The purpose of the Innovative Workforce Incentive Program Implementation Grant 2 is to award competitive grants to schools to create qualifying credential programs from the Governor's Office of Workforce Transformation Innovative Workforce Incentive Program list. Quality credentialing programs typically require investments in program and curricular materials, equipment, professional development for teachers and administrative costs. To help ensure schools are able to provide students with high-level instruction and training to earn the credentials, Ohio has set aside funds to support implementation of an Innovative Workforce Incentive Program.
To advance the workforce priorities in our state, Ohio law has created the Innovative Workforce Incentive Program. The program promotes high school students earning industry recognized credentials in priority industry sectors. These incentive dollars will be paid to a school or school district per earned credential from the Innovative Workforce Incentive Program list. If a student attends more than one school district, the incentive dollars will be paid to the school district that paid for the cost of the eligible credential.
Innovative Workforce Incentive Program Implementation Grant funds may be used to purchase
such materials and services as:
- Equipment
- Software
- Classroom supplies necessary for training
- Administrative/Operational costs
- Teacher professional development and credentialing
- Classroom/Lab expansion
- Curriculum and materials used for instruction
- Credential vendor services
Per House Bill 166, the Department shall prioritize Innovative Workforce Incentive Program Implementation Grant applications from districts with schools that plan to offer Senior Only Credential Programs in schools that currently do not operate such programs. Competitive preference priority points will supplement the quality review score without increasing the total points possible for the application.
NOTE: As the State of Ohio responds to budget shortfalls resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, funding for the Innovative Workforce Incentive Program (IWIP) has been eliminated. The state has, however, maintained $4 million to reimburse schools for the cost of industry-recognized credentials for all students.
None is available.
Grant funds may not be used to pay for the cost of student credential exams as schools or districts are eligible to receive reimbursement for credentials earned from the Ohio Department of Education's list of industry-recognized credentials. To receive reimbursement, schools or districts must report students as earning industry-recognized credentials in the Education Management Information System.