Project

Adult Literacy: Title I and Title II Integration Study

December 2024

The Heldrich Center was contracted by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development to examine the extent to which Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act Title I workforce development services and Title II adult literacy services are integrated in New Jersey. The study sought to obtain an inventory of the types of integration activities that were being conducted across the state, identify the most promising strategies of Title I and Title II services integration, and understand the most common challenges local areas face in implementing integrated Title I and Title II services. Additionally, the study examined how the COVID-19 public health crisis affected local areas’ abilities to provide and integrate Title I and Title II services and how local and state public policy can facilitate improved integration of Title I and Title II services. To complete this study, the Heldrich Center conducted extensive interviews with New Jersey experts and frontline program staff to discuss promising practices in adult literacy, generally, and in integrating adult literacy services with workforce development services, specifically. In addition, the Heldrich Center conducted a statewide survey of Title I and Title II program staff to obtain a comprehensive understanding of how integration between the two program areas was implemented, or not implemented, at the local level in New Jersey. A final report analyzed the findings from the survey and from the stakeholder interviews, and offered a series of recommendations for state and local leaders that could improve Title I and Title II service integration.

Status

Completed

Approaches & Services

Evaluation, Statistics, Data visualizaiton, sample services