Workforce Florida

Workforce Florida Weekly Update 1-12-06

CONTENTS
The State & Regions
The Nation
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities
Upcoming Meetings, Conferences & Events
Odds & Ends

The State & Regions

Florida’s workforce and human resources partners ask businesses to help workers apply for tax credit of up to $4,400 each - Local communities to benefit as well. TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation and Workforce Florida, Inc. in partnership with the HR Florida State Council, this week urged Florida employers to help their employees take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. Taxpayers who qualify and claim the credit can pay less federal tax, pay no tax or even get a tax refund of up to $4,400. Based on information from the IRS it is projected that as much as $635 million goes unclaimed by the estimated 350,000+ working families/individuals in Florida who are not taking advantage of the EITC. Local workforce and HR professionals, in partnership with other key community organizations around the state will work together to help working Floridians apply for available tax credits. Employers can learn how the EITC can help their employees boost their wages at no additional cost to the business. With the tax refund, an individual with a $7 hourly wage can realize the equivalent of about $9 an hour. The impact goes beyond the individual and their family as local communities benefit from additional consumer activity. “The Earned Income Tax Credit not only increases net pay to qualified Florida workers, it also positively impacts the communities where they spend their extra take-home pay,” said Susan Pareigis, Director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation. “We want to assist businesses in helping their employees to learn more about and benefit from the EITC.” Congress originally approved the tax credit legislation in 1975. The maximum benefit at that time was $400 per year and has grown to $4,400 for tax year 2005. Income and family size determine the amount of the EITC. Allowable earnings cap also varies with family size, but can be as high as $37 K. When the EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit. To qualify, taxpayers must meet certain requirements and file a tax return. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 1.4 million Florida workers received the EITC in 2003 (the most recent year with complete data) bringing into the state economy an additional $2.7 billion. Many working families will qualify for both the EITC and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). The EITC will be larger, but the CTC can also provide a significant income boost. “This is a program that literally makes work pay,” said Curtis Austin, President of Workforce Florida. “The Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit provide a substantial incentive for low to moderate income families to participate in the workforce. At the same time it imparts to these families the dignity of work and self-sufficiency.” In addition to an end-of-year lump sum refund, most individuals who qualify for the EITC can also get a weekly/periodic pay supplement at no cost to their employers by filing a W-5 “EIC Advance Payment Certificate” with HR/payroll, thereby increasing net pay and usually job retention/satisfaction. “Imagine the impact on your employees’ morale and loyalty when you help them increase their net income,” said Sherell Hendrickson, PHR, President of HR Florida State Council, Inc., “It’s a win-win situation all the way around – for the individual, the employer and the community that benefits from additional dollars circulating in the economy.” Some Florida employers provide a W-5 to all their new hires enabling those who qualify to take home a bigger paycheck right from the start of their employment. Other employers go one step further and, during tax season, bring in tax preparation volunteers during the workday, at lunchtime, during shift changes, or after work to help their employees fill out their taxes. To learn more about the EITC and locate resources visit: http://www.floridajobs.org/eitc/index.html. To learn how your organization or company can get involved contact: JenniLee Robins, WFI at jrobins@workforceflorida.com.

Florida space and aeronautics industry could benefit from $55 million 2006-2007 budget recommendation. TALLAHASSEE - Lt. Governor Toni Jennings today announced the official findings and recommendations of the Governor’s Commission on the Future of Space and Aeronautics in Florida. Joined by commission members and industry, education, and business leaders, Lt. Governor Jennings released the detailed report containing 18 specific recommendations, in addition to announcing Governor Bush’s $55 million budget proposal for space and aeronautics for 2006-2007. Established by Governor Jeb Bush in June 2005, the Commission was created to examine trends and demands of an evolving space industry to maximize Florida’s leadership in the space arena. “These recommendations are vital to Florida’s economy and the future of the space industry in our state,” said Lt. Governor Toni Jennings, who also served as Chair of the Commission. “Florida must remain poised to take full advantage of the unprecedented opportunities presented to us in this evolving industry. We must focus on educating our students, training our workforce in new and innovative ways, taking the lead on President Bush’s Vision for Space, fostering cutting edge space-based research and development, and capturing the promise of commercial space launch. Governor Bush and I are fully committed to ensuring Florida’s position as a global leader in the space industry.” As part of its assessment, the Commission concluded that the public and private sectors work together to implement an aggressive strategy for the future to ensure Florida continues to be a global leader in the space and aeronautics industries. The strategy outlined in the report has four major elements:

A skilled workforce, world-class education system, and leading-edge research capability.
Develop and retain workers with the skills most relevant to space and aeronautics employers, with emphasis on retaining the Space Shuttle workforce in Florida.
Make science, technology, engineering and mathematics education a top priority through programs such as a new Center for Math and Science Education Research, a greater emphasis on teacher recruitment to fill critical shortage areas, and a new Aerospace Collegiate Career Academy for college and university students.
Create and fund a center of excellence with focus on research and technology in space and aeronautics.

