Workforce Innovation And Opportunity Act Research Articles

Preliminary data from effects of knowledge translation methods on VR counselors providing pre-ETS to youth with significant disabilities: A brief report

BACKGROUND: Passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 placed an emphasis on increasing student education and preparation for employment for students as young as 14. When Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) was awarded a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) to establish a Rehabilitation and Research Training Center (RRTC) on employment for transition-age youth with disabilities, one of the studies focused on knowledge translation methods to develop and deliver a toolkit to assist VR counselors (and others) providing pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to students 14 to 16 years of age with significant disabilities. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this practice brief is to share preliminary findings from Phase 1 and Phase 2 of VCU-RRTC on Employment of Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities’ study, Effects of Knowledge Translation Methods on Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Providing Pre-ETS to Youth with Significant Disabilities 14–16 years of age. METHOD: To prepare this practice brief, program staff conducted a thematic analysis of interview findings from Phase 1 and reviewed program materials from Phase 2 to identify preliminary observations. Program materials included instructor case notes, student reports, student pre- and post-tests, interviews with families, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and school staff after instruction. RESULTS: From Phase 1, VR counselors, educators, and families desired early exposure to career exploration and felt that interest-driven experiences and education was generally lacking. From Phase 2, it was observed that lesson content needed to be relevant and engaging to younger students, who often had a very abstract understanding of work and limited self-awareness about career interests, personal interests, and strengths. CONCLUSION: Preliminary findings from Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the study underscore the desire and need to increase collaboration between educators, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and families. Observations from Phase 2 demonstrate the value of Pre-ETS instruction to younger students with significant disabilities, and how increased collaboration can prepare students for employment through early career exploration, workplace readiness skills, and community based work experiences.

A Scoping Review on Internship Programs and Employment Outcomes for Youth and Young Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Transition policy in the United States has endorsed work-based learning experiences, including internships, for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in order to combat poor rates of post-school employment. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) state plans have reported use of internships as a way to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Internships are complex programs that vary in terms of length, payment, funding, and collaborative partnerships, and are intended to provide an educational experience for students to develop vocational skills. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the impact of internship participation on employment for youth and young adults (aged 16 to late 20s) with IDD. Systematic searches of electronic databases containing peer-reviewed sources were conducted. Nineteen articles were included in the final sample. Findings identified specific internship programs that have been examined within the peer-reviewed literature base, the level of evidence each provides concerning the impact on employment outcomes, and pertinent internship characteristics observed across studies. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Use of Research-Based Transition Recommendations for Youth With Disabilities in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Plans

As vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies continue to implement provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to provide employment-related transition services to youth with disabilities, it is unclear if implementation plans include predictors of post-school employment and evidence-based transition practices. We conducted a content analysis of 54 state/territory VR agency WIOA plans from 2020 to determine the extent to which research-based transition recommendations (RBTRs) were included. Our findings indicate that there was substantial variability in the number of RBTRs present within plans but that most plans ( n = 46) included between 50% and 70% of RBTRs. Career awareness, interagency collaboration, and general work experience activities were most frequently represented. Of note, student involvement in transition planning, technology skills instruction, and career technical education did not appear as frequently in plans. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Improving the U.S. Workforce System by Transforming its Performance Measurement System into an Intelligent Information System

A smart public workforce system requires customized tools to help customers navigate through the complexities of finding a job or finding qualified workers. It also requires that information flow in both directions—from customers to the workforce system and vice versa. This commentary shows some early attempts at constructing algorithms to develop tools and proposes research that is necessary for future refinements. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the federal program that provides most funds and guidance for the nation's public workforce system, offers some direction for states to follow in constructing various aspects of these tools. The early attempts include a pilot for Georgia, called Frontline Decision Support System (FDSS), and the Value-Added Performance Improvement System (VAPIS) for the state of Michigan. Future research must answer questions such as the efficacy of AI over regression, and how does one go about evaluating such tools.

The Impact of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on Agency-Level Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes for Adults and Youth With Blindness and Low Vision

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the U.S. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) on outcomes (competitive employment rates and median earnings) for adult and youth vocational rehabilitation consumers with blindness or low vision (B/LV) and to determine whether impacts differed by agency type. We utilized RSA-911 data to create two agency-level longitudinal datasets, one for youth and one for adults, with 6-year pre-WIOA and 3-year post-WIOA periods. Data were analyzed using discontinuous growth modeling to assess longitudinal changes in agency-level outcomes through the inclusion of variables representing WIOA and subsequent change in response to WIOA. After WIOA, both youth and adult agency-level competitive employment rates decreased significantly for consumers with B/LV, with a larger impact on youth, and median earnings increased. Results document that the impact of WIOA on agencies varied widely. Separate agencies had a significant decrease in adult competitive employment rates for consumers with B/LV and a significant increase in median earnings compared with combined agencies. Overall, the influence of WIOA on B/LV consumer outcomes appears to be mixed at best, and the effect is surprisingly similar for youth and adults.

