ED and DOL Discussion on WIOA Legislation

Hello Members,

Please take a look at the announcement below and consider registering for the call with Secretaries Duncan and Perez tomorrow.  President Obama is scheduled to sign WIOA into law today, and tomorrow's discussion will be a good way to get a head start on digesting the implications for us all.

Good morning,

Please join U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for a conference call on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As you know, Congress passed the bipartisan WIOA bill by a vote of 95-3 in the Senate and 415-6 in the House. President Obama is scheduled to sign WIOA into law on July 22, 2014, and the Departments of Labor and Education will commence implementation. The purpose of this call is to provide a broad overview of the legislation, key dates for implementation, and information on resources and materials for partners and stakeholders.

Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Time: 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM EDT

Toll Free Number: 800-369-3175  

Passcode: WIOA

Registration Linkhttp://webapps.dol.gov/DOLEvents/Event/View/325/

PLEASE NOTE: To allow enough phone lines for this call, please register no later than Monday, July 21st.

Thank you for taking the time to join us for this important call.

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education

United States Department of Education

Comments

Thanks Heather for sharing the information about the conference call. The Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act is getting some press (finally)!  Here's and article from the New York Times 

Obama Signs New Job-Training Law By DAVID S. JOACHIM JULY 22, 2014

 And here's a post about WIOA from the OCTAE Blog Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Goes to President for Signature.

best,

Nell Eckersley

 

Hi all,

I just finished listening to the phone conference on the new law. I have to say... I cried. I have never, in all my years associated with adult and adult vocational education heard this level of conversation about disabilities in adult education and workforce. I can remember sitting in conference after conference both State and national with Rochelle and other disability advocates trying to bring up the "500 pound  gorilla" (disabilities) in the room. We rarely got any acknowledgment of the "gorilla" let alone policy or funding for it. Every department of the federal government present in the call had a new cross department statement concerning hard programs(not statements of support)  for adults with disabilities. I am glad I have seen what appears to be a new day dawn for SWD. I would encourage all of us that have been working in this area to look at the law and see how you can contribute your expertise to making it work.

Hello Robin,

I whole-heartedly agree!  What a wonderful change of events to hear the level of commitments arising from and surrounding WIOA.  Yes, Yes, and a double WOO-HOO! :)

It feels a bit like treading water in a ten-foot pool (or in the great big ocean...).  You just need to know the lifeguard is standing by, and then it's a whole lot easier to keep paddling.  The work here has been on-going, but we're refreshed by this visible support.

-- Heather