Purpose

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) authorizes the nation’s publicly funded workforce development system. Composed of several different funding streams and related programs, WIOA supports workforce development activities and funds job training programs for adults, dislocated workers and youth and prioritizes services and supports for populations that are under-connected or disconnected from the labor market, education, or training

Status

WIOA reauthorized the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2014. WIOA seeks sought to modernize the nation’s workforce development system and streamline existing employment and workforce-related education and training systems via unified planning and delivery, common measurements for program performance, and more uniform data collection and usage among many other improvements to previous law. Since that time, States have submitted revisions to their WIOA plans as Congress considers updates to this legislation.

Connection to Career Technical Education (CTE)

WIOA emphasizes greater coordination between workforce development and CTE through aligned definitions and terminology, requires postsecondary CTE to be a partner of the public workforce development system. WIOA also includes the option for states to develop a Combined State Plan that meets the planning requirements for WIOA’s core programs and at least one other federal program (including Perkins V), and other provisions that seek to further align federal workforce development activities with state and local CTE systems. 

Advance CTE Recommendations

Advance CTE advocates for WIOA reauthorization based on these recommendations, which reflect the input and priorities of our members and vision.