What’s New in Workforce Development Policy?

Deborah Mutschler, Executive Director Massachusetts Workforce Alliance (MWA)

www.massworkforcealliance.org

Agenda

1. Federal Update

2. State Update

3. Activity

4. Report out

Mission: The mission of the Massachusetts Workforce Alliance

is to unite individuals, organizations and coalitions to advance sensible workforce development policy

that creates true economic opportunity for low-income people.

Work:Advocacy – Green Jobs Bill, Down to Earth

Publications Training -- PEER, Know and Go

Website:www.massworkforcealliance.org

The Federal Story

• The Mood

• Scott Brown

• New strategy of splitting

• WIA

www.nationalskillscoalition.org

2011 Federal Budget.

DOL• Reauthorization of WIA (w/ $321 million in

DOL/DOE for new “Partnership for Workforce Innovation.”)

• Reauthorization of TAA programs & maintaining the current cap on training funds at $575 million.

• $100 million for a Health Care Training initiative. • $85 million for the Green Jobs Innovation Fund• $46.6 million for Pilots, Demonstrations, and

Research (w/ $40 million reserved for transitional jobs activities)

• $703.6 million for state Employment Service Grants.

2011 Federal Budget DOE

• $612 million for state ABE grants. • American Graduation Initiative -- $10.6 billion for

community colleges. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA / HR 3221) has many AGI recommendations.

• + $6.46 billion FY 2010 Pell funding. • $34.8 billion 2011/12 Pell Grants (max award = $5,710.) • Calls to annually index Pell Grant awards to the

Consumer Price Index +1%, & make funding for Pell Grants mandatory not discretionary.

HHS• Extend the current (TANF) Emergency Fund (under

ARRA) for one year– and increases the federal reimbursement for states to create subsidized jobs from 80 percent to 100 percent.

More Federal Information• Sectors Bill

• Jobs Bills

• UI/COBRA

MA Legislators

• No more Kennedy as chair of HELP

• John Kerry = Senate Finance (d)

• Jim McGovern = House budget committee (d)• John Olver = House Appropriations (d)• John Tierney = House Education and Labor

and Pension (HELP) (d) – WIA, HEA, Perkins, and ABE

• Richard Neal = Income Security and Family Support (d)

State Story

• Secretary Joanne Goldstein

• Governor’s Budget for next year – down $10 million

• Jobs bills (S. 2270; governors bill H. 4866)

• Green jobs and Down to Earth

Activity: A Year in Review30 Minutes

Moving Forward

• What needs to be different?

• What is your biggest policy concern right now ?

Closing with the dots Use your dots to indicate:

• What your focus is

or

• What you’d talk to legislators about