House Democrats’ Bill Reauthorizing WIOA Likely Excludes Proprietary Institutions, Harming Students, and Limiting the Supply of Workers
CECU
March 31, 2022
Arlington, VA – Earlier today, Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) introduced a bill that would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA was designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need. The bill appears to remove proprietary institutions from eligibility for WIOA programs by amending the definition of “institution of higher education” to remove references to proprietary institutions.
“We are deeply concerned that this bill’s proactive exclusion of proprietary career schools from the definition of Institution of Higher Education would disqualify those schools from participating,” said CECU’s President and CEO, Dr. Jason Altmire. “Excluding proprietary institutions from participating in WIOA programs would negatively impact thousands of students and further limit the supply of workers in an already limited labor market. We urge Congress not to exclude students attending proprietary institutions from funds that are designed to help job seekers access education and training that strengthens our nation’s workforce.”