Listening Session on Strategic and Unified State Planning January 19th, 2012; 2:00 - 3:30 ET

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Moderator Christopher M. Coro, Ph.D. Education Program Specialist U. S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education

Administration Focus on Unified and Strategic Planning As part of its strategy for both economic recovery and economic competitiveness, the Administration has taken steps to improve administrative flexibility: Issued an Executive Order on Administrative Flexibility and Adopted the position that Unified State Planning should be encouraged under current WIA and be strengthened in WIA Reauthorization.

Administration Focus on Unified and Strategic Planning The Administration believes that unified state planning that reflects a more strategic (versus compliance-oriented) approach can improve the quality and efficiency of the services we provide and thereby promote better outcomes for the people we serve.

Interagency Working Group Interagency Working Group Goals: Consult with states to better understand the opportunities and challenges to effective unified state planning under current legislation  and Use that information to inform improvements to both the joint planning process and possible joint Federal guidance or revised unified planning requirements.

Context The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) allows either a standalone state plan for its WIA title I and Wagner-Peyser Act programs or a unified state plan that includes two or more programs.   Only three states currently engage in unified planning on a formal basis using requirements previously published in 2008 in the Federal Register, down from over 20 states many years ago.  Part of the goal of this listening session is to identify why fewer states may be engaging in unified planning and to identify barriers and opportunities for improving participation across states.

Unified Planning Programs Federal Engagement: Unified Planning Programs WIA title I programs and programs authorized under the Wagner- Peyser Act and administered by ETA; Trade Adjustment Assistance programs administered by ETA; Unemployment insurance programs administered ETA; Senior Community Service Employment Program administered by ETA; Veterans programs authorized under chapters 41 and 42 of Title 38, USC, and 20 CFR 1001 and 1005, administered by DOL, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service; WIA title II programs, Adult Education and Family Literacy programs administered by the Department of Education (ED), Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE);  

Unified Planning Programs Federal Engagement: Unified Planning Programs Secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs authorized by Perkins IV and administered by OVAE; Rehabilitation Act programs authorized under part B of title I administered by ED, Rehabilitation Services Administration; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs administered by Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF); Community Services Block Grant programs administered by ACF; and Training activities funded under the Community Development Block Grants administered by Housing and Urban Development. 

Context ETA recently revised its planning requirements that cover multiple DOL-funded  programs, and last spring and summer conducted stakeholder consultations to improve its plan requirements.  That effort was specifically targeted at DOL programs, while the current interagency work is seeking to obtain input from a wide array of partner programs and stakeholders.   

Purpose of Today’s Session The purpose of today’s webinar is to begin that process of consulting with states to better understand the opportunities and challenges to effective unified state planning under current legislation.

Ground Rules Your participation is optional, but important. State representatives are encouraged to share their experiences and perceptions. We want to hear from you and will strive to limit our participation to asking questions.

Let’s see which partners we have with us today. Question 1 Let’s see which partners we have with us today. Workforce/Labor Education – Adult Ed. Education – Voc. Rehab. Education – Career and Technical Health and Human Services – TANF Housing Agriculture - SNAP

Employment and Training Administration Facilitator Heather Fleck U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration

Question 2 To what level do you currently engage in strategic cross-program planning at the state level? Formal interagency cross-program strategy or plan. Interagency cross-program collaboration, but no formal strategy or plan. Early stages of (re)developing interagency cross-program planning. Not currently engaged.

Discussion Questions Describe the strategic planning processes that your State has undertaken within the past three years. Does your program participate in a state planning process that includes multiple programs (i.e., WIA/Wagner-Peyser, TANF, Adult Basic Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, SNAP, Veterans’ Employment and Training program, HUD training programs)? If yes, which program partners participate? Please briefly describe your state’s multi-partner (formal and informal) approach.

Discussion Questions If you engage in formal multi-program planning, what is the impetus for this joint strategic planning (e.g. Gubernatorial initiative? Federal guidance? Other?)

Discussion Questions (For state representatives from states that do not currently do unified state planning): What are some of the reason why your state does not currently do unified state planning? Describe some of the barriers to unified planning that you’ve encountered.

Discussion Questions (For state representatives from states that do unified state planning): Describe the benefits of unified State planning. Discuss the challenges that you encountered in your efforts to conduct unified state planning. Describe how you overcome those barriers.

What are your suggestions for what Federal agencies can do to: Discussion Questions What are your suggestions for what Federal agencies can do to: facilitate improved cross-program planning improve or redesign unified planning requirements and process streamline requirements to minimize burden?

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Speakers’ Contact Information To share additional thoughts after today regarding improvements to the joint planning process, please contact: Department of Labor ETA: Heather Fleck, fleck.heather@dol.gov Vets: Edward Davin, davin.edward@dol.gov Department of Education Adult Ed: Tony Corio, Anthony.Corio@ed.gov Career and Tech: Edward Smith, edward.smith@ed.gov Voc. Rehab: Jerry Elliott, jerry.elliott@ed.gov HHS, Administration for Children and Families: Robert Shelbourne, Robert.Shelbourne@acf.hhs.gov HUD, Community Planning & Development: Caitlin Ott, Caitlin.M.Ott2@hud.gov

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