Narrative: IV.

At an Oct. 27, 2014 meeting, the leadership of LWC, DCFS and LCTCS agreed that an inter-agency team should lead the development of the combined state plan. This team operated according to the protocols of LWC’s Agency Initiative Management (AIM) office. The AIM team was tasked with the development of the combined state plan and with the following objectives:

• Develop an inter-agency workforce strategy and high-level implementation plan for the state. • Divide the state into common regions. • Create a plan to reach high-risk populations and locations. • Perform asset mapping throughout the state to coordinate and optimize resources. • Refine the list of eligible training providers. • Define the flow of job-seekers from entry points in any of these agencies through:

A series of assessments, including employment needs and eligibility for services in any agency.

The provision of essential services to enroll job-seekers in training and/or employment.

Placement in 3-, 4- or 5-Star Jobs with good wages, existing openings and solid career prospects.

The deliverables developed by the inter-agency AIM team were the road map for state and local areas to implement WIOA service delivery, including all core programs and any other activities and programs the agencies deem necessary.

The team formed by LWC, DCFS and LCTCS will develop a process to identify, assess, train and place job-seekers quickly and efficiently by aligning their federal funding and programs. The goal of this partnership is an efficient and effective service delivery model.

Factors that should be kept in mind while developing this process are:

• Which agencies or programs should/must co-locate? How will the infrastructure and technology costs be spread among the collaborating agencies? • How will WIOA affect the current field office format for DCFS and LWC? • How will the state support access to services as outlined in WIOA, making Temporary Assistance for Needy Families mandatory partners? Must these partners be co-located? • Forecasting data for Louisiana will be used to aid in local and regional coordination. Should forecasting data drive the regional and local plans? … and if so, how? • How will the state benefit from the addition of other non-core program partners in this collaboration? (e.g. Department of Corrections, Department of Veterans Affairs, universities, Louisiana Department of Education (K-12), Louisiana Department of Revenue, Louisiana Economic Development).

State Leadership, Governance and Compliance (Strategic)

• Develop a “Combined State Plan” which includes the six core programs, plus one or more optional programs which promote a shared understanding of the workforce needs of the state and a comprehensive strategy for addressing those needs. • Align core and other programs in a manner that supports a comprehensive in-demand, job-driven workforce system. • Guide the implementation and continuous improvement of the workforce development system (addressing alignment, career pathways, sector partnerships, and coordination between partners and local areas). • Identify and disseminate best practices in priority populations. • Develop strategies for technological improvements. • Streamline statewide workforce and labor market information systems.

State Leadership, Governance and Compliance (Operational)

• Develop a plan to integrate intake, case management and reporting systems across key programs. • Develop policies to promote partnerships, collaboration, integration, and alignment of WIOA programs and activities at the state and local levels. • Develop policy establishing local board certification, to the extent the local board has ensured that workforce investment activities carried out in the local area have enabled the local area to meet the corresponding performance accountability measures and achieve sustained fiscal integrity. • Develop policy criteria for certification of One-Stop Centers. • Develop strategies to support staff training and awareness across the workforce development system and its programs. State Leadership, Governance and Compliance (Compliance) • Develop comprehensive state performance and accountability measures to assess core program effectiveness. • Establish guidelines for determining partners' contributions to infrastructure funds for the One-Stop system in the event that a local area fails to reach agreement.

Local Leadership and Governance (Strategic)

• Develop strategies to continuously improve and strengthen the workforce development system through innovation in, and alignment and improvement of, employment, training and education programs to promote economic growth. • Develop regional plans that align with the state’s strategic and operational vision and goals outlined in the Combined State Plan. • Develop effective regional industry and sector partnerships that support employer utilization of the local workforce development system. • Align workforce investment, education and economic development systems (addressing career pathways, sector partnerships and coordination between partners and local areas). • Identify and promote best practices for meeting the needs and serving employers, workers and job-seekers/priority populations.

Local Leadership and Governance (Operational)

• Increase access and opportunities (particularly for those identified as priority populations). • Provide workers with skills and credentials to secure and advance in employment with family-sustaining wages and to provide America’s employers with skilled workers. • Improve the structure and delivery of services to better address the employment and skills needs and improve the prosperity of workers and employers. • Develop strategies for using technology to maximize the accessibility and effectiveness of the local workforce development system.

Local Leadership and Governance (Compliance)

• Align local board membership with members that possess optimum policy-making authority in the organizations they represent and have the skills and practical knowledge to contribute fully to the strategic vision of the local area’s workforce system. • Establish bylaws, consistent with state policy, that help improve operations of the local board.

Communications/Stakeholders

• Develop a communications/marketing plan that encompasses all working groups. • Initiate a stakeholder analysis. • Identify communication needs and stakeholder needs. • Identify partners to collaboratively develop and effectively communicate clear guidance and direction that aligns state economic development, education and workforce system policies. • Develop strategies that improve public awareness and recognition of the One-Stop system to help job-seekers and employers readily access services. Eligible Service/Training Providers • Establish eligibility procedures to ensure the accountability, quality and labor-market relevance of programs or training services that receive funds through WIOA Title I-B. • Ensure that qualified providers offering a wide variety of demand job-driven training programs are available to participants, including eligible providers with expertise in assisting individuals with disabilities and eligible providers with expertise in assisting adults in need of adult education and literacy activities. • Establish a mechanism to share eligible training providers under Title II and IV across core program and partners. Performance and Data Management • Develop strategies and policies that align technology and data systems across One-Stop partner programs to enhance service delivery and improve efficiencies in reporting and performance accountability measures. • Develop effective on-going training and dissemination of information practices across core programs that promote quality and accuracy of data. • Develop methods of reporting performance of the workforce system that promote transparency and accountability to all stakeholders.

Service Delivery and Infrastructure

• Enhance and streamline operations through the integration of customer intake, case management, reporting and fiscal and management accountability systems of One-Stop partners. • Increase access and opportunities to the workforce system, particularly for those with barriers to employment, both physical and virtual. • Develop innovative workforce services and strategies for area employers that include career pathways, skills upgrading, apprenticeship and other effective initiatives for meeting the needs of area employers and workers. • Ensure equitable funding of services and infrastructure costs of the One-Stop delivery system. • Strengthen professional development of providers and workforce professionals.

Other Collaborative Activities

A Louisiana Workforce Symposium was held on December 15-16, 2015 in Baton Rouge. The two-day event spotlighted tools to help workforce, education, labor and other organizations sharpen their effectiveness under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

The two-day event coincided with the Workforce Investment Council meeting which provided the opportunity to network, share best practices and hear inspiring stories of success in building an outstanding workforce across Louisiana.

Throughout 2015, many partner statewide events have included presentations on WIOA. These opportunities to coordinate in statewide events will continue and grow in order to maximize collaboration.