Adult Basic Education Under WIOA Title II Implementation: An Integrative Literature Review

Adult basic education (ABE) scholars, practitioners, and policymakers have long debated the purpose and outcomes of federal ABE policy. Although the current policy, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), became law in 2014, there is no comprehensive analysis of the diverging perspectives on WIOA implementation. This integrative literature review generates a synthesis of WIOA-Title II implementation and suggests implications for future research. Based on a thematic analysis of 35 publications (2014–2021), the paper elaborates on four themes: limited ABE funding and the need to use funds efficiently, WIOA-mandated coordination between ABE providers and workforce development partners, increased accountability requirements that narrowly focus on economic outcomes, and framing adult education for economic purposes. Future research on WIOA-Title II implementation should build on this foundation to inquire for whom WIOA works, where it works, and under what conditions it is or isn’t successful in helping learners to flourish.

Improving Quality Assurance at South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department: Developing a New Electronic Tool

When the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law in 2014, the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department (SCVRD) considered how to best evaluate and measure compliance in light of the new performance measures. For many years, SCVRD used a paper form to measure quality assurance within cases across the state. This project developed a new, electronic program based on WIOA definitions and regulatory interpretation provided by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), as well as rehabilitation counselor competencies, and evaluated its effectiveness in the field. Participants reported satisfaction with the instrument’s ease of use and ability to reflect accurately the agency’s efforts concerning the new WIOA standards. This information will be used to demonstrate the quality of the VR program to stakeholders, train staff on the paradigm shift of the new WIOA service delivery model, and ensure the agency continues to serve a national leader in its commitment to meeting the vocational needs of individuals with disabilities.

Vermont Case Review Process Guide: Assessing and Delivering High Quality Services to Vocational Rehabilitation Customers

Contemporary quality assurance tools developed using participatory approaches are key to informing and influencing continuous improvement within the public vocational rehabilitation program. This project aimed to revise and validate a case review tool and accompanying staff guidance to align with and support the common performance measures requirements presented by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. The previous case review tool used by the state vocational rehabilitation program focused primarily on case compliance, whereas the new tool challenged the agency to shift focus and review cases for both compliance and quality throughout the vocational counseling process.

Presidential Address: The Next Generation Workforce, A Call to Action

Presidential Address: The Next Generation Workforce, A Call to Action

Pre-Employment Transition Services: What Secondary Special Education Teachers Need to Know

In July 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law, amending the Rehabilitation Act of 1998 and establishing new workforce initiatives for state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies. The passage of WIOA led to the expansion of VR services, including the requirement to provide pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to eligible and potentially eligible students with disabilities to support their transition from school to postsecondary employment and education. Pre-ETS afford students with disabilities an early start at job exploration, maximizing their potential to enter competitive integrated employment. It is imperative for secondary special education teachers to inform students and their families of the availability of Pre-ETS. To do this, school personnel must first be knowledgeable about Pre-ETS themselves. This column provides secondary special education teachers with a general understanding of Pre-ETS and furnishes them with strategies for securing these services on behalf of students with disabilities.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: Supporting “Successful” Transitions into Adulthood

Completing education, obtaining employment, and securing an independent residence, tasks tied to an ideal of self-sufficiency are viewed as important hallmarks of adulthood. Yet, not all youth and young adults (YYA) have adequate resources and many require assistance to overcome transition barriers including lack of social support, poverty, and homelessness. This study analyzed the policy design and social justice values (equity, equality, and adequacy) of three federal workforce programs, authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and designed to increase economic self-sufficiency among disconnected YYA. These programs lack stable and adequate funding and currently serve a small fraction of the YYA who could benefit. A value of equity is evident in the eligibility and financing criteria, while adequacy as it relates to programming—particularly benefits and services offered to address basic needs, economic stability, and healthy development—warrants further investigation. The programs’ focus on self-sufficiency through connection to education, training, and employment ignores research suggesting that at least six other dimensions are crucial for a successful transition to adulthood. Research on program entry and exit, primary services/benefits received, and life experiences of program participants is needed to determine current levels of support and the potential of these programs to enhance other components of a healthy transition including health, community engagement, and social support among disconnected YYA. Such research may also need to be focused regionally, given the highly localized control of programs.

Implementation of Pre–Employment Transition Services: A Content Analysis of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act State Plans

Many youth with disabilities experience persistently low rates of competitive integrated employment (CIE) and participation in higher education. In 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) established a policy focus on CIE as the goal of vocational services for youth and individuals with disabilities. In addition, WIOA created provision for Pre–Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to ensure that state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies focused sufficient resources toward transition-age youth. This study examined a sample of WIOA state implementation plans in depth using content analysis to identify how state VR agencies prioritized the provision of Pre-ETS services to youth with disabilities. Analysis of state plans resulted in three emergent themes: (a) instructional priorities, (b) instructional contexts, and (c) networks of stakeholders. We discuss the implications of these themes for future research, policy, and practice related to the employment of individuals with disabilities.

