The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), specifies “priority of service” for high-need adults—defined to include “public assistance recipients, other low-income individuals, and individuals who are basic skills deficient”—in the WIOA Title I Adult program [Sec. 134(c)(3)(E)]. In the previous Workforce Innovation Act (WIA), should states attest that their funding was limited, they were not required to prioritize service to these populations. Under WIOA, the priority is in place regardless of funding levels.

Since priority of service is mandated, the WIOA state plan template required states in their original 2016 plans to answer a question on how they will implement and monitor this priority. CLASP recommended that states respond with a number of key elements described in this fact sheet, “How to Improve States’ Priority of Service for High-Need Adults in WIOA State Plan Updates.” When we reviewed states’ original plans, we found they varied greatly on this priority, but no state included all of CLASP’s recommendations. In their upcoming revisions, states should improve their plans by addressing the CLASP recommendations on how to best serve high-need adults.

To learn more, read this fact sheet by Anna Cielinski.