WIOA Isn’t Going Away. It’s Just Getting Quieter—and More Valuable.

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January 24, 2026

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Every few months, I hear the same thing from a school owner or founder:

“Hey, I heard WIOA might be ending.”
“Funding is drying up, right?”
“Is it even worth building around workforce boards anymore?”

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Let me say this clearly, based on what I’m seeing inside the system not headlines, not Twitter takes, not rumors.

WIOA is not going away.
What is going away is easy money for unprepared schools.

That distinction matters more than ever.

What People Think Is Happening (And Why They’re Wrong)

From the outside, it looks like workforce funding is shrinking.

You hear about:

  • Budgets being “reallocated”

  • New compliance requirements

  • Slower approvals

  • Fewer press releases about grants

So people assume the worst: WIOA is ending.

That assumption usually comes from folks who:

  • Never operated a WIOA-approved school

  • Never built real relationships with workforce boards

  • Never sat in a quarterly performance review with a state agency

  • Never had to explain placement rates or wage outcomes

Here’s the truth:

WIOA doesn’t disappear quietly.
If it were being sunset, you’d see it years in advance through legislation, employer lobbying, and state-level planning.

None of that is happening.

Instead, something more subtle (and more important) is happening.

What’s Actually Happening Behind the Scenes

Workforce boards are under pressure, but not the way most people think.

They’re not being asked to spend less money.
They’re being asked to spend it better.

Behind closed doors, workforce boards are dealing with:

  • Massive employer demand they can’t fill

  • Pressure to show measurable outcomes

  • Audits that reward quality over volume

  • A shrinking pool of schools they actually trust

Here’s something most people don’t realize:

Boards don’t want more schools. They want fewer, better ones.

They’re tired of:

  • Programs that overpromise and underdeliver

  • Schools that disappear after approval

  • Poor documentation

  • Weak employer alignment

  • Low completion or placement rates

So instead of blasting “WIOA funding available” everywhere, they’re quietly funneling funds toward:

  • Proven operators

  • Programs aligned with real jobs

  • Schools that understand compliance

  • Founders who act like partners, not vendors

If you’re on the inside, this is obvious.
If you’re on the outside, it feels like the door is closing.

It’s not closing.
It’s narrowing.

Until next time, control what YOU can control, take action on something, and don’t forget to smile. Like what you read? Here’s how you can help:  Share this newsletter with friends who could use a boost. Sharing is caring! Connect with me on X (formerly Twitter) – let's chat and support each other.