Located in:
IV. Coordination with State Plan Programs
Current Narrative:
The State had already taken extensive efforts to develop a strategic plan just months before WIOA passed. As stated above, the Indiana Career Council was statutorily required to develop a strategic plan to align education and training activities across multiple state agencies (which included all core programs) and in line with business-driven needs for skilled workforce across youth and adults. Over 40 meetings across the state with various stakeholders and 500 man hours were invested in the creation of the Career Council’s Strategic Plan, “Align, Engage, Advance: A Strategic Plan to Transform Indiana’s Workforce,” (http://www.in.gov/icc/2377.htm) which was approved in June of 2014. The plan focused on three organizing pillars of transformation: system alignment, worker- and student-centric services, and demand-driven programs and investments. While the work of the Indiana Career Council was progressing, WIOA passed. Thus, the core partners determined that the Career Council’s strategic plan could serve as the basis of the WIOA State Plan.
The State Board also created a WIOA Implementation taskforce on July 23, 2015. The taskforce was made up of the core partners, employers, education and training providers and other stakeholders. One of the duties of the taskforce was to oversee the development, implementation, and modification of the State plan. The taskforce met monthly, presented State Plan updates to the State Board, oversaw the public comment process, and assisted with review of public comments. As to public comment, the draft state plan was posted on the core partners’ websites and notice was sent out broadly that the plan was open for public comment. Additionally 3 meeting were held throughout the state, coordinated by the core partners, to take live public comment. The state plan was approved by the state board in January, 2016, in anticipation of the March, 2016 submission date. When the new state plan ICR came out and the plan due date was moved back to April, 2016, slight modifications were made to the plan through the taskforce. The State Board approved the revisions at the March, 2016 State Board meeting and the plan was submitted on time in April.
A similar process was used for the 2018 State Plan updates.