15-4-3707. Unified state workforce development plan requirements.

15-4-3707. Unified state workforce development plan requirements. (a) By March 3, 2016, the Governor shall submit to the United States Department of Labor and other approval authorities, as appropriate, a state plan outlining the state's four-year strategy for the core programs of the state under this subchapter. (b) The state plan shall be a unified plan addressing services available through all core programs and developed jointly by the Division of Workforce Services, the Adult Education Section, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, and the Division of State Services for the Blind, in coordination with the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. (c) The state plan shall include: (1) A strategic vision and goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce that include: (A) An analysis of the economic conditions in the state, including without limitation: (i) Existing and emerging in-demand industry sectors and occupations; and (ii) The employment needs of employers, including a description of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed in those industries and occupations; (B) An analysis of the current workforce, employment and unemployment data, labor market trends, and the educational and skill levels of the workforce that take into account individuals with barriers to employment and individuals with disabilities in the state; (C) An analysis of the workforce development activities, including education and training, in the state, including an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of such activities, and the capacity of state entities to provide such activities in order to address the identified education and skill needs of the workforce and the employment needs of employers in the state; (D) A description of the state's strategic vision and goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce, including preparing youth and individuals with barriers to employment, and for meeting the skilled workforce needs of employers, including goals relating to performance accountability measures based on primary indicators of performance described in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Pub. L. No. 113-128, in order to support economic growth and economic self-sufficiency, and of how the state will assess the overall effectiveness of the workforce investment system in the state; and (E) Taking into account analyses described in subdivisions (c)(1)(A)-(C) of this section, a strategy for aligning the core programs, as well as other resources available to the state, to achieve the strategic vision and goals described in subdivision (c)(1)(D) of this section; and (2) An operational plan that includes: (A) How the Arkansas Workforce Development Board will implement the functions assigned under § 15-4-3706; (B) How the lead state agency with responsibility for the administration of a core program will implement the strategy described in subdivision (c)(1)(E) of this section, including a description of: (i) The activities that will be funded by the entities carrying out the respective core programs to implement the strategy and how the activities will be aligned across the programs and among the entities administering the programs, including using co-enrollment and other strategies; (ii) How the activities described in subdivision (c)(2)(B)(i) of this section will be aligned with activities provided under employment, training, education, including career and technical education, and human services programs not covered by the operational plan, as appropriate, avoiding duplication and assuring coordination; (iii) How the entities carrying out the respective core programs will coordinate activities and provide comprehensive, high-quality services, including supportive services, to individuals; (iv) How the state's strategy will engage the state's community colleges and area career and technical education schools as partners in the workforce development system and enable the state to leverage other federal, state, and local investments that have enhanced access to workforce development programs at those institutions; (v) How the activities will be coordinated with economic development strategies; and (vi) How the state's strategy will improve access to activities leading to a recognized postsecondary credential, including a credential that is an industry recognized certificate or certification, portable, and stackable; (C) A description of the state operating systems and policies that will support the implementation of the strategy, including a description of: (i) The Arkansas Workforce Development Board, including the activities to assist members of the Arkansas Workforce Development Board and the staff of the Arkansas Workforce Development Board in carrying out the functions of the Arkansas Workforce Development Board effectively, but funds for the activities shall not be used for long-distance travel expenses for training or development activities available locally or regionally; (ii) How the respective core programs will be assessed each year, including an assessment of the quality, effectiveness, and improvement of programs, analyzed by local workforce development area or by provider, based on state performance accountability measures; (iii) How other one-stop partner programs will be assessed each year; (iv) The methods and factors the state will use in distributing funds under the core programs; (v) How the lead state agencies with responsibility for the administration of the core programs will align and integrate available workforce and education data on core programs, unemployment insurance programs, and education through postsecondary education; (vi) How the agencies will use the workforce development system to assess the progress of participants who are exiting from core programs in entering, persisting in, and completing postsecondary education, or entering or remaining in employment; (vii) The privacy safeguards incorporated in the system, including safeguards required by the General Education Provisions Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1221 et seq., and other applicable federal laws; (viii) How the state will implement the priority of service provisions for veterans in accordance with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. § 4215; and (ix) How the one-stop delivery system, including one-stop operators and the one-stop partners, will comply with § 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Pub. L. No. 113-128, 29 U.S.C. § 3248, if applicable, and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., regarding the physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs, services, technology, and materials, for individuals with disabilities, including complying through providing staff training and support for addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities; (D) State policies or guidance for the statewide workforce development system, including without limitation: (i) The local workforce development areas designated in the state, including the process used for designating local workforce development areas, and the process used for identifying any planning, including a description of how the Arkansas Workforce Development Board consulted with the local workforce development boards and chief elected officials in determining the planning regions; (ii) The appeals process relating to designation of local workforce development areas; (iii) The appeals process relating to determinations for infrastructure funding; and (iv) Information identifying the criteria to be used by local workforce development boards in awarding grants for youth workforce investment activities and describing how the local workforce development boards will take into consideration the ability of the providers to meet performance accountability measures based on primary indicators of performance for the youth program; (E) How the Adult Education Section will, if applicable, align content standards for adult education with state-adopted challenging academic content standards, as adopted under § 1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. § 6311(b)(1); (F) How the state will fund local activities including: (i) Adult education and literacy activities; (ii) Programs for corrections education and other institutionalized individuals; (iii) Programs for integrated English literacy and civics education; and (iv) Integrated education and training; (G) How adult education and literacy activities will be aligned with other core programs and one-stop partners, including eligible providers; (H) How English literacy and civics education will be aligned with other core programs and one-stop partners to prepare and place adults who are English-language learners in unsubsidized employment in demand occupations that lead to economic self-sufficiency; and (I) How the quality of providers of adult education and literacy activities will be assessed and actions to improve the quality of the activities. (d) One (1) time every two (2) years, the Arkansas Workforce Development Board shall review the unified state plan and submit modifications to the unified state plan to reflect changes in labor market and economic conditions or in other factors affecting the implementation of the unified state plan.