Workforce training programs: supportive services.

The California Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act establishes the California Workforce Development Board as the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. That act requires the establishment of a local workforce development board in each local workforce development area of the state to assist the local chief elected official in planning, oversight, and evaluation of local workforce investment. The act requires local boards to carry out specific tasks consistent with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, including, with representatives of secondary and postsecondary education programs, to lead efforts in the local area to develop and implement career pathways within the local area by aligning the employment, training, education, and supportive services that are needed by adults and youth, particularly individuals with barriers to employment. The act also provides for training partnerships that are overseen by the board, including the High Road Training Partnerships initiative, a demonstration project to model partnership strategies for the state among various industry sectors, and that is industry based and worker focused in order to build skills for California employers that, among other things, pay family-supporting wages to their employees. This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would require the California Workforce Development Board to establish and administer the Lifting Families Out of Poverty Supportive Services Program. The bill would require the board, upon appropriation by the Legislature for that purpose, to make $50,000,000 in grants available to applicants, including local workforce development boards, labor organizations, K–12 educational entities, community colleges, adult schools, county social service agencies, community-based organizations, business-related nonprofit organizations, and workforce intermediaries who work directly with the individuals experiencing employment barriers to ensure those individuals receive needed training, that apply for funding to provide supportive services, as defined, and are approved in accordance with the bill. The bill would require the California Workforce Development Board to develop criteria, policies, and guidelines for the award of supportive service grant funds consistent with the bill. The bill would require that those criteria, policies, and guidelines consider, but not be limited to, the ability of applicants to leverage additional funds in support of the program, priority for grant applicants that are or that partner with High Road Training Partnerships, and tracking of participants into the labor market to measure program efficacy.