State plan for workforce development.

(1) STATE PLAN.—The state board, in conjunction with state and local partners in the workforce system, shall develop a state plan that produces an educated and skilled workforce. The state plan must consist of strategic and operational planning elements. The state plan shall be submitted by the Governor to the United States Department of Labor pursuant to the requirements of Pub. L. No. 113-128.

(2) STRATEGIC PLANNING ELEMENTS.—The state board, in conjunction with state and local partners in the workforce development system, shall develop strategic planning elements, pursuant to Pub. L. No. 113-128, Title I, s. 102, for the state plan.

(a) The strategic planning elements of the state plan must include, but need not be limited to, strategies for:

1. Fulfilling the workforce system goals and strategies prescribed in s. 445.004.

2. Aggregating, integrating, and leveraging workforce system resources.

3. Coordinating the activities of federal, state, and local workforce system partners.

4. Addressing the workforce needs of small businesses.

5. Fostering the participation of rural communities and distressed urban cores in the workforce system.

(b) The strategic planning elements must include criteria for allocating workforce resources to local workforce development boards. With respect to allocating funds to serve customers of the welfare transition program, such criteria may include weighting factors that indicate the relative degree of difficulty associated with securing and retaining employment placements for specific subsets of the welfare transition caseload.

(c) The state plan must describe:

1. How the activities will be carried out by the respective core programs to implement the strategy and how the activities will be aligned across the programs and among the entities administering the programs, including using coenrollment and other strategies.

2. How the activities will be aligned with other activities that are provided under employment; training; education, including career and technical education; and human services programs that are not covered by the state plan, as appropriate, to avoid duplication and assure coordination.

3. How the entities carrying out the respective core programs will coordinate activities and provide comprehensive, high-quality services, including supportive services, to individuals.

4. How the state’s strategy to engage Florida College System institutions and local career and technical education schools as partners in the workforce development system will enable the state to leverage other federal, state, and local investments and increase access to workforce development programs at those institutions.

5. How the activities will be coordinated with economic development strategies.

6. How the state’s strategy will improve access to activities leading to a state approved recognized postsecondary credential, including a credential that is an industry recognized certificate or certification that is portable and builds on additional education or training.

(3) OPERATIONAL PLANNING ELEMENTS.—The state board, in conjunction with state and local partners in the workforce system, shall develop operational planning elements, pursuant to Pub. L. No. 113-128, Title I, s. 102, for the state plan.

(4) WAIVERS.—The department shall prepare a federal waiver to be submitted by the Governor to the United States Department of Labor that:

(a) Allows the state board to fulfill the roles and responsibilities of local workforce development boards or that reduces the number of local workforce development boards based on population size and commuting patterns in order to:

1. Eliminate multiple layers of administrative entities to improve coordination of the workforce development system.

2. Establish consistent eligibility standards across the state to improve the accountability of workforce related programs.

3. Provide greater flexibility in the allocation of resources to maximize the funds directed to training and business services.

(b) Allows the Governor to reallocate funds among local areas that have a demonstrated need for additional funding and programmatic outcomes that will maximize the use of the additional funds to serve low-income individuals, public assistance recipients, dislocated workers, and unemployment insurance claimants.