To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to define the term evidence-based.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2058
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Labor and Employment
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-11: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-06T06:38:41Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation, H.R. 2058, aims to clarify and standardize the use of "evidence-based" practices in workforce development programs by amending the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This act, originally passed in 2014, funds job training, education, and employment services. The bill seeks to ensure that federal workforce funding supports programs proven effective through research, helping improve outcomes for workers and job seekers.
Key Provisions
- Definition of "Evidence-Based": Adds a new paragraph to Section 3 of WIOA defining the term as an activity, service, strategy, intervention, or material content that:
- Shows a statistically significant positive effect on participant outcomes (e.g., employment rates or skills gained) based on:
- Strong evidence from at least one well-designed experimental study (like a randomized controlled trial, where participants are randomly assigned to groups to test effectiveness).
- Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed quasi-experimental study (similar to experimental but without random assignment, using other methods to compare groups).
- Promising evidence from at least one well-designed correlational study (examining relationships between variables) with controls for selection bias (adjusting for differences in who participates to ensure fair comparisons).
- Or, demonstrates a research-based rationale likely to improve outcomes, plus ongoing efforts to evaluate its effects.
- Updates to State Plans: Amends Section 102(b)(1) of WIOA to require state workforce plans to include:
- A description of how much state activities align with evidence-based practices.
- Strategies for prioritizing funding of evidence-based programs using funds for statewide workforce activities (under Section 128(a) of WIOA).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- New Definition: WIOA previously used "evidence-based" without a clear definition, leading to potential inconsistencies. This bill provides a precise, tiered standard based on research quality, drawing from similar definitions in education law (e.g., Every Student Succeeds Act).
- Enhanced Accountability in Planning: States must now explicitly address evidence in their required workforce plans, including prioritization of proven programs, which was not mandated before. This shifts focus from anecdotal or untested approaches to data-supported ones.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Labor and state workforce agencies may need to update guidelines, training, and oversight to implement the definition, potentially increasing administrative efforts but improving program efficiency.
- Citizens: Job seekers, unemployed workers, and students in training programs could benefit from more effective services, leading to better employment outcomes and reduced reliance on unproven initiatives.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic workforce policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- States and Local Workforce Boards: Responsible for developing plans and allocating funds; they must now emphasize evidence-based strategies.
- Program Providers: Training organizations, community colleges, and nonprofits delivering WIOA services; they may need to adapt programs to meet the new standards.
- Participants: Individuals receiving workforce services, such as job training or career counseling, who stand to gain from higher-quality interventions.
- Federal Government: Congress and the Department of Labor, which oversee WIOA funding (about $3 billion annually) and enforcement.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens WIOA's framework by promoting uniformity in how states use federal funds, reducing disputes over program eligibility. It aligns with broader federal trends toward "evidence-based policymaking" without creating new enforcement mechanisms.
- Constitutional: No significant issues; the bill operates within Congress's spending power under Article I, Section 8, by conditioning federal grants on compliance.
- Political: Encourages bipartisan support for efficient use of taxpayer dollars, potentially reducing waste in workforce programs. It may face debate over the rigor of evidence tiers, with critics arguing it could limit innovative but untested local approaches.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Messmer, Mark [R-IN-8], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. James, John [R-MI-10]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-11: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-03-11: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-11: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to define the term evidence-based. — issued 2025-03-11 — PDF (3 pages)