How To Use WIA in a Sentence????

Right after posting that I thought that we could benefit by bringing some humor to our advocacy for older youth, I received  Opportunity Nation's delightful email about WIA that includes a primer that starts with how to pronounce it (WEE-ah\), includes  how to use it in a sentence (LOL!!!) and then puts forward some proposals.


THE PRIMER


WIA \WEE-ah\ noun:

1. A $3 billion annual investment that helps adult, displaced workers and young Americans ages 14-21 enroll in skills and career programs that help them find jobs in today’s economy.

2. Youth programs include: tutoring, summer employment, high school graduation coaching, occupational training and more.

3. The U.S.’s largest single source of federal funding for workforce development activities.

Origin:

Established in 1998 to meet the increased demands on the U.S. workforce and economy. WIA has been overdue for reauthorization since 2003.

How to Use in a Sentence:

This is the year to finally reauthorize WIA!

Together, we can help get WIA reauthorized – now. Our youth cannot afford to wait. 

THE PROPOSALS

Currently, most teens and young adults accessing WIA services have already dropped out of school and struggle with low levels of basic literacy. Opportunity Nation believes students deserve earlier interventions to prevent them from joining the ranks of an estimated 5.8 million “disconnected” youth who are struggling to secure a foothold in the 21st century economy.

Opportunity Nation wants to see early warning systems that identify struggling high school students before they drop out included in WIA, as well as efforts to urge youth who have dropped out to re-enroll and complete high school.

We support:

• Flexible schedules and multiple pathways to graduation;
• Dual enrollment programs that enable students to receive college credit while they earn a high school diploma;
• Increased Advanced Placement courses; and
• Work-based learning that help prepare students for fulfilling and productive careers.

As much as I'm a supporter of Opportunity Nation,  I'm actually not in 100% agreement about these proposals. I do think think there first item is right on -- WIA needs to be focused on re-engagement of young people through a combination of school and the chance to earn some income. Dual enrollment and increased AP? -- I'm not sure how that's going to help when what have is a pipeline right out of school in 9th and 10th grade. Early warning systems -- personally the money should go to early intervention systems. The schools know who the students are that are struggling --we don't need to build big data systems. We need to do something about it.

Nevertheless -- Opportunity Nation got my attention and I read through the entire email ....just cuz it brought a smile to my face.