For a copy of the full report, visit www.myflorida.com.

Governor Bush highlights outstanding African Americans during celebration honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. ORLANDO-Governor Jeb Bush Monday addressed more than 900 students, educators and community leaders during the Florida African American Education Alliance’s second annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration. Governor Bush spoke about Dr. King’s commitment to ensuring every child receives a quality education and honored the recipients of the organization’s annual awards of excellence. “As we celebrate Dr. King's vision and life of service, we are reminded that equality is a dream big enough to share with everyone who dares to believe in it,” said Governor Jeb Bush. “There is no finer way to honor his legacy than by recognizing the young people who are bringing Dr. King’s hopes for the future to life, and the men and women who are working to make his dream a reality across the state. I applaud the Florida African American Education Alliance for their unwavering commitment to education excellence for the students of our great state.” During the celebration, the Alliance presented awards of excellence in the following categories: Student of the Year, Teacher of the Year, School Administrator of the Year, Community Leader or Organization of the Year and Business of the Year. The Alliance began accepting nominations for the awards from all 67 Florida School districts in January 2005. The Florida African American Education Alliance is a community outreach organization that disseminates information regarding Florida's education reforms and encourages the active participation by African American students, parents and communities toward the continued improvement of public education across the state. Closing the achievement gap in Florida’s schools has been a top priority for Governor Bush. Under the Governor’s A+ plan, African American students have made significant learning gains. In reading, African-American students outperformed their peers in 70 percent of the other states (30 of 43 states), compared to only 15 percent in 1998. Since 1998, reading improvement among Florida’s African-American students is more than twice the national average. Florida continues to lead the nation with the largest number of African-American students taking AP exams and passing them. In 2005 the State also had the second greatest increase in AP exam-takers in public school compared to all other states from 2004 to 2005, and the second largest increase among all states in the number of students passing (receiving grades of 3-5) AP exams. The number of African-American and Hispanic students participating in the AP program has nearly tripled since 1999. “As we commemorate Dr. King’s legacy, the Alliance is proud to highlight the achievements of those who strive to live his dream each and every day,” said Sonya Montgomery, executive director of Florida African American Education Alliance. “As Florida continues to close the education achievement gap, I commend the students, parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and organizations who work hard to ensure African-American students are able to excel and reach their full potential in the classroom.” Joining Governor Bush for the celebration were Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, Florida Board of Governor’s Chairwoman Carolyn Roberts, Education Commissioner John Winn, Florida’s Colleges and Universities Chancellor Mark Rosenberg, Florida’s K-12 Chancellor Cheri Yecke, Florida’s Community Colleges and Workforce Education Chancellor J. David Armstrong, FAAEA Executive Director Sonya Montgomery, members of the African American Education Alliance and state and local elected officials. The Alliance presents an academic excellence achievement award each month and accepts nominations for the following categories: Student of the Month, Teacher of the Month, School Administrator of the Month, Community Leader of the Month, & Community Organization of the Month, from Florida’s 67 school districts. For more information on the Florida African American Education Alliance or its award recognition program, visit www.aaedalliance.net.

