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ERIC Number: ED485856
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jun
Pages: 55
Abstractor: ERIC
Reference Count: 0
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
Workforce Investment Act: Substantial Funds Are Used for Training, but Little is Known Nationally about Training Outcomes. Report to Congressional Requesters
US Government Accountability Office
The Congress passed the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in 1998 seeking to create a system connecting employment, education, and training services to better match job seekers to labor market needs. However, questions have been raised about how WIA funds are being used and, in particular, how much is being spent on training. Contributing to the concern about the use of WIA funds is the lack of accurate information about the extent to which WIA participants are enrolled in training activities. GAO was asked to determine (1) the extent to which WIA funds are used for training, (2) how local workforce boards manage the use of Individual Training Accounts (ITA) and what challenges they have encountered, and (3) what is known at the national level about outcomes of those being trained. GAO Found that local workforce boards used an estimated 40 percent of the WIA funds they had available in program year 2003 to obtain training services for WIA participants. Nationally, local boards had approximately $2.4 billion in WIA funds that were available to serve adults and dislocated workers during program year 2003 and used about $929 million for training activities. The remaining funds paid for other program costs as well as administrative costs. We estimate that 416,000 WIA participants received training during the year. However, because some individuals may have received more than one type of training, this count may include some individuals more than once. Most of the participants received occupational classroom training purchased with ITAs, which are established on behalf of an eligible participant to finance training services. The following are appended: (1) Objectives, Scope, and Methodology; (2) Summary of Adult and Dislocated Worker Formula Funds for Program Year 2003; (3) Comments from the Department of Labor; and (4) GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments.
U.S. Government Accountability Office, 441 G. Street NW, Room LM, Washington, DC 20548. Tel: 202-512-6000; Fax: 202-512-6061.
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: US Government Accountability Office, Washington, DC.
Identifiers: Workforce Investment Act 1998