Job Training Partnership Act: Racial and Gender Disparities in Services

GAO discussed the Job Training Partnership Act Program (JTPA), focusing on the: (1) extent to which disparities occurred in individual service delivery areas (SDA); and (2) factors contributing to such disparities. GAO noted that: (1) preliminary data indicated that racial disparities existed in training provided to blacks in 11 to 20 percent of the SDA analyzed; (2) in those SDA, white participants were more likely to receive classroom training and on-the-job training, while black participants were more likely to receive only job search assistance; (3) Department of Labor (DOL) data indicated that JTPA participants that received occupational training received a higher placement wage than those receiving only job search assistance; (4) preliminary data indicated that blacks that did receive classroom training were more likely to be trained for lower wage jobs; (5) although women received more classroom training than men, they were more likely to receive training for lower wage jobs; (6) factors contributing to the disparities included self selection, limited training and job options, limited support services, and employer discrimination; (7) DOL failed to timely complete and disburse its analysis to states identifying potential disparities and provide adequate guidance to states and SDA for investigating the causes of such disparities; and (8) neither DOL or the states maintained adequate data to detect disparities and manage necessary changes.