Narrative: III. a. 2. A.

The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services shall use funds made available under WIOA Title I to support local workforce development board activities to provide services through the adult, dislocated worker, and youth programs. Services through these programs include career services such as outreach, intake, and orientation; initial assessment; labor exchange services; eligibility for services; referrals to programs; performance and cost information; information on unemployment insurance; financial aid information; and follow-up services. Additionally, for those who qualify, training and supportive services will be provided. Training services may include occupational skills training, on-the job training (OJT), Registered Apprenticeships, incumbent worker training, and skill upgrading and retaining.

The ADWS will provide labor exchange services through funds provided under WIOA Title III including labor market information to the individuals seeking services. The information will include information on local, regional and national labor market areas such as:

• Job vacancies in labor market areas

• Information on job skills necessary to obtain the jobs

• Local, in-demand occupations and related earning potential

• Opportunities for advancement in those occupations

Additionally, One-Stops and partners must provide appropriate services for individuals to obtain or retain employment. These services include, but are not limited to:

• Individual Employment Plan (IEP)

• Career planning and counseling (no longer called case management)

• Comprehensive assessment

• Occupational skills assessment

• Short-term prevocational services

• Internship and work experience including transitional jobs and industry partnerships

• Workforce preparation

• Out-of-area job search

• English language acquisition

• Financial literacy

The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services - Adult Education Services shall use funds made available under section 222(a)(2) for the following adult education and literacy activities (Section 203 of WIOA):

• Adult Education

• Literacy

• Workplace adult education and literacy activities

• Family literacy activities

• English language acquisition activities

• Integrated English literacy and civics education

• Workforce preparation activities; or

• Integrated education and training that:

1. Provides adult education and literacy activities, concurrently and contextually with both, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster, and
2. Is for the purpose of educational and career advancement.

Adult Education and Literacy Activities include instruction and education services below a postsecondary level in reading, writing, and speaking in English, and computing and solving problems. These services increase a student’s ability to achieve a secondary school diploma or equivalent, transition to postsecondary education and training, and obtain employment.

Workplace Adult Education and Literacy Activities include instruction at a workplace or an off-site location that is designed to improve the productivity of the workforce. will include contextualized literacy, English language acquisition, and workforce preparation at Educational Functioning Levels appropriate to learners. Successful workplace literacy activities involve strong partnerships with employers or employee organizations in the design and delivery of the instructional program based on workplace needs.

Family Literacy Activities include interactive literacy activities between parents or family members and their children. To offer family literacy activities as defined in WIOA requires coordination with other services for the children’s component.

English Language Acquisition includes adult education and literacy activities for English language learners with an additional skill requirement, comprehension of the English language.

Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education will provide Immigrants and English learners access to English language acquisition services and civics education and may include workforce training. English infused with civics education helps immigrants and English learners understand the American system of government and what it means to be a citizen and to be involved in civics activities. To live and work in the United States means not only a command of the language, but equally important are the civics-related skills and knowledge necessary to become involved parents, workers, and community members. Therefore, every adult education and literacy council program offering English language acquisition services will also include civics education.

Workforce Preparation includes activities, programs, or services designed to help individuals acquire a combination of basic academic skills and employability skills such as critical thinking skills, digital literacy skills, and self-management skills. These activities include competencies in utilizing resources, using information, working with others, understanding systems, and obtaining skills necessary for successful transition into and completion of postsecondary education or training, or employment. Workforce preparation skills will be integrated in the adult basic education and literacy curriculum, therefore, occurring concurrently with adult basic and literacy skills instruction

Integrated education and training activities include instruction in basic academic skills and/or English language acquisition skills, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training contextualized for specific occupations or occupational clusters. Education will be provided in the context of industry-specific needs that involve employers and is integrated with occupational skills training. Programs will provide work-relevant instruction through career pathways and integrated education and training activities. Instruction will be offered at Educational Functioning Levels appropriate to learners. The purpose of instruction will be education and career advancement. Providers will assist students in their roles as parents and family members by providing foundational skills that enable them to support their children’s learning needs and improve economic self-sufficiency for their families.

Funds may not be used for the purpose of supporting or providing programs, services, or activities for individuals who are under the age of 16 and are enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under State law, except for such purpose if such programs, services, or activities are related to family literacy activities. In providing family literacy activities under this title, an eligible provider shall attempt to coordinate with programs and services that are not assisted under this title prior to using funds for adult education and literacy activities under this title for activities other than activities for eligible individuals.

Allowable activities, referred to as vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, are those activities necessary to assist individuals with disabilities to prepare for, secure, retain, or regain gainful employment. An individualized plan for employment (IPE) is the foundation for all activities funded by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS) for eligible individuals. Both the outcome goal and the services outlined on each individual’s IPE must be consistent with their respective strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, informed choice and economic self-sufficiency. VR services, as practicable, should likewise align with the resources of core partners, and other stakeholders to ensure that people with disabilities meet or exceed their IPE goals. In addition to VR counseling, IPE’s may include pre-employment transition and transition services, rehabilitation technology, training for careers that are in demand, post-secondary education, placement with employers, interpreters, accommodations needed for job placement or retaining employment, restorative medical services, positive behavior supports, internships, paid work experiences, and pre-apprenticeship training.

The Divsion of Services for the Blind engages in activities similar to its partner Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. One hundred percent of DSB-funded services are focused on the most significantly disabled, individuals who are blind or severely visually impaired. DSB provides this population with specialized vocational rehabilitation counseling services, which are designed to assist persons who are blind or have visual impairments to prepare for employment that is commensurate within their abilities, interests and informed choice, and is consistent with their strengths, resources, concerns and capabilities. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors in conjunction with their consumers develop employability plans, which outline the barriers, services, and steps to reach their employment goals. Referrals are made to partner programs to provide any additional services necessary to meet or exceed the employment goals in their plans. In addition to vocational counseling, DSB funds transition services; training for careers that are in demand; post-secondary education; placement with employers; accommodations needed for job placement or retaining employment; restorative medical services; internships; paid work experiences; pre-apprenticeship training; vending stand opportunities under the Randolph- Shepherd Act; and business ownership opportunities under the Small Business Program. In recent years, DSB has begun placing more emphasis on the employer as a customer.

Beginning in 2014, the core programs have worked diligently together to align services across core programs and other program partners and are including other non-core programs such as TANF, Trade Adjustment Assistance, Career and Technical Education, Carl D. Perkins secondary and post-secondary programs, Registered Apprenticeship and others. Staff from the core agencies is actively engaged in training opportunities that include all operational levels of the core partners and key stakeholders named in the combined plan. Arkansas has a good history of core programs alignment, but to better facilitate these activities, strategies including a common intake process, inter-agency data sharing, case management integration, and co-location of resources when possible, are being developed and implemented. This cross-agency team is currently in the process of developing a state policy regarding co-enrollment and developing common intake processes. This process will encompass all programs located in the Arkansas Workforce Centers and will not be limited to only core programs.