The U.S. Department of Labor just opened the way for Florida and other states to grab as much as $1 million in federal funds each over three years, but the state has not decided whether it will compete for the funds.
States that overhaul the way they track their workforce statistics could receive a piece of $12 million being offered as part of the Workforce Data Quality Initiative, announced by the department Monday. The initiative attempts to get states to keep better track of the data and tie it to educational statistics.
The Department of Labor plans to dole out the federal money -- taken from the federal budget, not from set-aside stimulus funds -- in as many as 12 awards to states that will overhaul their systems either alone or in a consortium of several states. Single states can receive as much as $1 million. Multi-state consortiums can receive as much as $3 million.
The grant is to be used to develop and improve longitudinal data systems systems that track workforce statistics over the years and incorporate individual-level data into them. States receiving the grant would also match the workforce data to educational data systems to track stats over the years, and monitor education and training programs.
The Department of Labor is encouraging states to use the three-year grant in conjunction with the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems grant given for overhauling how states track education statistics.
Floridas Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), which tracks labor statistics in the state, says it's too soon to say whether it will apply for the grant or what implications the grant could have for the state.
The agency is reviewing the application for the grant, " said AWI spokesperson Victoria Heller. "We have not yet applied. But we'll make that decision in the near future."
Reach Alex Tiegen at atiegen@sunshinestatenews.com or at (561) 329-5389.
