This report focuses on implementation of changes to the Adult and Dislocated Worker programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. The changes to those programs were designed to promote use of work-based learning, career pathways and sectoral employment strategies; improve services and outreach to employers; enhance partnerships with other programs (such as Adult Education and Vocational Rehabilitation); and integrate and coordinate services across multiple programs. Findings in the report are based primarily on site visit interviews conducted in early 2019 with administrators, workforce boards, and front-line staff in 14 states and 28 local areas.

Some key findings from the report include the following: state and local program respondents reported that changes to the Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs, built upon priorities in prior law, resulted in mostly incremental changes to service delivery and partnerships. Respondents noted that the emphasis on career pathways in WIOA aligned well with their efforts to collaborate with other partners and several local administrators reported that they designed new and improved processes for referral, intake, and staffing. Respondents in two-thirds of the local areas visited reported that they had developed cross-program business services teams.

This report is one of a series of products from a larger study of WIOA implementation. The study focused on the core programs under WIOA Title I (Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Services) and Title III (Employment Services). The goals of the study were to (1) examine the variation in the approaches used to implement key WIOA provisions, (2) assess implementation progress, and (3) identify best practices and areas for possible additional guidance or technical assistance.