U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Plan: Florida PYs 2024-2027
Combined Plan C

Section: WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Narrative: III. a. 1.

Published
Located in:
  • III. Operational Planning Elements

    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above.  Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs.  This section must include—

III. a. 1. State Board Functions

Describe how the State board will implement its functions under section 101(d) of WIOA (i.e., provide a description of Board operational structures and decision making processes to ensure such functions are carried out).

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2022-2023 (Mod)

Current Narrative:

State Board
Florida’s workforce system is led by the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors, comprised of business and government leaders appointed by the Governor and two members appointed by the leadership of the Florida Legislature. The CareerSource Florida Board of Directors is charged with guiding workforce development for the state of Florida. The state board, required under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), is supported directly by CareerSource Florida, Inc., a nonprofit organization that works at the direction of its Board of Directors and with partners across the state to meet its mission. That unified mission is to connect Floridians with employment and career development opportunities to achieve economic prosperity and employers with qualified, skilled talent.

Collectively, the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors provides policy direction for talent development programs administered and overseen by the Florida Department of Commerce (FloridaCommerce), the designated state workforce agency responsible for workforce policy implementation and the state’s administrative and fiscal entity for workforce development programs and funds. FloridaCommerce partners with CareerSource Florida and the state’s 24 local workforce development boards (LWDBs) to strengthen Florida’s business climate by supporting employers and helping Floridians gain employment, remain employed, and advance in their careers.

The CareerSource Florida Board of Directors includes the Governor and, currently, 35 members appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders. The state board includes leaders in business and industry, government including leadership of WIOA core partners, health and human services including the Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), labor, economic development, education, and youth and community-based organizations whose contributions influence the development of strategies and policies, ensuring Florida has a robust, globally competitive workforce. The work of the state board and the state’s entire workforce development system is vital to achieving the Governor’s priorities for helping Floridians obtain access to quality services including employment, education and training, and establishing Florida as a top job-creating state.

Advancing Florida’s goal to be No. 1 in the nation in workforce education by 2030, the Florida Legislature unanimously approved and the workforce development system implemented the Reimagining Education and Career Help (REACH) Act. The REACH Act directs Florida’s education and workforce development system to strengthen coordination and collaboration among state and local workforce partners, increase accountability and transparency of the workforce system, and improve both access to and alignment of the workforce system to job seekers and businesses. The state workforce development board plays a critical role in strengthening Florida’s business climate by implementing the REACH Act and helping to ensure Florida’s workforce and education programs align with the needs of business through its roles of defining the workforce development plan for the state, establishing funding priorities through the Governor’s set-aside, and developing the strategic policies for the workforce development system.

Policy development is one of the primary strategies utilized by the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors to guide the efforts of the workforce system throughout the state. In direct coordination with FloridaCommerce, the state board works to ensure compliance with federal and state laws; provide clear expectations regarding ethical conduct, transparency, and quality customer service; and improve service delivery for Florida’s job seekers and businesses. The state board also provides oversight in the governance of LWDBs. It is the Florida Workforce Development Board’s policy that the state and LWDBs conduct business in an ethical and open manner. The state and local workforce development boards provide electronic or simplified access to information including but not limited to state and local plans, governance and organizational decisions, financial decisions, and selection of local one-stop operators.

Strategic policies are located on the CareerSource Florida’s Policies and Initiatives web page.

Administrative policies are located on FloridaCommerce’s Policies and Guidance webpage.

In 2023, the Florida State Workforce Development Board approved the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan, which reduced the number of LWDBs from 24 to 21. The Governor approved this plan and by July 1, 2024, 21 new workforce areas will be designated for the state of Florida. Alignment and consolidation actions include the following:

  • Realign Jefferson County with CareerSource Capital Region.
  • Realign CareerSource North Florida as a five-county region serving Madison,
  • Taylor, Lafayette, Hamilton and Suwannee counties.
  • Consolidate CareerSource North Central Florida and CareerSource Florida Crown.
  • Consolidate CareerSource Flagler Volusia and CareerSource Brevard.
  • Consolidate CareerSource Tampa Bay and CareerSource Pinellas.
  • Realign Monroe County with CareerSource Southwest Florida.
  • Realign CareerSource South Florida as a single-county area serving Miami-Dade County.

Figure 3.01
Re-Alignment and Consolidation Map
of Florida LWDBs

This is a map of the state of Florida showing the Re-Alignment of workforce development boards and workforce development regions.

This reduction and realignment of workforce areas in the state brings stronger alignment of state labor sheds; commuting patterns; and economic development areas.

Governance Structure
The governance structure, through which the state board conducts its work, consists of the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors, two councils – the Strategic Policy and Performance Council and the Finance Council, an Executive Committee composed of council chairs and board leaders appointed by the state board chair.

The Chair of the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors may appoint committees to fulfill the state board’s responsibilities. Under the REACH Act, Chapter 445.004, Florida Statutes requires the state workforce development board to appoint a Credentials Review Committee as described below.

