How to Actually Track WIOA Co-Enrollments: Using Better Data to Drive Workforce Equity

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is rooted in a bold ambition: “to strengthen the United States workforce development system through innovation in, and alignment and improvement of, employment, training, and education programs in the United States, and to promote individual and national economic growth.”

At its core, WIOA aims to create an integrated workforce system that aligns services across multiple programs to better address the needs of job seekers and employers. That's why, under WIOA, collaboration among programs and organizations is explicitly required to ensure cohesive and comprehensive support for participants. These requirements ensure that services are aligned, resources are shared, and participants can access multiple programs seamlessly. Whether pairing job training with adult education or connecting youth programs to sector-specific industry pathways, co-enrollment represents a step toward holistic, participant-centered support.

Then Why Are Co-Enrollment Numbers So Low?

Accurate co-enrollment reporting is essential for building a responsive and effective workforce development system grounded in WIOA principles. It allows workforce and adult education programs to demonstrate success, maintain funding, and provide comprehensive services to participants. Recent data on co-enrollment, however, reveals considerable gaps. A 2022 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that up to 67% of participants lacked co-enrollment data due to heavy reliance on self-reported information and limited data-sharing among programs. This absence of comprehensive data obstructs accurate evaluation and prevents states and local areas from making data-driven decisions that could enhance service delivery.

Systemic Barriers to Co-Enrollment Tracking and Reporting

Despite its critical importance, the process of tracking co-enrollment faces several systemic challenges that hinder progress and can compromise participant outcomes.

Underreporting is a significant barrier. For example, national data from World Education revealed that in 2018, only 0.6% of WIOA Title I Adult participants were reported as co-enrolled in the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) program. This startlingly low figure highlights a lack of coordination and inadequate data collection and reporting mechanisms. At the state level, former South Carolina state data coordinator Kammie Reed observed that the state reported just a 4% co-enrollment rate in 2022—something she describes as likely “wildly underreported.” Such disparities underscore how incomplete reporting distorts co-enrollment's true scope and potential.

Compounding the issue is the decentralized nature of tracking systems. States often operate siloed databases that fail to communicate with one another, complicating efforts to collect and analyze data across programs. These fragmented systems make it difficult for agencies to fully understand participant progress, effectively severing the connections needed to deliver integrated and efficient services.

5 Strategies for Improving WIOA Co-Enrollment Metrics & Tracking

For workforce development and adult education professionals, overcoming these barriers will require coordinated efforts at the local, regional, and state levels. By confronting these systemic issues, programs can enhance co-enrollment tracking and ensure they are fulfilling their commitment to supporting individuals in achieving their workforce and education goals.

1. Modernize Legacy Tracking Software

Outdated reporting and case management systems can create barriers to effective co-enrollment tracking. Transitioning to modern WIOA reporting software that can securely share data and streamline referral processes is essential. These tools help close the loop on referrals, enabling staff to easily track participants' progress across multiple programs and simplify reporting from local to regional to state levels. With better technology, referral management is more efficient, minimizing manual errors and creating a more integrated approach to participant tracking.

2. Use Workflow Technology for Participant Triage

Automated workflows can help triage participants based on their unique needs without draining additional staff resources. Using customized screening criteria, this technology can effectively guide individuals to the supportive services they qualify for, whether those focus on employment, education, or training. Organizations ensure a more personalized and targeted approach by directing participants to multiple resources and programs that align with their goals. This level of precision boosts co-enrollment numbers and enhances outcomes by promoting long-term success in workforce and educational pathways.

3. Improve Communication Between Stakeholders

Building bridges between organizations is critical to improving co-enrollment outcomes. Enhanced communication allows various stakeholders— workforce boards, community colleges, and nonprofits—to combine their resources and expertise for a more significant impact. Collaborative events and programs provide excellent opportunities to maximize outreach and coordination. For instance, hosting joint career workshops or training sessions can streamline services while promoting co-enrollment and showcasing the value of multi-stakeholder cooperation.

4. Use WIOA Funds Creatively

WIOA funds can be used innovatively to drive co-enrollment efforts through strategic outreach and advertising. By co-marketing events and programs, organizations can extend their reach and raise awareness of available services. Public events, such as job fairs in community spaces, create further visibility while encouraging participants to connect with multiple programs. Collaboration, both within the workforce system and with the broader community, maximizes the impact of these funds, ensuring they go beyond traditional applications and truly enhance service delivery.

5. Connect with Your State Workforce and Adult Education Leaders

Sharing success stories of cross-program collaboration is a powerful way to drive investment in co-enrollment tools and strategies. Regularly connecting with state workforce and adult education leaders to showcase effective partnerships and tools emphasizes the tangible benefits of integrated systems. Stories of participants thriving thanks to coordinated services underline the importance of allocating funds toward platforms and technologies that support this work. Organizations can build momentum for policies and tools that sustain and grow co-enrollment initiatives by maintaining a steady dialogue with state leaders.

Reimagining Co-Enrollment Tracking for Workforce Success

Improving co-enrollment tracking is critical for WIOA compliance, but more importantly, it's a pathway to creating a more equitable and impactful workforce development system. By addressing the systemic barriers that hinder effective co-enrollment tracking, programs can unlock a future where services are seamlessly integrated, participants receive the support they need, and communities thrive through better access to education and employment opportunities.

Innovative solutions, like myOneFlow, are revolutionizing how organizations manage and track co-enrollments. myOneFlow is the only case management and reporting platform that enables secure and transparent co-enrollment tracking, offering actionable data from local to national levels—an indispensable asset in driving workforce equity and collaboration. myOneFlow's secure referral management technology ensures that providers can close the loop on referrals, even if partner organizations use a different platform. Automated workflows efficiently triage individuals, reducing staff burden while improving participant outcomes. That's why myOneFlow is being rapidly adopted on the local and state levels by organizations that need to supplement or replace outdated legacy systems. Explore our package offerings or contact our team to learn more about what makes myOneFlow unique.