Citizen Soldier Matching Grant Program funds available through June 2006. TALLAHASSEE— Susan Pareigis, Director of the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, today emphasized continued availability of the Citizen Soldier Program that allows private employers to apply for grants to help them supplement pay for their employees who are called to active duty. Federal law requires that employers retain the same or similar jobs, pay and benefits waiting for employees who are away on military duty. The Citizen Soldier Program provides matching grants to Florida employers who pay wages to employees while they are serving in the United States Armed Forces Reserves or the Florida National Guard on federal active duty. The Citizen Soldier Program reimburses private employers up to one-half of the difference between the amount of monthly wages paid before the employee was called to federal active duty and the amount of the employee's active duty compensation. “Florida’s citizen soldiers and their families live and work in a condition of constant readiness to serve the state and our nation,” said Susan Pareigis, Director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation. “It is important that we recognize their contributions and sacrifices and offer assistance to those employers across the state that value and support their sacrifices.” The program is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Florida employers can learn more about the Citizen Soldier Program by calling (800) 342-3450 or visit: www.floridajobs.org/citizen_soldier/index.html. The Agency for Workforce Innovation is the lead state workforce agency and directly administers the state’s Labor Market Statistics program, Unemployment Compensation, Early Learning and various workforce development programs. The office of Early Learning, a division within the agency, provides oversight of Florida’s school readiness programs and is the lead entity for implementing the state’s Voluntary Prekindergarten program. Workforce development policy and guidance in Florida is provided by Workforce Florida, Inc. Workforce Florida and the Agency for Workforce Innovation are partners in the Employ Florida network which includes 24 Regional Workforce Boards who deliver services through nearly 100 One-Stop Career Centers around the state.

WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA opens doors to new Osceola County one-stop center. ORLANDO, FL… WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA (WCF) this week officially opened the doors to its new ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER in Osceola County. The new 30,000 square feet center is located at 1392 East Vine Street in Kissimmee. The ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER had been temporarily located at 4039 13th Street in St. Cloud after its previous location was destroyed by the three hurricanes that affected the area in 2004. The new center will feature 45 computers for public job search activities and an additional 48 for career seminars. The new center will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. An orientation and overview of the services available at the center is held each day at 1:00 p.m. A community open-house will be held in spring/early summer 2006 (details to be announced). “We are excited to finally open the doors to our permanent Osceola County home,” said WCF President & CEO Gary Earl. “We feel this center will be a great asset to the businesses and residents of the area.” WCF’s ONE-STOP CAREER CENTERS are a publicly sponsored community partnership, providing no-cost recruitment services to local businesses. In addition, they provide employment and training related services to help residents in Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Sumter Counties find a job or career. Employers or job seekers interested in learning more about the services available at the Osceola County ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER can call (407) 705-1555. WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA (WCF) is the region’s largest permanent placement agency, helping over 4,700 employers connect with more than 54,000 job seekers. WCF offers innovative solutions to assist Central Florida businesses succeed in today’s highly competitive workforce, while providing the tools job seekers need to find or advance in their current career. WCF is the region’s workforce expert and a member of the Employ Florida statewide network of workforce services and resources. For more information, visit WCF online at: www.WorkforceCentralFlorida.com.

The Nation

CQ Today Midday Update – Wednesday, January 18, 2006, 2:18 pm.
House: Not in session. Convenes at noon Jan. 31 for legislative business.
Senate: Convened at 10 a.m. for the swearing in of Sen.Robert Menendez, D-N.J. Reconvenes for business at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 25.
The President: Met with victims of Saddam Hussein at the White House.

High Court Ducks Definitive Ruling on Abortion Case
Democrats Seek to Outdo Republicans on Lobbying Reform
Lott Says He Wants to Return and Not Just as Rules Chairman
Chertoff Sets Border Security as Top Priority This Year
Watchdog Agency Asleep on Job, Report Says

Access the full stories at: www.cq.com

Free File opens today with enhanced taxpayer services. WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and its private-sector partners today announced the opening of Free File, the free tax preparation and free electronic filing initiative that marks its fourth year. More than 70 percent of the nation’s taxpayers – more than 92 million people - qualify for Free File this year.
A new agreement between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, the consortium of tax preparation software companies, means enhanced services and more information for taxpayers who use the free services. Taxpayers must access Free File through IRS.gov. “This unique private-public partnership provides free tax software and free electronic filing. It’s targeted to middle- and low-income taxpayers who can most benefit from this program,” said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. ”Free File is another example of the IRS’ effort to bring new and innovative services to taxpayers. Taxpayers should review the numerous Free File offerings and see which one works best for them.” Free File Alliance Executive Director Tim Hugo stated, "In addition to providing free federal tax preparation services to millions of low and moderate income Americans, the Free File Alliance is proving to be the model for public-private partnerships in the United States."
Among the services and improvements this year:

The 3 million taxpayers who used to file their income tax return through TeleFile, an option no longer available, automatically qualify for Free File this year;
Seventy percent of the nation’s taxpayers – those with an adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less – will be eligible, but each company sets its own criteria;
Alliance members who offer refund anticipation loans (RALs) must disclose fees and interest rates upfront and must make clear that RALS are loans, not tax refunds. Taxpayers also must consent to receive additional information about ancillary financial products;
Alliance members will provide additional tax forms such as Form 4868 that allows for automatic extensions of time to file;
Alliance members’ Web sites will display whether state online tax preparation and filing services are available and the associated fees, if any.

