Located in:
- Program-specific Requirements for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities under Title I-B
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following with respect to activities carried out under subtitle B—
a. 2. B. Describe how the State intends to use Governor’s set aside funding for mandatory and discretionary activities, including how the State will conduct evaluations of Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth activities.
Current Narrative:
Colorado expects to utilize 5% of the Title I set aside funds for the administrative purposes allowed under Sections 128 and 133 of WIOA, and the remaining 10% will be used for both the required statewide activities, as well as the allowed statewide activities that support the administration’s vision, promote collaboration and alignment across state agencies, and work to achieve the strategic goals set forth in this four-year Combined Plan. On an annual basis, the set aside is divided into three funds to support Governor Initiatives, Required Activities, and Council Initiatives. The Colorado Workforce Development Council works with the Governor’s office to identify the amount placed into each of these funds, and then prepares a recommendation for the Governor on the use of funds. After the Governor has approved the priorities for the funds, the CWDC approves a specific budget for Council Initiatives. These initiatives support the strategies outlined in the state vision section of this state plan.
In PY22 and PY23 the Governor has prioritized the expansion of apprenticeships in state government, summer youth employment, and agriculture industry internships. Through these Governor Initiatives new approaches to working with specific populations are being explored. Statewide funds have also supported the integration international medical graduates into the state’s workforce and continued education for adults with some college credit but no degree.
The Council Initiatives during the past two program years have included a focus on three different areas as outlined below.
Industry-led strategies with a focus on expanding work-based learning and skills-based hiring
- Support for the effective development, convening, and implementation of sector partnerships, including grants conveners and for implementation of sector partnership strategies
- Support local area and regional workforce planning and implementation
- Funds for training have been provided to the Rocky MOuntain Workforce Development Association who has hosted statewide conferences to equip workforce professionals with the most up to date resources and support for our work.
Evaluation, technical assistance, and technology
- Conducting evaluations
- Providing technical assistance to local workforce areas and boards, which in part is provided through application-based cohort experiences offered several times throughout the year
- Disseminating and maintaining lists of training providers for youth and the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL)
- Provide performance information and cost information for applicable training programs
Incentive funds and training support to local workforce boards
- Operating a fiscal and management accountability system
- Monitoring and oversight
- Providing assistance to state agencies and one stop partners carrying out activities in the WIOA State Plan
- Development and training of staff to provide support to individuals with barriers to employment
The priorities for statewide funds in PY24 and beyond will be grounded in the concepts in this state plan and will enhance quality, equity, access, and affordability of all programs that connect Coloradans to in-demand careers and pathways to prosperity, and these statewide funds are the primary budget available to support the execution of those actions.
Best practices from the 10 local workforce areas.
- This is the summarized version of the finalized PY21 evaluation report: Training Placement and Outcomes in Colorado Workforce Areas
Program Year 2023 Evaluation:
- Provide technical assistance and training for the local areas’ evaluation leads for the year’s evaluation efforts
- Conduct a survey of the WIOA Title I participants to gain a better understanding of why some of the disproportionate impacts in outcomes might be occurring among race/ethnicity groups
- Assist with the design of state and local evaluation reports and provided training to both the WDP Evaluation Coordinator and statewide evaluation team. This report writing will further use, at the state and local area level, of results for planning and performance improvement purposes.
- The Evaluation team (state and local members) will continue to meet and hone evaluation skills. This investment will support local area evaluation given the costs for contracting such services is prohibitive to do on each program yearly. This team developed tools and created reports using the evaluation tools on the federal and state grants under WDP which will further quality investments and enhance service outcomes.
- Complete participation in USDOL’s Evaluation Peer Learning Cohort - Colorado was selected to participate in the Evaluation Peer Learning Cohort (EvalPLC) to learn from experienced evaluators, and state and national subject matter experts to build upon its developed and tested process for conducting WIOA Title I program evaluation. The primary goal was to build research and evaluation capacity and alignment across all four core WIOA programs and other critical workforce partners. Colorado’s EvalPLC state team representing core WIOA programs collaborated to develop a capstone project that tests innovative strategies to achieve significant improvements in services impacting education, employment, housing, justice involved and foster youth, as well as all other groups of disconnected youth. This project further built upon the work Colorado is doing to effectively reach youth in the disability community through cross-agency Disability Awareness Training and Disability Program Navigators positioned in workforce centers.