Yesterday the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $12 million to 13 states under the Workforce Data Quality Initiative, which aims to help states build or expand longitudinal databases that link workforce and education data. States will use these longitudinal databases to determine the effectiveness of employment and training programs to better inform workforce system customers. The grants will last for three years.
Eleven states will use the money to expand and improve linkages between education and employment in existing longitudinal databases:
- Florida
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
Two more states — Louisiana and Minnesota — will use the funding to develop and implement new systems.
“These grants are an important part of the administration’s efforts to increase the availability and use of high-quality data,†said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. “By developing and improving databases, states will help those seeking training make better informed decisions, all while more clearly demonstrating the link between employment and education in the long-term success of workers.â€
For more information on the Workforce Data Quality Initiative grantees, visit http://www.doleta.gov/pdf/WDQI_abstracts_draft_2.pdf.
Tags: Data, federal grants, funding, Public Policy