Brief Report: Participation Among Transition-Aged Youth With Traumatic Brain Injury in the State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation System

This study aimed to understand the level of participation among transition-aged youth with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the state/federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) system in the context of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Case closures, case duration, and case expenditures in federal fiscal years (FYs) 2014, 2015, and 2016 were examined among transition-aged youth (i.e., state VR clients under the age of 22 years at application) with TBI, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability (ID), using a nonexperimental and descriptive design. A disproportionate number of transition-aged youth with ASD and ID had closed state VR cases compared with transition-aged youth with TBI. Alternatively, there were greater state VR case duration levels and case service expenditures for persons with TBI compared with those with ASD or ID. The disproportionate participation with state VR was consistent among these three groups via eligibility for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This article highlights areas of attention concerning transition-aged youth with TBI and will hopefully stimulate future dialogue, research, and policy development concerning participation with State VR for this population.

Employment policy and autism: Analysis of state Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) implementation plans

Employment policy and autism: Analysis of state Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) implementation plans

Accessibility of One Stop Service Centers: Perspectives of Persons With Disabilities and One Stop Center Staff

Research indicates that One Stop Service Centers may not be universally accessible as required by law. This article includes an overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the results of two surveys: a statewide survey of persons with disabilities (customer survey) and a self-report checklist (provider survey) of One Stop system administrators and staff. The surveys assess perspectives on the accessibility of One Stop services for persons with disabilities. Findings suggest that improvements in the areas of outreach, staff training, and environmental adaptations may make the One Stops more accessible and user-friendly. The article provides implications for rehabilitation counselors and presents strategies for conducting a comprehensive program evaluation, which may improve access and service delivery within One Stop Service Centers.

“Producing Human Capital”: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Historical and legislative evolutions of education policy have repurposed federally funded adult education programs in the United States. The 2014 passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) has considerable repercussions for everyone involved in the field because it controls the funding, assessment, and structure of these programs. Using critical discourse analysis, this study examines the public law and a Program Memorandum from the federal government. It demonstrates how the language used in the documents characterizes Title II of WIOA (the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act), the goals of adult education, eligible adult learners, and the process by which programs are held accountable for federal funding. The findings show the ways in which Title II tactically legitimizes the U.S. government’s neoliberal capitalist desire within a democratic society: The idealistic language of opportunity acts as a camouflage for the further infiltration of market-oriented practices into the public sector.

Toward Competitive Employment for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: What Progress Have We Made and Where Do We Need to Go

Progress toward competitive integrated employment (CIE) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) over the last 40 years has been mixed. Despite evidence showing that supported employment interventions can enable adults with IDD to effectively get and keep jobs, national rates of integrated employment remain below a third of the working-age population. Progress is being made to improve these outcomes. Pathways have been identified that lead to CIE through supported employment, customized employment, internship experiences, and postsecondary education. The recent passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) has created fresh momentum and increased the onus on interagency collaboration. This article examines what is known about promoting CIE through these pathways and highlights recommendations for future research and policy change. Recommendations for the future provide direction toward positive change for CIE into the 21st century.

A Review of U.S. Federal and State Means-Tested Programs

This report presents a review of the major U.S. federal and state means-tested programs, including a review of how they operate, common features, and rules governing eligibility. The review covers the nature of the target recipient population, the nature of the benefits (cash or in-kind), whether the program is an entitlement, as well as financial and nonfinancial eligibility rules and benefit determination. Each of the features is compared to that of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The review reveals that SSI has many common features with other transfer programs, and that many other differences follow naturally from its particular goals and aims. However, large differences between SSI and other programs exist in financial eligibility rules. The current upper income limits for SSI are in the approximate range of 75 to 80 percent of the poverty line for single and married-couple recipients, respectively, below the 100- to 130-percent of the poverty line income limits for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the 130- to 185-percent limits for school food programs, the 185 percent limits for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the 138-percent limits for Medicaid, and the 100-percent limits for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Another significant difference is in resource and asset tests in SSI, which have been held constant in nominal dollars since 1989 and hence have been becoming more restrictive in real terms over time. Most other transfer programs have been moving in the opposite direction, reducing the restrictiveness of their asset tests, exempting additional items from countable assets, and in many cases eliminating asset tests entirely.

Rehabilitation Counseling Practice in State Vocational Rehabilitation and the Effect of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Purpose: This article includes a study that sheds light on the implications of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) mandated VR knowledge and skills requirements for VR counselors in the state VR program. It is also a commentary on current training, accreditation and intraprofessional challenges in the larger counseling field. Our study investigated VR directors’ perceptions of the importance and counselor preparedness in specific WIOA mandated knowledge areas. Findings revealed that VR directors consider WIOA mandated knowledge areas (e.g., employment-related and case management) to be very important, and they see room for improvement in the preparation of VR counselors to execute these functions. Our commentary provides readers with information related rehabilitation counseling history, intraprofessional practice, and guidelines for the future of rehabilitation counseling and the larger counseling profession.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and its Application to Youth and Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions (SMHC) [English and Spanish versions

Many sections of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act are specific to students and to youth with disabilities. Though none pertain specifically to youth with significant psychiatric disabilities there are many areas that providers, advocates, family, members, and youth themselves should be aware of as avenues for possible employment related services and interventions. This brief will highlight some of the key topics to consider. A Spanish translation of this publication is available for download.