To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Katherine Smith, Director, Community Resources Department; Sasha Easton, Division Manager, Arapahoe/Douglas Works!
Prepared By:
prepared
Emily Tapia, Workforce Administrator, Arapahoe/Douglas Works!
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Subject:
title
Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Central Planning Region and Local Area Plans
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
Staff requests approval from the Board of County Commissioners for an updated local plan for Arapahoe Douglas Works! and requests that the Chair sign the plan before it is submitted. This was presented to the Board of County Commissioners on September 22, 2026, and approved to be added to a future consent agenda for formal approval.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Workforce and Community Prosperity - Strengthen career pathways and economic mobility by increasing access to education and job placement.
Background and Discussion: The Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Development Board is required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) and the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) to submit a new local plan every 4 years, and updated narratives are required to be submitted at the mid-way point of a four-year plan. Approval and signature by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is required prior to submittal.
Additionally, the Colorado Central Planning Region (CCPR), which includes the Arapahoe/Douglas Local Workforce Area, is required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) and the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) to submit a new regional plan every 4 years, with subsequent approval and execution by the Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). CDLE requested a USDOL waiver for regional plan update, so the 2024 CPPR has not changed. This request only covers the local plan update.
LOCAL PLAN: Arapahoe County Government serves as the grant recipient and fiscal agent for funds distributed to the Arapahoe/Douglas Local Area for any federal, state, and/or private funding allocated for the purpose of supporting workforce development programming within the Arapahoe/Douglas region. As the fiscal agent, Arapahoe County Government is authorized to sign agreements with the State of Colorado, or any other entity or persons, for the operation and administration of workforce development programming, including WIOA and its applicable Titles. Per WIOA, PL 113-128 - July 22, 2014, and Colorado Policy Guidance Letter (PGL) WIOA-2025-06, the Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Development Board is required to submit Local Plan Narrative updates for PY26-27. The local plan must support the strategy outlined in the State Plan in accordance with WIOA Law SEC. 102(b)(1)(E). This Plan provides narrative pertaining to many key areas, including, but not limited to: strategic priorities, labor market information and data, programming initiatives and processes, partner collaborations, sector partnerships, and administrative oversight. For further details, please reference the attached updated WIOA PY 2024 - 2027 Plan.
Alternatives: If the updated Plan is not authorized, Arapahoe/Douglas Works! will not be in compliance with the state and federal requirement and may not be able to continue to provide service delivery within its designated local area of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties.
Fiscal Impact: If the updated Plan is not approved, a loss of state and/or federal funds is anticipated.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: N/A
Concurrence: This request is additionally supported by the Colorado Department of Labor and the Colorado Workforce Development Council.