New Video Explains Workforce System Services for Individuals with Disabilities

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act emphasizes the importance of ensuring that workforce system services reach individuals with barriers to employment, especially individuals with disabilities. MSDE's Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) just released an educational video that speaks directly to potential DORS consumers, explaining the services available through DORS, the process for applying, and how to learn more. Check out the video and remember to share it the next time you work with a customer you think might be able to benefit from DORS!

Blast from the Past - The History of the U.S. Workforce System 

Did you ever wonder how the nation’s workforce system got started and how it evolved into the system we have today? This article is the second in a limited series highlighting key moments in the development of the nation's public workforce system.

As we learned in the February newsletter, the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) was formed more than 100 years ago. Defeated outgoing President William Howard Taft signed the new agency into law in 1913, just hours before turning the reins of power over to the newly-elected President, Woodrow Wilson. It was during Wilson's tenure that a national employment service was first introduced into the organization, operating within what was then called the Bureau of Immigration.

The United States’ entry into World War I in the spring of 1917 focused the agency’s early work on war production and issues related to working conditions. The Department oversaw implementation of the nation's war labor policies, which included some areas we all take for granted today, such as recognition of the right of workers to bargain collectively, establishment of machinery to adjust grievances, and an 8-hour workday.

Tune in next month to learn about the “red scare” and the role USDOL played in addressing the unemployment crisis during the Great Depression.

So You Think You are a Maven with Maryland High School Diploma Options? Test Your Knowledge! 

(True or False?) Candidates who are 18 years of age may register to take the GED® without completing the Official GED® School Withdrawal / Exception form or GED® Home Instruction Verification Form available from the Maryland Department of Labor.

False! Candidates 16, 17, & 18 years old requesting to take the Maryland GED® Test must submit the MD GED® School Withdrawal/Exception Form or MD GED® Home Instruction Form. The applicable form must be completed by a Maryland Local Education Agency Official only for students 16 and 17 or school official at the last school attended for 18-year-old students. No other forms or letters will be accepted in place of the Official GED® School Withdrawal/Exception Form or GED® Home Instruction Verification Form. 

(True or False?) National External Diploma Program® (NEDP®) clients must pass the GED® Test in order to earn their Maryland High School Diploma.

False! NEDP® and the GED® Test are distinct and unique pathways to earn a Maryland High School Diploma. 

(True or False?) The Adult High School Program provides an alternate diploma pathway for adults 21 years of age and older.

True! Adult High Schools provide an alternate pathway for adults 21 years of age and older to earn their Maryland High School Diploma.

(True or False?) NEDP® offers a competency-based, applied performance diploma pathway for adults based on life and work skills and experiences.

True! NEDP® is a high school diploma option for adults in Maryland. It offers self-directed learning on activities and assignments, the demonstration of which satisfies the requirements for a Maryland High School Diploma. 

(True or False?) Adult learners must enroll in adult education courses before registering to take the GED® Test.

False! Though not required before registering for the GED® Test, applicants may partake in adult education services to support their success. For a list of adult education programs that are funded by MD Labor, please visit: https://labor.maryland.gov/adultliteracy/programs.shtml.

Between the Lines

Looking for great success stories and promising program updates from around the field of adult education?  Look no further than Between the Lines!  Published by MD Labor's Office of Adult Education & Literacy Services, Between the Lines recognizes and applauds the diligence and dedication that comprise the various contributions and roles in adult education, from leaders, coaches, instructors, and staff in adult basic education (ABE), English as a second (or third, or forth, etc.) language (ESL), NEDP®, GED®, and Adult High Schools. We thank you for all that you do to support adult learners in Maryland!

Want to subscribe? Please contact Laura Ostrowski, laura.ostrowski@maryland.gov, or Echo Salisbury, echo.salisbury@maryland.gov. We’d love to hear from you!