For 2006, taxpayers with access to a computer and the Internet may check on IRS.gov to determine if they will qualify for Free File. The Free File Alliance selects its own membership, but all members must meet the IRS’ high standards for security and privacy. The IRS does not endorse any Free File Alliance company or product. The IRS also will manage the content of the Free File pages accessible on IRS.gov. Taxpayers do not have to purchase any product in order to qualify for the free services. More than 5.14 million taxpayers used Free File last year, almost a 47 percent increase over the 3.5 million users in 2004. Free File debuted in 2003 with nearly 2.8 million users. Access Free File at: http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html

Small Business Start-up to kick off 2006 SBA Live Web Chat Series. WASHINGTON - Cheryl A. Mills, associate deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administrations Office of Entrepreneurial Development, will kick off the SBAs January Web chat on “Do You Know How to Start a Small Business?” Mills will share information on what entrepreneurs need to know when starting a business and how they can utilize the SBA’s resources and services. Mills will answer questions from participants on Thursday, January 26, 2006, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., EST. This first live Web chat for 2006 will engage business owners in a national dialogue on what business basics to know before starting a business, and provide chat participants with real-world tools and resources they can use, including the key resource partners of SCORE, Women Business Centers, and Small Business Development Centers, and the SBA’s Small Business Training Network of online courses, workshops and e-learning tools. Mills manages the SBA technical assistance programs providing information, training and business counseling for 2.4 million small business owners nationwide. With a budget of $200 million, leveraged by state and local funding, her office provides this service through a variety of business development networks across the nation. Small business counseling, mentoring, education and training programs are offered at colleges, universities, economic development and business non-profit organizations through more than 950 Small Business Development Centers, 390 SCORE Chapter locations and 90 Womens Business Centers. In addition, small business owners can also receive training and counseling services 24/7 through many of these programs, as well as through 21 courses offered through the Small Business Training Network (www.sba.gov/training). The SBA live Web chat series provides business owners with the opportunity to have conversations about relevant business issues with industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs. Participants will have direct, real-time access to the Web chats via questions they submit online in advance and during the session, with instantaneous answers. Participants can join the live Web chat by going online to www.sba.gov, and clicking Small Business Voice Online Chat. Web chat participants may post a question for Mills before the January 26th chat by visiting http://app1.sba.gov/liveMeeting/liveMills/intro.cfm and posting their questions online. To review archives of past live Web chats, visit online at http://www.sba.gov/chats/.

NASWA Workforce Bulletin Headlines – January 6, 2006:

CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE
WORKER CLASSIFICATION UNDER WELFARE PROGRAMS WILL CHANGE IF CONGRESS APPROVES RECONCILIATION BILL
EXPIRATION OF WOTC AND WtWTC PROGRAMS PLACES STATES IN FAMILIAR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION
FY 2006 APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
ETA PUBLISHES FY 2006 LABOR SURPLUS AREAS
ETA RELEASES GUIDANCE ON SERVING HOMELESS AND RUNAWAY YOUTH
NVTI SEEKING DIRECTOR
NASWA TRANSITIONING TO NEW UI DIRECTOR
NASWA WINTER POLICY FORUM 2006

For the complete stories go to: http://www.workforceatm.org/sections/members/
bulletin/bulltemp.cfm?results_art_filename=bu011306.cfm.

Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities and Notices

For additional information go to, visit the External Grant Opportunities page.

Featured Opportunity:

(none)

State Grants

SUCCEED, Florida! Crucial Professional/Critical Jobs for 2006 - Request for Concept Paper. Eligible applicants are: Florida School District Technical Centers, Florida Community Colleges, Non-public Postsecondary Institutions. For information go to: http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3470/06_02memo.pdf.

Federal Grants

Small Grants Programs and Precision Measurement Grants Program

FY 2006 Food Stamp Outreach Grant Competition (Repeat)

Foundation Grants

Allstate Foundation

Mockingbird Foundation Music Education Grants

Scholarships/Awards

(none)

Upcoming Meetings, Conferences and Events

Workforce Florida Board and Related Meetings Schedule:

For up-to-date WFI board meeting info please check the calendar at the WFI website.

