Narrative: II. c. 2.

The Combined State Plan partners are all represented on the Minnesota’s core team for the NGA Policy Academy for the Talent Pipeline. Through this work, an initial asset mapping of programs, resources, and services of all federal and state funding and a report of shared measures was recently completed. This information will serve as one resource to identify resources but also identify gaps in our state’s workforce inventory. The policy academy’s vision serves as Minnesota’s vision for the Combined State Plan in addition to the focus and priority on the goals identified. Two key goals identified support the foundation from which the Combined Plan builds upon; addressing the disparities gap within education and addressing the disparities gap within employment. At a state level, this team will serve as the senior leadership team to either strengthen or identify resources needed to support the overall goals of this plan through existing programs or the development of new programming. In addition, the Minnesota state legislature requires DEED to provide a “report card” of the overall performance of state funded workforce initiatives which can be found at; https://mn.gov/deed/about/what-we-do/agency-results/perform-measures/report-card.jsp. This report card also serves as a resources to make data-informed decisions on our performance and any policy recommendations or programming that result in better outcomes. Also at the state level, the members of the GWDB, MWCA, and DEED meet monthly to share best practices, progress on state, regional, and local plans, and discuss issues with regard to service delivery, resources, and any challenges with serving our customers. This venue provides an excellent opportunity to identify solutions and adjust strategies to meet our overall goals within the plan. The GWDB, Career Pathway Partnership is yet another opportunity that brings together stakeholders on a bi-monthly basis from all levels that are engaged in delivering training, education, or support for individuals. This partnership brings together the combined plan members and provides the venue to identify the program resources, human capital resources, and the supports needed by their customers. This in turn, is shared with the GWDB private sector members to then develop strategies through an employer-led sector strategy to better serve individuals through our workforce system leading to meaningful employment. The GWDB, Operations Committee is the host for a sub-committee on Results-based Accountability, which serves as the overall workforce system analysis. This analysis is presented to the Operations Committee and finally the GWDB. The GWDB meets on a quarterly basis and as a standing agenda, the board will discuss progress on the plan. The GWDB makes recommendations to the Governor which focus on the vision, goals and strategies outlined in the plan. Minnesota’s common data tracking system, WF1 shares as a resource for not only the tracking of data but also used as a system which shares information between programs and identifies individuals whom may be co-enrolled in several programs. DEED’s staff serve as support to all users of this system and also provide recommendations for system improvements.

Minnesota’s core workforce development partners have a long and productive history of collaboration, both across programs and between the state and local areas. The chief conveners of Minnesota’s core programs is DEED and the GWDB. As the state’s primary workforce development agency, DEED already oversees and strives to align all Title I, III, and IV; TAA, the Jobs for Veterans Grant and the Senior Community Service Employment Programs. Since the adoption of WIOA, DEED has also deepened its partnership with MDE, which oversees Adult Basic Education.

DEED also houses staff and support for the GWDB, which includes all relevant core programs partners and workforce stakeholders. As noted elsewhere in this plan, in the past year the GWDB created a Career Pathways Partnership to establish and strengthen a shared framework for career pathways programs in Minnesota. The Partnership is chaired by two GWDB members and includes participants from all regions of the state. The Partnership also includes business and industry, higher education, and community–based organizations. The Partnership strives to support the sharing of research and best practices for effective career pathways programs and to align policies and resources to support those programs.

The GWDB also convenes and coordinates Minnesota’s NGA Talent Pipeline Policy Academy, wherein senior leaders from the following state agencies with have met monthly for more than a year to coordinate and align workforce development programs and policies:

• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, co–chair
• Minnesota Department of Education, co–chair
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• Minnesota Department of Human Rights
• Minnesota Office of Higher Education
• Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

In 2013, Minnesota signed into law the “World’s Best Workforce,” Minnesota statute 120B.11, to ensure every school district in the state makes strides to increase student performance. Each school district must develop a plan improving school readiness, reading proficiency, graduation, and college and career readiness.

This legislation was the foundation for Minnesota’s NGA Talent Pipeline Policy Academy. The World’s Best Workforce goals were expanded to include five additional workforce–related goals, creating an education to career continuum. Racial and economic disparities along this continuum are at the forefront of the Policy Academy’s work. Two key strategies to achieve these goals include the systemic implementation of career pathways for adults and experiential learning opportunities for youth.

The state has also established a Diversity and Inclusion Council, which seeks to improve the recruiting and retention of state employees from diverse backgrounds; improve the contracting process for businesses owned by Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds; and promote civic engagement for residents of Minnesota. The Council and its committees are tasked with identifying best practices, developing a legislative agenda and moving forward with an enterprise–wide diversity and inclusion strategic plan.

Additionally, Minnesota has built strong collaboration between state and local workforce partners to implement core programs. State DEED and MDE staff meet at least monthly with leaders from all local/regional workforce councils to oversee and coordinate program management and improvement. Over the past year, several committees were formed to guide WIOA core program redesign and implementation. Each committee is co–chaired by a state agency leader and a local workforce council director and included a mixture of state and local participants. The recommendations that emanate out of this process have the ownership of both state and local stakeholders across core program elements.