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Plan: Missouri PYs 2024-2027
Combined Plan C

Section: Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities

Narrative: a. 1. B.

Published
Located in:

a. 1. B. Describe the process and policy 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 2022-2023 (Mod)

Current Narrative:

Under the provisions of WIOA, Section 106(b)(2) 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 (WIA)…… and performed successfully, and sustained fiscal integrity. In Missouri, each local workforce development 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 Local Elected Official (CLEO). 

Each region is assessed by the Office of Workforce Development (OWD) staff as to whether the local area performed successfully on the premise of their successful outcomes in performance measures. Additionally, OWD assesses their overall performance through a Quarterly Performance Review, and through both desktop and on-site monitoring.  Finally, OWD contracts with a third-party vendor to assess each region’s fiscal integrity through additional monitoring.  This process affords OWD the opportunity to assess each region regarding their “performed successfully” or “sustained fiscal integrity” statuses.

Through 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. 

This research was shared with local workforce development board (LWDB) directors and their staff, as well as each region’s chief elected officials and local workforce board. 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 formto OWD by December 31 of the year requested, 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 by the State Workforce Development Board (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.

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. However, in 2022, the Northwest and Northeast regions requested a merger into one local region, which went into effect July 2023.  This process was initiated at the local level by the Chief Elected Officials for both regions and an astringent procedure was followed to complete the merger. This included guidance for the regions by OWD, guidance and approval for the merger by the State Workforce Development Board, and ultimate approval by the Governor.