REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 11, 2025
FROM
BRADLEY GATES, Director, Workforce Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act San Bernardino County Local Plan and Inland Empire Regional Plan for Program Years 2025-2028
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve and authorize the submission of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program Years 2025-2028 San Bernardino County Local Plan to the California Workforce Development Board.
2. Approve and authorize the submission of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program Years 2025-2028 Inland Empire Regional Plan to the California Workforce Development Board.
3. Authorize the Director of the Workforce Development Department to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program Years 2025-2028 San Bernardino County Local Plan and Inland Empire Regional Plan to make modifications, as necessary, to comply with direction from the California Workforce Development Board prior to implementation for Program Year 2025, subject to review by County Counsel.
4. Direct the Director of the Workforce Development Department to submit any plan modifications made pursuant to Recommendation No. 3 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of submission to the California Workforce Development Board.
(Presenter: Bradley Gates, Director, 387-9862)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as funding is fully provided through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Sufficient appropriation and revenue will be included in the Workforce Development Department’s (WDD) 2025-26 recommended budget and future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
WIOA requires Local Workforce Development Boards to submit multi-year local plans for services in Workforce Development Areas (Local Area) and regional plans for Regional Planning Units to define strategies for workforce development that are responsive to the training needs of businesses, job seekers, and employees. The San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board’s (WDB) Program Years 2025 - 2028 Local Plan (Local Plan) and Inland Empire Regional Plan (Regional Plan) are due April 27, 2025, to the California Workforce Development Board.
On April 20, 2021, (Item No. 55), the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the WIOA Local and Regional Plans for Program Years 2021-2024. On March 14, 2023, (Item No. 56), the Board approved the Local Plan and Regional Plan 2 Year Modifications for Program Years 2021-2024.
WIOA requires Regional Plans and partnerships to function under the California Workforce Development Board’s State Plan as the primary mechanism for aligning educational and training provider services with regional industry sector needs in California’s WIOA Regional Planning Units. The Inland Empire Regional Planning Unit (IERPU) includes the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board and the Riverside County Workforce Development Board. With the development of the Regional Plan and Local Plan, key stakeholders and customers representing education, labor, economic development, community-based organizations, as well as customers including job seekers, youth, and businesses across the region, were included to provide input and participate in the assessment of current workforce development programs. While the Regional Plan outlines the implementation of the workforce development system at the regional level, the Local Plan describes the workforce system in San Bernardino County and how to achieve the WDB’s vision of transforming lives and strengthening business.
For the Regional Plan, the IERPU selected two of the four regional indicators to establish objective metrics. The first is that the IERPU has policies supporting equity and strives to improve job quality. The second is that the IERPU has shared target populations of emphasis. IERPU chose the following shared target populations of emphasis:
• English as a Second Language
• Low Levels of Literacy, and Cultural Barriers
• Ex-Offenders (Justice-Involved)
• Un-housed/Homeless Individuals
• Long Term Unemployed
• Low-Income Individuals
• Individuals with Disabilities
• Older Adult Individuals
• Veterans
There are five goals under the Regional Plan, which include the following:
• Goal 1: To ensure that programs and services implemented by the IERPU are advancing Regional Indicators 1 and 2.
• Goal 2: To ensure that sector-based career pathways remain robust and provide access to high-road jobs for job seekers.
• Goal 3: To advocate for job quality and work towards achieving equity.
• Goal 4: To research and identify opportunities in Climate and Environmental Sustainability.
• Goal 5: To ensure ongoing alignment between the various agencies, the IERPU will utilize strategies to Realize High Road Interventions outlined in the CWDB Unified Strategic Workforce Development Plan.
There are also the following five goals under the Local Plan in alignment with the IERPU Regional Plans goals:
• Goal 1: To ensure the San Bernardino County America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC) System works toward achieving equity by prioritizing the shared target populations of emphasis to advance Regional Indicators 1 and 2.
• Goal 2: To provide an increased level of services to foster youth.
• Goal 3: To locally advocate for job quality among the county’s employers.
• Goal 4: To research and pilot new programs and services for industries and occupations that support climate and environmental sustainability.
• Goal 5: To enhance the coordination of Business Services across the AJCC System.
Consistent with the State of California Employment Development Department requirements, the Local Plan and Regional Plan were made available for public review and comment for a 30-day period beginning February 7, 2025, through March 7, 2025. A public notice on how to access the plans for review and comments were posted on the WDB’s website and social media platforms and web blasts were sent to stakeholders across the region announcing the availability of the plans and a link to provide comments/feedback. No public comments were received within the 30-day period.
WDB approved the Local Plan and Regional Plan at its meeting on February 12, 2025.
Following receipt of the Regional Plan and Local Plan, the State will send a letter to WDD by July 1, 2025, advising of approval or requested revisions. In order to promptly respond to the State, Recommendation No. 3 requests the Board to authorize the Director of WDD to make any State-requested revisions, such as adding a new industry sector or making changes for consistency with federal law, subject to County Counsel review, prior to implementation of the plans to meet time sensitive deadlines often imposed by CWDB.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Curtis, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 3, 2025; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on February 21, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Office, 387-5423) on February 24, 2025.