Remembering Lenita Jacobs-Simmons: a True Workforce Development Champion

Posted on by Stacy

NAWB was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lenita Jacob-Simmons at the end of June. Lenita was a force in the workforce development world. She was a dedicated leader at the US Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration whose work touched countless programs, professionals, and lives.  

More than her impressive career, Lenita was known for championing others. She believed in the power of work to transform lives and communities. Many of us were lucky to learn from her, be encouraged by her and inspired by her.  

We are privileged to have her son, Walter Simmons, on our Board of Directors. His leadership locally at Employ Prince George’s and nationally with us at NAWB and our friends at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals is a beautiful reflection of Lenita’s values and legacy.  

To honor her work and spirit, her family has established the Lenita Jacobs-Simmons Memorial Fund, with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to support workforce development professionals’ own professional development. 

 

 

 

NAWB Joins NLC, USCM, NACO, USWA in Laying Out WIOA Reauthorization Recommendations

Posted on by Stacy

May 7, 2025— This week, NAWB was proud to co-author a letter laying out formal recommendations for congress as they consider reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

The letter – signed by NAWB President & CEO Brad Turner–Little; National League of Cities CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony; US Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director, Tom Cochran; National Association of Counties CEO and Executive Director, Matthew Chase; and US Workforce Associations Director, Ryan Hundt – lays out a set of specific recommendations for how Congress can streamline, improve, and strengthen the public workforce system.

“Locally WIOA has been successful in leveraging funds for activities like apprenticeships, summer youth programs, adult and youth career exploration and piloting innovative opportunities for new businesses,” the letter states. “As the network that serves job seekers and small businesses and supports strong local economies, the one stop career system is a stable and critical partner to economic development and is recognized as one of the most impactful and remunerative investments Congress has made, and can continue to make, in the years ahead.”

Read the letter now.

President’s FY26 Budget Proposes Deep Cuts to Workforce Development Programs

Posted on by Stacy

President Trump’s initial FY26 budget, released today, proposed to dramatically reduce non-defense discretionary investments, where workforce development and other domestic program funding is derived, by $1.63 billion or 22.6% overall. The budget proposes to increase defense spending by 13% and further proposes a 65% percent increase in funding for the Department of Homeland Security. This proposal now goes to Capitol Hill to be considered by the Appropriations Committees.

This initial release from the Administration does not include significant details regarding program-level funding, which is expected to be provided at a later date. Nevertheless, the high-level information released today indicates that the President is proposing a $4.6 billion reduction in funding for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)—a 35% cut over currently enacted levels.

Throughout the budget request, a significant amount of program elimination or consolidation has been proposed. As part of these components of the budget, the Administration is proposing to create a new consolidated workforce grant program dubbed “Make America Skilled Again” (MASA) which would combine a number of existing workforce development programs into a single programmatic grant. The budget request indicates that the total amount for these grants would reduce current funding levels overall by $1.64 billion.

Current FY25 funding for workforce development programs under Title I of WIOA is currently $5.67 billion, meaning that MASA likely represents a roughly 29% reduction in the federal investment for a number of workforce development programs under this portion of the budget. The budget request provides the following information and related justification for MASA:

“Consistent with the Administration’s efforts to promote the full range of post-secondary education and training options, the Budget proposes to give States and localities the flexibility to spend workforce dollars to best support their workers and economies, instead of funneling taxpayer dollars to progressive non-profits finding work for illegal immigrants or focusing on DEI. Under the last administration, these grant programs funded things such as: certifying Minnesota employers that were ‘committed to advancing DEI in their workplace cultures and communities’; promoting the hiring of illegal aliens and migrants; sometimes providing them subsidized housing in addition to a job; and green jobs in California. States would now have more control and flexibility to coordinate with employers and would have to spend at least 10 percent of their MASA grant on apprenticeship, a proven model that trains workers while they earn a paycheck and offers a valuable alternative to college.”

In addition, the budget request proposes to completely eliminate Job Corps, the Senior Community Service Employment Program, and Adult Education funding under Title II of WIOA.

A high-level overview of this initial budget request can be found here, while a slightly more detailed version of the request can be accessed here .

NAWB will continue to advocate for the highest possible funding levels and to try to learn more about the proposed consolidation. We encourage our members to contact Congress (per our Policy Alert from earlier this week) to urge them to prioritize funding for workforce development.

NAWB, ACCE, and IEDC Sign Commitment to Showcase the Power of Local Partnership

Posted on by Stacy

At NAWB’s annual conference, The Forum, President and CEO, Brad Turner–Little, was joined on the main stage by  Sheree Anne Kelly , President and CEO,  Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and Nathan Ohle, President and CEO, International Economic Development Council (IEDC) where they discussed the powerful results that stem from collaboration between chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and workforce boards. The three industry leaders committed to work together over the next year to lift impactful examples of collaboration so that all three networks can have ready approaches to learn from and experiment with in their respective communities.

Ohle commented that “thriving economies are built on collaboration, especially at the local level. Together, ACCE, IEDC, and NAWB, along with our respective memberships, are committed to showcasing the power of local partnerships and driving economic success through shared vision and intentional collaboration.”

“Aligning key stakeholders around a shared vision of regional prosperity is a powerful tool for creating vibrant and growing economies,” Kelly said. “This agreement is a commitment from our associations to encourage increased local partnerships, share best practices and showcase how collaboration leads to stronger workforces and thriving communities.”

“At NAWB, we believe the future of workforce and economic development lies in breaking down silos and building strong, local partnerships,” said Turner–Little. “This collaboration with ACCE and IEDC is about more than just alignment—it’s about action. Together, we’re creating a united front that empowers communities to innovate, share what works, and drive real, lasting impact for workers and businesses alike.”

