WIOA: Priority of Service for Title I Adult Programs Training facilitated by Kate Anderson, and Rob Hanni Sept. 23 rd, 2015

Required Priority Groups 1.Public assistance recipients; or 2.Low income; or 3.Basic skills deficient; or 4. Under-employed: Individuals who are employed (full-time or part-time) who also meet the definition of low income (new).

Priority Group Definitions “Recipients of public assistance” include individuals who receive, or in the past 6 months have received, or are a member of a family that is receiving or in the past 6 months has received, assistance through one or more of the following: 1.Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); 2.Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; 3.Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program; or 4.State or local income-based public assistance.

Priority Group Definitions “Low income” includes: 1.Recipients of public assistance; 2.Individuals in a family with total income below 70% of the lower living standard income level; 3.Homeless; 4.Foster youth (probably will not apply to adults); and 5.Individuals with disabilities with individual income below 70% of the lower living standard income level. May be added pending USDOL approval: Individuals in secondary school who receive or are eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch.

Priority Group Definitions “Low income” and underemployed: For the Adult priority, any individual who is employed may be considered underemployed if they also meet the definition of low-income. Example: Joe works 30 hours a week and his family’s total income is 65% of the LLSIL. He qualifies for the Adult priority.

Priority Group Definitions “Basic skills deficient” is: An adult who is unable to compute or solve problems, or read, write, or speak English, at a level necessary to function on the job, in the individual's family, or in society. An adult who is unable to compute or solve problems, or read, write, or speak English, at a level necessary to function on the job, in the individual's family, or in society.

Assessing “Basic Skills Deficient” An adult may be assessed as basic skills deficient through case manager observations and documented in case notes. An adult may be assessed as basic skills deficient through case manager observations and documented in case notes. A case manager may also document basic skills deficient with one of the following: a. Standardized assessment test or questions b. School records c. Referral or records from a Title II Adult Basic Education program d. Referral or records from an English Language Learner program

Priority Group Definitions “Underemployed” includes: Employed (full-time, part-time) and Employed (full-time, part-time) and Meets the low-income definition. Meets the low-income definition.

Local Requirements and Discretionary Priorities Local boards may add additional requirements or discretionary priorities to meet local needs. Local Requirement: Does not replace priority groups. Example: Local residency requirement, in addition to meeting one of the priority groups. Discretionary Priority: One new priority group that is consistent with intent of WIOA. Selected from “Individuals with barriers to employment” as defined in WIOA.

Individuals with Barriers to Employment displaced homemakers; low-income individuals; Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians; individuals with disabilities; older individuals; ex-offenders; homeless individuals; youth who are in or have aged out of the foster care system; individuals who are English learners, have low literacy levels, or face substantial cultural barriers; eligible Migrant Seasonal Farm Workers; individuals within 2 years of exhausting lifetime eligibility under TANF; single parents (including pregnant women); long-term unemployed individuals

Adult Priority and Veterans Priority Priority of service handled as follows – everyone must meet program eligibility: 1.Vets and eligible spouses from statutory Adult priority group (public assistance recipient, low-income including under-employed, or basic skills deficient) 2.Non-vets from statutory Adult priority group 3.All other vets and eligible spouses who meet program eligibility 4.Non-vets not from statutory priority group but do meet local discretionary priority 5.All others who meet program eligibility

Performance Goals Goal for each local area is to serve more adults from the priority groups than all other adults. PY15: Percentage of new Adult customers from the priority groups will establish a baseline for each local area. PY16: First compliance year for 51% of all Adult customers from priority groups in each local area.

Local Policy Requirements Local policies must include: 1.Local procedures for determining priority during the eligibility process and enrollment; 2.How the local area will define “low income” and the relevant data used to establish the definition; 3.What criteria and procedures will be used to assess priority for basic skills deficient individuals;

Local Policy Requirements 4.Any local requirements that will be established in relation to the four priority groups; 5.Any local discretionary priorities that will be established in addition to the four targeted groups, the data to support the need for the local priority, and the documentation that will be required from an individual for the local priority; and 6.Local procedures for internal monitoring of the 51% goal *Revised local policy due by December 9 th to Regional Liaison

QUESTIONS??????? For any further questions please contact one of the Regional Liaisons. THANK YOU!