February 9–10, 2006
Employ Florida Communication Consortium Meeting
Ocala, FL
Hosted by CLM Workforce Connection
Contact: Lucia Fishburne, WFI lfishburne@workforceflorida.com

February 15, 2006
Executive Directors Meeting (Partners Meeting)
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Clarion Hotel and Conference Center - Jacksonville
Contact: Peggy Dransfield pdransfield@workforceflorida.com

February 16, 2006
Workforce Florida Board of Directors & Council Meetings
Council/Committee Meetings 10:00am – 12:00pm
Board of Directors Meeting 1:00 – 4:00pm
Clarion Hotel and Conference Center - Jacksonville
Contact: Peggy Dransfield pdransfield@workforceflorida.com

Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:

January 23 – 25, 2006
2006 Statewide Delinquency Prevention Conference
Ambassadors for Prevention
The Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando
NEW! Who should attend: Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Providers, Probation Officials, Case Managers, Law Enforcement, Victim Services Professionals, Crime Prevention & Community Relation Officers, Faith Based & Community Based Organizations, Educators, School Administrators, Youth Direct Care Providers & other interested citizens. For registration form and more information go to: http://www.djj.state.fl.us/Prevention/index.html.

Monday, January 23, 2006
Florida Manufacturing Association Meeting (corrected organization name)
3:00 – 4:30 PM EST
Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines Street, Rooms 1703/1707
Tallahassee, FL
NEW! For more information contact: Andra Cornelius at acornelius@workforceflorida.com.

February 27 - March 1, 2006
NASWA Winter Policy Forum 2006
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Washington, D.C.
NEW! The Forum includes stimulating policy discussions, as well as vendor exhibits on emerging services and technologies. State Workforce Agencies are encouraged to inform contractors/vendors of exhibit opportunities - they will have an opportunity to introduce their companies' products and services in a "Two-Minute Drill" during the opening plenary session. Exhibits will be open throughout the conference in an area that also features refreshments for conference attendees during session breaks and an evening reception. Sponsors also will be able to gain recognition at several levels by supporting one or more meal functions. Please encourage vendors you work with to take advantage of these opportunities as soon as possible as space is limited. The deadline for hotel reservations and early bird conference registration and exhibitor registration is February 3, 2006. Exhibit space will be granted on a first-come basis. For additional information visit the Workforce ATM niche site at: http://www.workforceatm.org/wpforum06/index04.cfm. Please contact Nina Bustria at nbustria@naswa.org or at 202.434.8020 with any questions.

May 15-26, 2006
Rural Tourism and Economic Development Summit
Gainesville, Florida
NEW! This event seeks to unite tourism and economic development officials to improve quality of life in Rural Florida. Topics include:

Best practices and real world success stories of both tourism and development
Using technology to advance tourism and development in rural Florida
Ways to implement the Enterprise Florida “7-point Plan for Rural Florida.”

For more information, go to www.ncfrpc.org [Click on “Upcoming Events” and then “Rural Tourism and Economic Development Summit May 2006”] or call Jayne Moraski 352-955-2200 x.106 or via email moraski@ncfrpc.org.

USDOL’s Workforce Tools of the Trade Workforce Investment Systemwide Events Page. http://www.workforcetools.org/calendar.asp

Odds and Ends

Work Readiness Credential nearing completion of field tests (from CWP Center News January 2006). The Work Readiness Credential (WRC) is completing the final stages of validation before its scheduled release in June 2006. Over the past several months field tests have been conducted in the six states that are developing the WRC (FL, NY, NJ, RI, WA, and DC). Due to nationwide interest, additional field test sites have been added in Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Louisville, KY; Cleveland, OH; Midland, TX; and Seattle, WA. The purpose of the field tests is to collect data to demonstrate that the WRC is both a valid and reliable assessment for entry-level work readiness. All field tests are scheduled to conclude this February 2006. Once the WRC is available, employers will have access to an assessment tool to use in hiring entry-level workers. The WRC assessments measure nine skills that employers agreed were critical to successful performance of entry-level work. These nine skills are organized into four on-line assessment modules which include Reading, Math, Situational Judgment, and Oral Language. The first three are multiple choice assessments based on short work-based scenarios that the test taker responds to. These scenarios reflect work activities that employers from across industry sectors agree are an essential part of entry-level work responsibilities – regardless of occupation. The Oral Language Test is a state-of-the art listening and speaking performance test, which assesses essential workplace uses of speaking and listening in English. The four assessments take approximately 2 ½ hours to complete, and each module can be completed separately within a four week period. To learn more about the WRC and how your business, community, or organization can become more involved, visit: http://www.uschamber.com/cwp/strategies/workreadinesscredential.htm.

