A primary objective of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) was to improve the training options available to adult and dislocated workers. WIA instituted a market-based voucher system in which training customers could use federal funds to pay for training programs included on a state-approved list, known as the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). This report was written prior to the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) which superseded several relevant statutory provisions of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) under which the study took place. The references in this report are to WIA; however, the findings are relevant for WIOA implementation.

To ensure that customers are using federal funds for high-quality programs that will help them obtain a job in an in-demand field, WIA required training providers to have their programs reviewed and approved to be included on the ETPL. Additionally, to help customers make informed choices about which programs best suit their needs, WIA required the collection and reporting of program information such as cost and performance. While WIA provided a basic structure for these processes, states and local workforce investment boards (WIBs) have a great deal of flexibility in implementing ETPLs. Because of this flexibility, state ETPL policies and practices vary throughout the country.

IMPAQ International, LLC (IMPAQ) fielded the web-based ETPL Coordinator Survey in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to examine ETPL policies and practices throughout the United States. Forty-six states completed the survey between May and June of 2014.

This report serves as a reference for understanding how states are administering their ETPLs and the particular policies and practices they are adopting. This information will be particularly useful in light of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA has an important implication for the ETPL processes discussed in this report, in that it requires that all ETPs use a common format for making program performance information publicly available.

Organizations: IMPAQ International LLC, Urban Institute

Authors: Amy Kracker Selzer, Lauren Eyster

Key Words: Workforce Investment Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Eligible Training Provider Lists, Adult Program, Dislocated Worker Program