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2 Year Modification

Plan: Missouri PYs 2022-2023 (Mod)
Combined Plan C

Section: Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities

Narrative: a. 1. B.

Published
Located in:

a. 1. B. Describe the process used for designating local areas, including procedures for determining whether the local area met the criteria for “performed successfully” and “sustained fiscal integrity” in accordance with 106(b)(2) and (3) of WIOA. Describe the process used for identifying regions and planning regions under section 106(a) of WIOA. This must include a description of how the State consulted with the local boards and chief elected officials in identifying the regions

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2020-2023

Current Narrative:

Under the provisions of WIOA, Section 106(b)(2) clearly indicates that during the two years after the Act was passed: “….The Governor shall approve a request for initial designation as a local area from any area that was designated as a local area for purposes of the Workforce Investment Act…… and performed successfully, and sustained fiscal integrity. In Missouri, each local workforce investment board previously established under WIA, formally requested initial designation as a local area under these provisions. These requests were officially provided from each region in a letter from each region’s Chief Elected Official. 

Given these requests for initial designation, each region was assessed by workforce development staff as to whether the local area performed successfully on the premise of their successful outcomes in performance measures. Because no region sustained the failure to meet its negotiated performance targets within any measure for the preceding two program years, each was deemed to have performed successfully. In addition, each former region was assessed to determine if there had been any finding of non-compliance or for any reason had met conditions of insufficient fiscal integrity; none were found. 

Given that each former WIA region’s designation request came from elected officials, and each met these criteria, they were approved as originally designated for WIOA in the same regional structure as WIA. The state plan clearly posted for public comment these regional designations. 

Regional Planning Designation

Through staff support efforts of the Office of Workforce Development (OWD) and the labor market research of the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), an assessment of a wide range of labor market information was used to define areas most ideally suited for regional planning. 

A detailed proposal was prepared in compliance with WIOA Section 106(b)(B) for the consideration of: consistency with labor market areas, consistency with regional economic development areas in the state, and have available resources to effectively administer all activities, including whether the areas have appropriate education and training providers, such as higher education and area career and technical education schools. 

As a result of presenting this research to workforce development board directors and their staff, each region’s chief elected officials and local workforce board was also informed. This labor market analysis and recommendation for two regional planning areas was presented to local elected officials attending Missouri’s Sector Strategies “kick-off” meeting and openly discussed as to origin and planning areas. Finally, each proposed regional planning area was presented for public comment when the State Plan was posted for same.

OWD has defined its policies and procedures regarding the subsequent designation process under Issuance 22-2021. Local areas must submit for subsequent designation following the process described therein. A brief summary is provided below:

Subsequent Designation Procedures

  1. The CLEO and Local WDB complete and submit a Request for Subsequent Designation form (Attachment 1) to OWD by December 31, prior to the submission of the 4-year State Plan.
  2. OWD will review the request to determine if the local area meets the requirements of 20 CFR 679(b).
  3. OWD will forward the full application to the SWDB for review and submit a request for the public-comment process.
  4. Upon approval of the SWDB, OWD will publish a public notice regarding the designation request on its website for public comment for a period of 30 days.
  5. OWD will publish a public notice regarding the designation request as an agenda item for the next scheduled SWDB meeting.
  6. The SWDB meeting will be open to the public and comments about each request will be allowed and heard.
  7. The SWDB will vote to recommend the designation of the local area to the Governor.
  8. Upon receipt of final recommendations from SWDB, and following consideration of any additional comments, the Governor will:
  9. Approve or deny each request; and
  10. Provide written notification of the decision made regarding the request to:
    1. SWDB;
    2. All other previously designated LWDBs and CLEOs; and
    3. Any non-designated entities requesting designation.
    4. A public notice of the Governor’s determinations will be posted on jobs.mo.gov.
  11. Changes to existing local area designations will be forwarded to DOL/ETA for federal approval/recognition in the form of a state plan or state plan modification.