At its monthly meeting on April 23, Eddie Thomas, Director- Office of Employment and Training with Arkansas Workforce Connections, Arkansas Department of Commerce, notified the Little Rock Workforce Development Board (LRWDB) that the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Combined State Plan for program years 2026–2027 has been published for public review.
This year’s modification includes several important components, including proposed waiver requests, encouraged by USDOL, designed to provide greater flexibility in service delivery, performance alignment, and system design, while improving efficiency and effectiveness. The plan also incorporates the full integration of the Perkins V Career and Technical Education State Plan, strengthening the connection between education, workforce preparation, and employer needs.
The goal is to move to a single area model in a phased approach. The Arkansas Workforce Development Board will take on all functions of local workforce boards. Functions will expand from vision and planning to add on policy development, budget oversight, evaluation, and program development in a phased-in approach that began in March 2026 and continues through June 2027.
The 30-day public comment period opened on Friday, April 17, 2026, and will close at 11:59 p.m. CT on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Interested parties may submit comments by clicking this link, which will direct you to the online submission form: Public Comment Submission Link
You may download the plan by clicking here.
You may access Mr. Thomas’ full presentation here: LWDB and CEO Stakeholder Engagement Presentation- WIOA Combined State Plan PY 26-27