Strong Workforce Program: More and Better Career Technical Education to Increase Social Mobility and Fuel Regional Economies with Skilled Workers

To develop more workforce opportunity and lift low-wage workers into living-wage jobs, California took a bold step in 2016 to create one million more middle-skill workers. At the recommendation of the California Community College Board of Governors, the Governor and Legislature approved the Strong Workforce Program, adding a new annual recurring investment of $248 million to spur career technical education (CTE) in the nation’s largest workforce development system of 115 colleges.

Grouped into seven areas targeting student success, career pathways, workforce data and outcomes, curriculum, CTE faculty, regional coordination and funding, this leading-edge state economic development program is driven by “more and better” CTE. The “more” is increasing the number of students enrolled in programs leading to high-demand, high-wage jobs. The “better” is improving program quality, as evidenced by more students completing or transferring programs, getting employed or improving their earnings.

The Strong Workforce Program focuses on data-driven outcomes rather than activities, along with an emphasis on innovation and risk-taking. In this way, colleges can be more responsive to labor market conditions and student outcomes. CTE Data Unlocked, a component of the program, helps colleges use CTE data to strengthen regional workforce plans by furthering local processes like program review, accreditation, and integrated planning.

This new ongoing funding is structured as a 60 percent Local Share allocation for each community college district and a 40 percent Regional Share determined by a regional consortia of colleges to focus on the state’s seven macro-economic regions. Both the Local and Regional Share require local stakeholders to collaborate, including industry and local workforce development boards. As much as possible, this program builds upon existing regional partnerships formed in conjunction with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, state Adult Education Block Grant and public school CTE programs.

Strong Workforce Program (SWP) Resource Center

Reporting Dates

2016-17 to 18-19 Expired Allocations

Expenditure TimeLine: April 1, 2021 - April 1, 2022
Report Reporting Period Due Date Reports Due (Notes)
1  April 2021 to June 2021 September 15, 2021 Fiscal and Programmatic
 2 July 2021 to September 2021 November 15, 2021 Fiscal and Programmatic
 3 October 2021 to December 2021 February 15, 2022 Fiscal and Programmatic
 4 January 2022 to April 2022 May 16, 2022 Final Report

2019-20 Allocation

Expenditure Timeline : 30 Months July 1, 2019 - April 1, 2022
Report Reporting Period Due Date Reports Due (Notes)
1 April 2021 to June 2021 September 15,2021 Fiscal and Programmatic
2 July 2021 to September 2021 November 15,2021 Fiscal and Programmatic
3 October 2021 to December 2021 February 15,2022 Fiscal and Programmatic
4  January 2022 to April 2022 May 16, 2022 Final Report

SWP 2.0 (2020-21)

Expenditure Timeline : 24 Months July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2022
Report Reporting Period Due Date Reports Due (Notes)
1 July 2020 to December 2020 February 15,2021 Fiscal and Programmatic
2 January 2021 to June 2021 November 15,2021 Fiscal and Programmatic
3 July 2021 to December 2021 February 15,2022 Fiscal and Programmatic
4 January 2022 to June 2022 November 15,2022 Final Report

SWP 2.0 (2021-22)

Expenditure Timeline : 30 Months July 1, 2021 - December 31, 2023
Report Reporting Period Due Date Reporting Due (Notes)
1 July 2021 to December 2021 June 30,2022 Fiscal and Programmatic
2 January 2022 to June 2022 November 15,2022 Fiscal and Programmatic
3 June 2022 to December 2022 February 15,2023 Fiscal and Programmatic
4 January 2023 to June 2023 November 15,2023 Fiscal and Programmatic
5 June 2023 to December 2023 February 15, 2024 Final Report

SWP 2.0 (2022-23)

Expenditure Timeline : 24 Months July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2024
REPORT REPORTING PERIOD DUE DATE REPORTING DUE (NOTES)
1 July 2022 to December 2022 February 15,2023 Fiscal and Programmatic
2 January 2023 to June 2023 November 15,2023 Fiscal and Programmatic
3 June 2023 to December 2023 February 15,2024 Fiscal and Programmatic
4 January 2024 to June 2024 November 15,2024 Fiscal and Programmatic

Planning Guide

Nova Reporting System

Funding Implementation - Local Shares

Funding Implementation - Regional Shares


NAME TITLE PHONE NUMBER
LaCandice Ochoa Dean 916.323.1758
Javier Cazares Specialist 916.327.5907
Zitlali Torres Program Assistant II 916.327.5692
Dalbir Singh
Associate Program Analyst 916.323.5863

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