REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: GEORGEANNE A. WHITE, City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
BY: BLAKE KONCZAL, Executive Director
Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board
PHYLLIS STOGBAUER, Senior Deputy Director
Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Local Plan for Program Years 2025-2028.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve and authorize the Mayor to execute the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board’s (FRWDB) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) four-year Local Plan for Program Years 2025-2028 (Local Plan).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In accordance with the requirements of the WIOA of 2014, and guidance published by California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) and Employment Development Department, the FRWDB has developed a four-year Local Plan covering Program Years 2025-2028. Following appropriate approvals, the Local Plan will be effective from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029. Upon approval of this item, the final Local Plan with all required signatures will be submitted to the state by no later than June 30, 2025.
BACKGROUND
On December 20, 2024, the state released a directive on Regional and Local Planning Guidance for 2025-2028 (WSD 24-09). This directive provides guidance and establishes the procedures regarding the preparation of both regional and local plans required by the WIOA. WIOA Public Law Sections 106 and 107 and California Unemployment Insurance Code Sections 14221 - 14222 require that local boards submit a comprehensive four-year regional and local plan to the CWDB.
The CWDB’s Strategic Workforce Development Plan for California has a broad vision and outlines ambitious goals for how the public workforce system can work with its partners to shape and support economic prosperity across the state and its regions. Under WIOA, the state has established 15 Regional Planning Units (RPU) within the State of California that align workforce development activities and resources within the context of a larger regional economy and to develop and deploy available resources to provide coordinated and efficient services to job seekers and employers. Each RPU is required to develop a regional strategic plan. The FRWDB is one of eight Workforce Development Boards in the designated San Joaquin Valley and Associated Counties RPU. The other local boards include Kern-Inyo-Mono, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare.
The Function of the Local Plans:
Under the State Plan, the primary purpose of local workforce plans and partnerships is to facilitate access to workforce services at the local level. While WIOA Section 106 Regional Plans and partnerships are specifically focused on construction of a regional training and education architecture that aligns with regional labor markets, the Local Plan will address how individuals will access and experience this regional workforce architecture primarily through local service delivery efforts, principally those of WIOA partners operating in the America’s Job Centers of California system, but potentially through other partners of the workforce system as well. In this regard, it is typically at the local level where services will be integrated, resources braided, and supportive services provided to individuals being served by partners.
In order to complete all aspects of the requirements of the Local Plan, the directive mandates that each local board release the Local Plan draft for a 30-day public comment period and hold a public meeting for stakeholders to ensure opportunities to participate in, and provide feedback on, the Local Plan as part of the initial development. The stakeholder meeting was held October 10, 2024. The draft Local Plan was released for a 30-day public comment period on February 26, 2025, with comments due by March 25, 2025.
There were no comments in disagreement with the draft Local Plan received during the public comment period, and there were no comments received that resulted in significant changes to the initial draft.
As outlined in the directive, the final Local Plan is required to be submitted to the state board no later than April 27, 2025. The directive allows for the final Local Plan to be submitted pending approval and final signatures. In order to meet the submission deadline, the draft was sent to the CWDB pending final approvals from the FRWDB, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, and the City of Fresno.
An extension has been provided, and the Local Plan is scheduled to be presented to the FRWDB on June 4, 2025, for approval. Upon approval, the final Local Plan with all required signatures will be submitted to the state by no later than June 30, 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this item does not include an award of a service or construction contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no increase in net City cost associated with the recommended action. The FRWDB is entirely funded by non-City sources. These have their origin primarily with the United States Department of Labor, being supplemented by other federal and State of California grants.
Attachment:
Program Year 2025-2028 Local Plan - Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board