Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities

On April 20, 2016, Illinois transmitted Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Policy 15-WIOA-5.3 (now WIOA ePolicy Chapter 7.3), which set procedures, criteria and information requirements for determining training provider initial and continued eligibility, including Registered Apprenticeship programs. This policy is included with this plan under Attachment U at https://www.illinoisworknet.com/WIOA/Resources/Documents/Attachment%20U%20-%20Policy%20Documents%202020.pdf. Below is a summary of the requirements of that policy.

Criteria for Initial Eligibility

Only eligible training providers and their eligible training programs will be included in the state’s Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). The initial eligibility requirements apply to all organizations providing training services to WIOA adults and dislocated workers. Providers of on-the-job training, customized training, incumbent worker training, internships, and paid or unpaid work experience opportunities, or transitional employment will not be subject to those requirements. To be eligible to receive funds for the provision of training services, the provider must be:

• an institution of higher education that provides a program that leads to a recognized post-secondary credential; this may include programs receiving approval or accreditation by the U.S. Department of Education, Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois Community College Board, or Illinois State Board of Education;
• an entity that carries out programs registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.) as recognized in Illinois by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Apprenticeship; or
• another public or private provider of a program of training services, which may include joint labor-management organizations; eligible providers of adult education and literacy activities under Title II if such activities are provided in combination with occupational skills training; or programs that have been recognized by the industry as meeting the standards necessary for approval or accreditation, when such standards exist.

All Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs registered with DOL, Office of Apprenticeship or a recognized state apprenticeship agency are automatically eligible to be included as an eligible training provider so long as they show interest in being added to the ETPL and the following process is completed:

• Registered Apprenticeships must indicate their interest in being included on the ETPL.
• Local Workforce Innovation Areas (LWIAs) should inform the RAs in their local area via mass email, phone call or other method of these requirements.
• An RA may contact its LWIA or State of Illinois, Office of Employment and Training to indicate its interest in being included on the ETPL.
• LWIAs must notify the Illinois Department of Commerce, Office of Employment and Training in writing of all Registered Apprenticeship programs that have shown interest in being included on the ETPL.

Procedure for Initial Eligibility

Except for Registered Apprenticeships (see above), new training providers must apply for Initial Eligibility in accordance with the following guidance: Applications for Initial Eligibility of Training Providers and Training Programs. Applications for initial eligibility must be submitted according to the geographical location of the training program. A training provider is prohibited from applying for training program eligibility in LWIAs where the program site is not geographically located, unless the LWIA in which the program is located denies eligibility or fails to act on the application within 30 days of the date of application. The LWIA should instruct the training provider as to where they should apply for each training program, as follows:

• Training programs located in a single LWIA must initially apply with the LWIA where its program is geographically located.
• Training programs offered in multiple LWIAs that are identical across each of the LWIAs must initially apply to the LWIA in which the training provider has identified as its headquarters and/or primary location.
• Training programs offered in multiple LWIAs - but the program is not substantially the same across the various LWIAs - must initially apply to each LWIA in which the training program is offered.
• Training programs located out-of-state or not offered at a physical location (e.g., distance learning) must initially apply to the LWIA from which it anticipates receiving the most students. A training provider is prohibited from applying for training program eligibility in LWIAs where the program site is not geographically located, unless the LWIA in which the program is located denies eligibility or fails to act on the application within 30 days of the date of application.

Information Requirements:

• Program Name (should match the name found in a course catalog for the training provider, if published);
• Program Description;
• 6-digit CIP code;
• O*Net code(s) that identifies the occupation of the eligible training program;
• Website link to additional program information;
• How many weeks it typically takes to complete the program;
• The total hours of instruction/classroom/lab time;
• Other than employment, the primary goal of the program (i.e., Associates Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, etc.);
• If Certification, License, or Registration, the name of the certifying, licensing, or registering body;
• Identify up to three occupations for which the individual will be qualified to immediately hold after completing this program;
• The program offerings;
• The entry-level requirements of the program;
• The total cost of this program;
• Types of financial aid available; and
• Year the program was established.

All job seekers and program partners will have ready access to the provider list on the Illinois workNet web portal. The information provided on the list will allow local career services staff under the LWIBs and the Illinois Departments of Employment Security and Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services to better coordinate services and allow job seekers to make better-informed decisions when selecting programs of study.

Procedure for Continuing Eligibility

The continued eligibility policy requires that all training providers (other than Registered Apprenticeships) apply at least every two years for approval, as well as for all training programs, to remain on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). Eligibility is determined based on state and local performance and eligibility criteria, and any other conditions the local board considers necessary. Timelines for applying for continued eligibility as well as approval or denial are outlined within the policy.

Below are the requirements for continued eligibility and continued inclusion on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) for training providers and programs previously approved for initial eligibility and those training providers and programs that were approved for transitional eligibility (as provided under WIOA Transition Policy Letter 7).

