what should work in light of unmet needs and…

A follow-up audit evaluated the program effectiveness of three Kulick Youth Opportunity pilot grants. For the 105-participant sample in the initial audit, earnings were analyzed to determine whether youths' earnings increased or decreased in the year after the initial evaluation. Separate earnings analyses were performed for calendar year 1999 for…

The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) administers programs and activities designed to help veterans obtain employment and training assistance. By establishing one-stop centers for employment services, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) affects how VETS serves veterans. VETS has made some progress and improvements with regard to its…

The Job Training Partnership Act's Out-of-School Youth program (OSY) was audited to determine whether participants' reported outcomes for positive terminations were accurate and fully documented and what impact program interventions had on participants' post-program earnings. Program services and outcomes were audited for 499 OSY participants at…

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) programs can be coordinated in a number of ways, some of them especially focused on women. For example, research suggests the following: (1) WIA and TANF can be coordinated to improve low-income women's human capital development; (2) many states and localities…