Strategic Policy and Performance Council
Florida law gives CareerSource Florida the authority to create state employment, education and training policies that ensure programs prepare workers for present and future business and industry needs and complement the initiatives of FloridaCommerce, the state’s economic development organization. Consistent with CareerSource Florida’s strategic goals, priority is given to addressing workforce needs for businesses in the state’s target and infrastructure industries.

In 2021, the state board approved a Statewide Policymaking Authority and Delegation Policy clarifying the policy making authority of the board and FloridaCommerce with the state board focusing on strategic policies and FloridaCommerce given authority to develop administrative policies to support the board strategies.

The CareerSource Florida Strategic Policy and Performance Council includes 12 board members with relevant experience or expertise in the subject area of the council and serves as an important driver for strategic policies. The Strategic Policy and Performance Council uses a formal Policy Development Framework process to review existing policies and develop new strategies and policies designed to foster a performance-driven talent delivery system with the ability to serve individuals at all levels and businesses of all sizes to meet the demands of Florida’s growing and diversifying economy.

The Strategic Policy and Performance Council analyzes, discusses, and finalizes strategic policies and reviews performance for the CareerSource Florida network as directed by the chair of the board of directors.

The Strategic Policy and Performance Council meets in conjunction with the regular quarterly meetings of the Board of Directors. Additional meetings, including informational meetings, held in person or electronically, may be conducted at the request of the chair of the board of directors or the council chairperson.

Recommendations of the Strategic Policy and Performance Council are considered for approval by the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors. Twelve board members currently serve on this council.

Finance Council
CareerSource Florida’s Finance Council includes 10 board members with relevant experience or expertise in the subject area of the council. The Finance Council’s primary goal is to ensure the workforce system is in good financial health, its assets are protected, and the state’s resources are used appropriately and accounted for satisfactorily. Through this effort, the council assists the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors in ensuring the resources available to the state for workforce training programs and support services are used effectively and efficiently with utmost accountability and transparency to maintain public confidence and trust.

The Finance Council meets in conjunction with the regular quarterly meetings of the board of directors. Additional meetings, including informational meetings, held in person or electronically, may be conducted at the request of the chair of the board of directors or the council chairperson.

Recommendations of the Finance Council are considered for approval by the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors.

Executive Committee
Chapter 445, Florida Statutes, states that the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors may establish an Executive Committee consisting of the chair of the board of directors and at least six additional board members selected by the chair, one of whom must be a representative of organized labor. The members of the Executive Committee determine strategic priorities, provide board-level guidance and advice, and monitor progress and continued relevancy of strategic priorities.

The Executive Committee:

  • Performs duties as delegated by the chair and/or directed by the board.
  • Addresses time-critical matters in cases where the entire board cannot be convened in a timely manner.
  • Reviews recommendations of the Finance Council prior to board consideration.
  • Reviews policy and performance recommendations prior to board consideration.

The Executive Committee meets at the request of the Chair. Seven board members currently serve on this committee.

Credentials Review Committee
Under the REACH Act, Chapter 445.004(4)(h)(1), Florida Statutes requires the state workforce development board to appoint a Credentials Review Committee to identify nondegree and degree credentials of value for approval by the state board of directors and for inclusion in a Master Credentials List (MCL). Such credentials must include registered apprenticeship programs, industry certifications, licenses, advanced technical certificates, college credit certificates, career certificates, applied technology diplomas, associate degrees, baccalaureate degrees and graduate degrees.

Most of the 18 members on the Credentials Review Committee are appointed by statute. Those members who are not designated by statute are appointed by the Chair and Executive Committee of the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors from a list of appropriate nominees and volunteers. The Chair and Executive Committee solicit nominees and volunteers from the Executive Office of the Governor, the REACH Office, the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors, FloridaCommerce, LWDBs, Florida Department of Education (FDOE), the Division of Public Schools, the Division of Career and Adult Education (DCAE), the Florida College System (FCS), the State University System (SUS), independent education organizations, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), industry associations, and Florida businesses. Efforts are taken to intentionally ensure not only geographic representation throughout the state, but also industry sector representation to appropriately represent Florida’s business community.

The following graphic outlines CareerSource Florida Board Governance.

Figure 3.02
CareerSource Florida Board Governance

Figure 3.02: CareerSource Florida Board Governance is a diagram showing the relationship between the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors, the Strategic Policy and Performance Council, the Finance Council, the Executive Committee and the CareerSource Florida Team employed by the workforce development board.

The state board is committed to leveraging its resources and those of its WIOA core and combined workforce system partners and its strategic partners in business, economic development and education to address talent needs at every skill level and foster a globally competitive workforce.

To ensure the workforce strategies and policies developed by the state board are consistent with approved state and local plans, the board collaborates with FloridaCommerce, LWDBs, and other partners vital to workforce services delivery.

Regular meetings between FloridaCommerce, the CareerSource Florida staff and the leadership of LWDBs provide a forum to discuss strategic issues and to identify policy objectives and best practices for service delivery.