Bill > HR2651

This bill establishes a State Innovation Demonstration Authority within the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), allowing states, local areas, or consortiums of local areas to apply for a 5-year demonstration project that can waive certain statutory and regulatory requirements to pursue innovative workforce development strategies. Under this authority, up to 8 state-level and 8 local-area demonstration projects can be approved, with each state limited to one project. Participants will receive consolidated grant funding, and projects must prioritize services for veterans, public assistance recipients, low-income individuals, and those with basic skills deficiencies. Participants must be served at or above previous program participation levels, and projects must submit annual reports on participant outcomes. A third-party evaluator will conduct a rigorous assessment comparing employment and earnings outcomes of participants to similar non-participants, identifying promising innovative practices. To be renewed for an additional 5-year period, projects must meet performance expectations and achieve at least a 5% improvement across performance indicators. The goal is to enable more flexible, innovative approaches to workforce development that can potentially improve outcomes for job seekers, employers, and taxpayers.

Education

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2651/all-info