Read the signed commitment.

 

About  ACCE:

Established in 1914, ACCE—the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives—serves more than 9,000 leaders from 1,300 chambers of commerce, including 93 of the top 100 metro areas in the U.S. Hundreds of other businesses and organizations, like convention and visitors bureaus and economic development organizations, are also ACCE members. Members look to ACCE for best practices, industry trends, corporate partners, networking, and new ideas to advance the interests of their communities.

About IEDC:

The IEDC is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,500 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers typically work for cities, counties, states, public-private partnerships, and chambers of commerce and promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth, and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experiences.

About NAWB:

The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) represents and advocates for the more than 570 workforce development boards across the nation. By collaborating with business leaders, educational institutions, and economic developers, workforce boards create tailored programs that address the evolving needs of local businesses, jobseekers, and communities. As the only association dedicated to supporting workforce development boards, NAWB actively engages with policymakers on Capitol Hill to shape workforce strategy and strengthen partnerships with education, economic development, labor, and business.

Continuing Resolution passes without WIOA reauthorization

Posted on by Support

Dec. 20, 2024 – The 118th Congress will conclude without having completed work to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This leaves our nation’s public workforce system once again at a crossroads as workforce development boards look ahead to the future.

WIOA was last updated in 2014 with an authorization period of five years, concluding in 2019. It remains a national imperative that Congress work to successfully reauthorize this critically important public investment which serves as the workforce ecosystem’s backbone in communities and states across this country.

Newly updated WIOA legislation is needed to ensure services to thousands of employers, learners, and workers as they seek to leverage the public workforce system to find dignity through work, build new skills, change careers, and to secure family-sustaining employment.

The National Association of Workforce Boards–which serves, supports and represents workforce boards–looks forward to working with the 119th Congress to update WIOA to meet the current moment and to help more Americans find success in today’s dynamic economy. We stand ready to work together to that critical end.

Congress Proposes New CR, Does Not Include WIOA Reauthorization

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Dec. 19, 2024 — Late this afternoon, Congress released a new draft of the Continuing Resolution (CR) to continue funding the government through March 14. This new bill does not contain A Stronger Workforce for America Act (ASWA), which would have reauthorized the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) through 2030. (Note: This is a reversal from the initial CR released earlier this week, which included ASWA, after the CR was criticized by conservative members of Congress and President-elect Trump for the many extraneous provisions that had been added, effectively killing the proposal.)

The new CR includes a two-year debt ceiling suspension — a key request from President-elect Trump — along with a slew of other spending priorities sought by Congressional Republicans.

It is unclear if this newly released CR has the necessary support in Congress to pass. If it is adopted, it will likely mark the end of further consideration of WIOA reauthorization this Congress.

Our public policy team is continuing to engage with this process closely and will keep members informed of any further developments.

Congress Releases the Legislative Text of the Continuing Resolution; ASWA is Included

Posted on by Support

Dec. 18, 2024 — Yesterday, Congress released the legislative text of the Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend funding for the current fiscal year until March 14, 2025. The bill includes a number of pending pieces of legislation, including A Stronger Workforce for America (ASWA), which reauthorizes the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) through 2030. The inclusion of ASWA in this bill is an important milestone for our nation’s public workforce system.

We remain concerned about certain provisions in the bill and their impact on local boards’ ability to fulfill their missions – such as the redesignation process and expanding the Governor’s set-aside allowance. However, we are pleased to see several changes within the proposal that have been made since the bicameral bipartisan Committee agreement was announced a few weeks ago. These changes include:

  • The 50% training mandate has been adjusted so that Supportive Services and Career Services can be calculated as up to 10% of Title I funds, giving boards more flexibility in meeting this mandate.
  • ASWA increases youth work experience obligations to 40% but does not include an employer matching requirement.
  • Extended implementation timelines in serval programmatic areas.

While not aligned to NAWB’s recommendation to fund local and state workforce boards at the level needed to fully meet demand, we note that this authorization would increase in funding over current levels.

Should the CR complete the legislative process and the WIOA system be reauthorized, we stand ready to work with the Department of Labor and other workforce development stakeholders to inform ASWA’s implementation.

A Stronger Workforce for America Act (ASWA) Hotline Process

Posted on by Support
Dec. 11, 2024 — As you are aware, a bipartisan, bicameral agreement, known as A Stronger Workforce for America Act (ASWA), was announced by Congressional leaders just before Thanksgiving. We have previously highlighted that while there are elements of this legislation that are aligned with NAWB’s vision for the public workforce system, our members continue to raise serious concerns regarding specific aspects of this agreement. These concerns continue to be centered around ASWA’s proposed training mandate, increased allowance for state-level Title I reservations, and the wider process for redesignation of local workforce areas—areas of the legislation we highlighted explicitly last week.

At the time of this writing, ASWA is still being considered by the Senate via a “hotline” process which requires the consent of all 100 Senators. There remain several holds on this hotline process, from both Democrats and Republicans, on a range of issues including the concerns raised by NAWB and its members. This process is still ongoing and remains extremely fluid.

Another possible path forward for ASWA is attaching it to another “must pass” piece of legislation under consideration in the current Congress. While these options are limited and have other associated challenges outside of the current hotline process, the need to fund the federal government beyond December 20, 2024 via an extension of current federal funding (known as Continuing Resolution, or “CR”) remains a key outstanding issue that lawmakers must address by next week.

While it remains unclear whether ASWA can be advanced via either of these paths in the coming days ahead, we are continuing to reiterate these concerns directly to lawmakers. Concessions have been made already in certain areas; we remain hopeful that additional improvements to the legislation can be made at this late stage in the reauthorization process.