More than 36 million U.S. adults cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third grade level. No state is immune to low literacy, and in Washington State, one in six adults lacks basic skills for acquiring a livable wage job. While Seattle is one…

This toolkit by National Conference of State Legislatures focuses on new approaches and strategies to help families disrupt the cycle of poverty. The toolkit outlines and describes the fundamentals of two-generation approaches to address poverty…

The Urban Institute was contracted by a Washington State housing authority to evaluate its 2013-2016 Student and Family Stability Initiative that provided supportive housing and employment to homeless or vulnerable families with elementary-aged…

Supported employment services in Washington State for individuals with mental illness were discontinued in 2012, resulting in uneven service offerings across the state. This report prepared by the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery outlines…

Upgrading America’s transportation and physical infrastructure is a bipartisan priority, and also an opportunity to provide millions of jobs to Americans who are unemployed or underemployed. This National Skills Coalition report describes the…

This working paper from the W.E. Upjohn Institute compares employment and earnings of veterans to non-veterans after accessing workforce development services in Washington State. The cohort was followed over the course of eight years, and the rate…

The U.S. Department of Labor funded this national scan to collect information on the research and evaluation capacity of state workforce agencies. The scan included 41 states, and the researchers from the National Association of State Workforce…

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies released this report about State labor market information (LMI) shops. State LMI shops have varying roles and responsibilities in different State governments, and may be part of the State…

Washington State’s WorkFirst Handbook has a section with information about medical conditions, including learning disabilities, that can interfere with a person’s ability to work, prepare for work, or look for work. The handbook emphasizes the…

This post from a TANF program specialist at the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) describes OFA’s efforts in improving TANF programs across the country. To share ideas about improving case management, integrating two-generation approaches, engaging…