The Workforce Investment Act (WIA), signed into law in August 1998, overhauls the federal job training system that has been in place for more than 15 years. WIA replaces the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) with block grants to states for the provision of employment services to job seekers. Expanded state and local control over the design, implementation, and evaluation of the new workforce investment system is a core component of the Act, and state and local Workforce Investment Boards will be responsible for tailoring the system to local needs.