America's current adult education and workforce skills training programs were designed for a different time and different challenges. They must be fundamentally transformed to meet the nation's pressing 21st Century adult education and workforce needs. The National Commission on Adult Literacy calls for a new "Adult Education and Workforce…

Economic and demographic changes are dramatically increasing the need for adult education, basic literacy, and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs. Millions of Illinois residents lack the level of literacy skills needed to obtain good jobs, perform well on the job, and function well in an increasingly complex society. Addressing the scope…

A study assessed whether the Department of Labor's (DOL's) information on states' Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) spending was a true reflection of states' available funds. The most recent available spending data from DOL and the 50 states were analyzed. Interviews were conducted with state workforce officials in nine states, local…

A study determined the extent to which older workers are enrolled in federal employment and training programs, what services are provided, and how performance measures affect services. Data collections methods included surveys of officials in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico on states' services through several major federal…

This report highlights issues for policymakers and provides guidance to states and localities implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) by describing the successes and struggles of five cities implementing the new legislation. It presents WIA's basic framework and discusses its impact on these four major audiences: employment and…

The U.S. Congress asked the Government Accounting Office (GAO) to determine the following: (1) to what extent states were spending their Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds and whether the Department of Labor's (Labor's) data accurately reflected available funds; (2) what Labor did to assess how states were managing their WIA spending; and (3)…

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) was the first significant attempt to retool the nation's workforce development programs since the early 1980s. Titles I-V of the WIA do the following things: (1) establish the purposes, goals and operational framework of a workforce development system designed to increase participants' employment,…

The 36-year effort to provide a second chance at labor market success for disadvantaged and dislocated youth and adults was reviewed. The following issues were considered: (1) current legislative proposals; (2) lessons from past employment and training programs; (3) the labor market challenges faced by young adults, older workers, dislocated…

This report presents the testimony and submissions presented at the first of a series of Congressional hearings on workforce development and reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act. Statements were given by the following individuals: (1) Buck McKeon, U.S. (United States) Congressman from California; (2) John Tierney, U.S. Congressman from…