• LWIAs must ensure all training providers have their eligible training programs determined for continued eligibility on at least a biennial (at least every two years) basis to maintain their status as an eligible training program.
  • LWIAs may want to inform each training provider of any upcoming continued eligibility dates (i.e., a notice sent to the training provider 90 days prior to the continued eligibility date).
  • Continued eligibility is based on the date entered during the initial eligibility or most recent continued eligibility determination of the training program (as outlined in Section E.4. of this policy letter).
• The LWIA must receive the training provider’s intent to apply for continued eligibility of a training program or programs in sufficient time to meet the following continued eligibility timeline requirements.
  • The training provider expresses intent for continued eligibility of a training program by resubmitting the Training Program Basic Information application in IWDS.
• If a training program has had only changes in information that are not significant information (as outlined in Section F.2.a.), the training provider must make such changes in IWDS and save the Training Program Basic Information record.
• If a training program has had no changes in information, the training provider must still save the Training Program Basic Information record.
• Once the Training Program Basic Information record has been saved, the Initial Criteria Status record will change to "Pending Continued Eligibility (recertification)".
• The change to "Pending Continued Eligibility (recertification)" status will prompt the LWIA that they must send the training program to the LWIB for review and determination.
  • A report will be available for the local area to identify any training programs with a "Pending Continued Eligibility" status.
• The frequency of producing these reports will be a local decision.
• The LWIA should utilize due diligence in producing this report routinely throughout the year keeping in mind training programs may be jeopardized if they are not approved for continued eligibility promptly.
• The report is titled "Training Programs Nearing Continued Eligibility (recertification) Date" in IWDS.
• The LWIA should continue to make available and enroll customers in any training program with a "Pending" status.
• The LWIA has 90 days to submit the application(s) to the LWIB for review and approval. The submission to the LWIB should include the following items:
  • A current copy of the Training Program Basic Information record from IWDS;
  • Identification of items that have changed since the initial eligibility or most recent continued eligibility determination;
  • Performance data (as outlined in Section J of this policy letter) for the training program; and
  • Any additional information the training provider has submitted for review or the LWIB determines pertinent to the review.
• The LWIB should grant continued eligibility to a training program based on the following:
  • State and local eligibility criteria are still being met;
  • State and local performance criteria have been met;
  • One or more O*Net codes associated with the training program remain on the current Demand Occupation Training List;
  • The training provider has maintained timely updates in the Illinois Workforce Development System of information on the training program; and
  • Other conditions for which the LWIB considers necessary for continued eligibility.
• The LWIB must determine eligibility of the training program within 30 days of receiving the application from the LWIA.
  • An exception to the requirement to approve subsequent eligibility of transitionally eligible providers and programs within 30 days of application was extended through June 30, 2016. This exception provided up to 90 days from the application date for the LWIB to determine a program eligible. This was extended to allow local boards ample time to meet and review the applications as this policy was phased in. After June 30, 2016, this exception expired. The 90-day period did NOT extend past June 30, 2016 as these providers and programs received a determination no later than June 30, 2016 to avoid removal from the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) as their transitional eligibility period expired.
• LWIBs must notify the LWIA within five (5) business days of their decision to approve continued eligibility as a training program.
  • The LWIA must update the Training Program Basic Information record in IWDS within ten (10) business days of notification by the LWIB. The update should include the following:
    • The Status must be changed from "Pending Continued Eligibility (Recertification)"to "Accept" to indicate an accepted continued eligibility application.
    • The Program Status must be listed as "Approved".
    • The Last Elig./Cert. Date must be listed as the date the LWIB approved the continued eligibility, not the date the entry is made into IWDS.
    • The Next Elig./Cert. Date should be listed as the date for which the next continued eligibility should take place (and should take into consideration the same factors for initial eligibility as outlined in Section C.3. of this policy letter).
• Training programs that are not determined eligible by the LWIB within 30 days of receipt of the application from the LWIA will be removed from the approved program list and may reapply after one year.
• Training programs that are not determined eligible within 120 days of their continued eligibility date will be removed from the approved program list in IWDS. (Note: The intent of this provision is to automatically clear training programs from IWDS when they have not been approved for continued eligibility in a timely fashion. Such programs will not be available for selection and thus are removed.)
• LWIAs shall cease to enroll customers in any training program that has been moved to the capture list. Customers who have already been enrolled in training programs that are removed from the capture list shall be allowed to complete such training programs.
• A training provider may reapply for eligibility for any training program that was not determined eligible for any reason other than "for cause" reasons.

Illinois is currently working on two projects centered around the Eligible Training Provider List - an Eligible Training Provider workgroup and ProPath Illinois.

The workgroup is tasked with expanding the scope of information collected from providers, improving the process for information collection and management, increasing the transparency of quality performance data, updating the criteria and listing of demand occupations, enhance the articulation of training programs to career pathway and bridge programs, and ensuring out-of-state training providers meet equivalent criteria to in-state.

ProPath Illinois is a statewide technological platform that can be utilized by both education and workforce partners throughout the state that integrates existing educational and workforce training provider and program data and allows for the ability of agile enhancement to that data.  ProPath Illinois builds on the existing state Educational PW20 system, the IL Longitudinal Data System (ILDS), the Centralized Demographic Dataset Administrator (CDDA), the IL Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI), and the IL Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) systems and partners to advance the state forward into the next generation of transparency and accessibility of educational and workforce training information.  In addition to creating an interoperable training provider and program data directory, ProPath Illinois will establish a statewide Illinois- Administrative Data Research Facility (I-ADRF) that has the ability to facilitate and accelerate data sharing, exploration, and research into the next generation.  The I-ADRF is part of a national data research piloting initiative, the Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF), which enables secure access to analytical tools, data storage and discovery services, and general computing resources for users to revolutionize evidence-based policymaking and comply with the Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2016.