To inform all state and national grantees about the new requirements for the State Plan (formerly known as the State Senior Employment Services Coordination Plan) occasioned by the enactment of the 2006 Older Americans Act (OAA) Amendments.

To provide clarifications to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) financial reporting instructions issued in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 16-99 dated June 23, 2000.

To share the Department of Labor’s vision for the public workforce system’s role in developing the talent needed for high growth industries requiring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills.

To notify states that in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB has extended approval of the current reporting packet to allow for the collection of data for quarterly reports, annual reports, and the WIASRD through August 31, 2005. To transmit guidance and instruction for submitting state annual performance reports and WIASRD data for Program Year 2001 (period ending 6/30/2002) as required under the Act.

To ensure that State Workforce Agencies are aware of the increases in social security survivors and old age retirement annuities and Federal civilian pensions due to the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA).

To reemphasize the importance of properly completing Form ETA 581.

To encourage the use of technology-based learning (TBL) in order to increase access to learning opportunities for workforce investment system customers within existing statutory and regulatory flexibility of various Employment and Training Administration (ETA) programs. This guidance addresses real and perceived issues limiting greater use of TBL methods for training in the workforce investment system, including concerns about: training content, physical class attendance, time-in-training requirements, technological access issues, and accessibility and accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

To announce the schedule of the FY 2003 BTQ Nonmonetary Determination Evaluation Training Seminars.

To inform states of the availability of online information about basic Federal law requirements for the federal-state unemployment compensation (UC) program.

To provide state workforce agencies with clarification and guidance on transition issues affecting the revised ETA 9002 and VETS 200 reports contained in the ET Handbook 406 and reporting for the first quarter; the continued reporting of Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker (MSFW) program activity via the ETA Standard Form 5148; and the projected timeframe to establish labor exchange performance levels for states.