When the Gates Open: Ready4Work—A National Response to the Prisoner Reentry Crisis (by Joshua Good and Pamela Sherrid - October 2005, 32 pages). When the Gates Open describes the emergence of Ready4Work, a 17-site, national ex-prisoner reentry initiative developed by P/PV. The report outlines the initiative’s basic goals and design, and examines how it is directly confronting the nation's reentry crisis by drawing on local faith- and community-based organizations to provide job training, mentoring, case management and job placement services. With support from both government and private sources, Ready4Work was launched in 2003 and will continue through 2006. To date it has served more than 3,100 former prisoners. The report documents a rare partnership among the business, government, community and faith sectors, as they come together to confront alarmingly high incarceration and recidivism rates. It describes key start-up and implementation challenges and, using early outcomes data, touches on a number of promising practices for future reentry efforts. Download a free copy of the report at: www.ppv.org/ppv/community_faith/community_faith
_publications.asp?section_id=3#pub189.

Vets show slight uptick in federal employment. The Office of Personnel Management this week reported that the hiring of veterans to fill federal jobs increased slightly in fiscal 2004. The percentage of veterans in the pool of employees hired into full-time federal positions rose by 0.6 points from fiscal 2003 to fiscal 2004, according to an annual report released Wednesday by OPM. The percentage went from 33 to 33.6. The number of veterans employed in the federal government grew from 449,009 to 453,725, an increase of 1.1 percent. The overall federal workforce grew by 0.9 percent, to 1.81 million, during that same period. Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=33175&dcn=e_gvet.

From SOUTHERN COMPASS -- JANUARY 17, 2006:

Article says workforce leaders can play key role in smart growth. An article by the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, “Workforce Development and Smart Growth,” argues that workforce leaders can play a key role in managing growth. Often, new businesses locate in the suburbs, making many of the jobs inaccessible to low-skill workers in the central city. The lack of business growth in the urban core means fewer tax revenues to support central city schools, perpetuating a cycle of inadequate education, capital flight and unemployable workers. To review the article visit: http://www.fundersnetwork.org/usr_doc/Workforce_Development.pdf
Report focuses on aligning workforce & economic development. To train workers for the high wage, high skill jobs of the “knowledge economy,” several states have aligned their workforce development and economic development activities. The National Governors Association (NGA) and National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) brief, “The State’s Role in Aligning Workforce Development and Economic Development,” highlights state-level strategies to overcome workforce and economic development silos. The report profiles Oklahoma and Missouri as best practices. To overcome barriers, both states merged their workforce and economic development activities into one organization. Missouri also revised its local workforce investment boards (WIBs) performance scorecard to include measures of workforce and economic development. To learn more visit the brief at: http://colosus.ncee.org/pdf/wfd/NGA-NCEE_Issue_Brief.pdf
Center for Rural Education website offers research & grants. Roughly a third of America’s public school students attend rural schools. To better serve these students, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) created the Center for Rural Education. The Center will coordinate all of the federal programs designed to improve the quality of education in rural schools. The Center’s website provides a compendium of DOE sponsored research on rural education and federal grants specifically targeted toward rural schools. For more information, go to http://www.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/rural/index.html

Great news for those interested in green building and healthy affordable housing...
NeighborWorks® America offers a range of specialized training for those involved in the planning, development and construction of green affordable housing. Now, thanks to The Home Depot Foundation’s support for these courses, we’ve increased our capacity at the NeighborWorks® Training Institute in Atlanta (February 20-24) and can accept additional applications for tuition-free attendance. Free lodging is also available for individuals who submit their applications by January 24! These applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Participating in these courses is a great way to build your skills and enhance your career. You’ll take home the knowledge and tools you need to make a difference for yourself and your community. Eligible courses include:
Greening Affordable Housing - Feb. 20-21
Intro to Healthy Homes - Feb. 23-24
Residential Green Building - Feb. 23-24
Lead-Safe Practices and Basics of Compliance - Feb. 22
Place-Making: Connecting to the Built and Natural Environments - Feb. 23-24

To download a scholarship/registration form, visit http://www.nw.org/network/training/atlanta06.asp. If you have any questions, please call NeighborWorks® America’s Training Division at (800) 438-5547 or e-mail at nti@nw.org.

Quote for the Week:

"All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality."

Martin Luther King Jr.