TEN_36-16_Acc.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT NOTICE NO. 36-16 DATE January 18 2017 EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WASHINGTON D.C. 20210 TO AFFILIATE AMERICAN JOB CENTER DIRECTORS COMPREHENSIVE AMERICAN JOB CENTER DIRECTORS WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT WIOA 166 INDIAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN GRANTEES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR DOL EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS STATE GOVERNORS STATE WIOA LIAISONS STATE WORKFORCE ADMINISTRATORS WIOA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD LOCAL CHAIRS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD STATE CHAIRS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD STATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD LOCAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS FROM PORTIA WU s Assis tant Secretary SUBJECT Release and Availability of Two Reports Using Workforce Data Quality Initiative WDQI Databases to Develop and Improve Consumer Report Card Systems CRCS and How States Manage Eligible Training Provider Lists Findings from a State Survey 1. Purpose. The Employment and Training Administration ETA announces the release and availability of two papers from a study of states use of Workforce Data Quality Initiative WDQI Databases to inform Consumer Report Card Systems and manage Eligible Training Provider Lists ETPL .2. Background. Both of these reports were written prior to the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act WIOA which superseded several relevant statutory provisions of the Workforce Investment Act WIA under which the study took place.1 The references in this Training and Employment Notice TEN are to WIA however the findings are relevant for WIOA implementation.1 The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act WIOA became law on July 22 2014 and WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 WIA and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act the Wagner- Peyser Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 2 To promote State use and linkage of administrative data the U.S. Department of Labor s DOL WDQI grant program funds states to develop state workforce longitudinal databases to provide a comprehensive picture of workers skill deve lopment and earnings throughout their careers .2 ETA contracted with IMPAQ International LLC IMPAQ to conduct two compl ementary research activities related to the WDQI involving 1 a survey of all state workforce agency ETPL coordinators to obtain updated details about the ir ETPL s how they are updated and how the lists are received and used by customers and community colleges and 2 contact with state WDQI leads in those states already moving to develop performance scorecards to document score card system details and the relationship to their ETPL s and to identify lessons that may prove useful for other states . Large individual -level administrative databases have increasingly been used to monitor the employment outcomes of job training po st-secondary education and related social programs. DOL continues to be at the forefront of these efforts most notably in helping states build the capacity to use quarterly Unemployment Insurance UI wage records for tracking individual s employment and earnings after participation in several DOL -administered programs . More recently there has been growing interest in the use of longitudinal administrative data to measure and report on program outcomes for education and training providers whether or no t the program receive d WIA or WIOA funding. Consumer Report Card Systems CRCSs are state systems for calculating program outcomes based on labor market data e.g. employment retention and earnings for those individuals participating in job training and postsecondary programs. These systems provide the public program outcome and other program information on an easy -to-use website that allows users to compare programs and identify those that best suit their needs . Thus CRCSs play an important role i n supporting informed consumer choice that was emphasized in WIA and central to WIOA . In combination with state ETPLs CRCSs offer the potential to enhance the information that prospective education and job training participants use to make decisions . CRC Ss also can provide policy makers and practitioners with useful information to make programmatic adjustments that improve education and job training program service delivery . 3. Study Description . WDQI Databases Study This study is based upon the first three rounds of WDQI grants awarded in 2011 2012 and 2 013 which totaled over 30 million and were awarded to 29 states. It was initiated to obtain information on the li nkages between the WDQI grants and state efforts to develop CRCSs and the potential for more widespread implementation of CRCSs across the countr y. 2 Workforce Data Quality Initiative WDQI Grant Information U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration http www.doleta.gov performance workforcedatag rant09.cfm 3 The study had three main objectives to Understand the relationship between WDQI and state efforts to develop CRCSs Assess the degree to which states without existing CRCSs are prepared to implement them and Identify how DOL can support the implementation of CRCSs beyond the states with exist ing systems and improve the quality of CRCSs in states that have them. The study s first paper entitled Using WDQI Databases to Develop and Improv e Consumer Report Card Systems concluded overall that WDQI states with functioning C RCSs used WDQI grants to improve their CRCSs. Many WDQI grantee states did not yet have CRCSs although some of these states were making progress towards developing CRCS s with the use of their WDQI grants. The authors indicate d a need for continued funding and a significant amount of time expertise and resolve to complete that task. Based upon states experiences to create or improve CRCSs using WDQI funding the aut hors made two recommendations about how DOL could support widespread implementation of CRCSs They are Provide resource support by funding additional WDQI grants focused on the development of CRCSs and work with the U.S. Department of Education ED to facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information among states that have created or are working to create CRCSs and encourage states to have their education and workforce agencies work more cooperatively. Provide other incentives for states to develop CRCSs by phasing out WIA initial eligibility waivers and working with ED to encourage state support of CRCSs by systematically publicizing their value to state -level policymakers. Under WIOA the waivers referenced are no longer in place. To en sure that customers choose quality programs that help them get a job in an in -demand field WIA WIOA require s training providers to have their programs reviewed and approved to be included on the ETPL. Additionally to help customers make informed choices about which programs best suit their needs WIA WIOA require s the collection and reporting of certain program performance information and cost s. While WIA provide d a basic structure for these processes states and local workforce investment boards ha d a great deal of flexibility to implement the process for selecting which training providers are included on the state s ETPLs. Thus state ETPL policies and practices var ied widely . IMPAQ fielded a web -based ETPL Coordinator Survey in all states the Dis trict of Columbia and Puerto Rico to examine ETPL policies and practices. Forty -six states completed the survey between May and June of 2014 the findings are documented in the study s second paper entitled How States Manage Eligible Training Provider L ists Findings from a State Survey . Findings from the survey have implications for states and DOL and other federal agencies as they pursue efforts to create education and job training program scorecards especially for institutions of higher education a nd for ETP programs as part of WIOA. States that use more rigorous processes to make ETPL determinations use administrative data 4 sources and provide a richer more consistent set of information to help training participants make decisions. 4. Inquiries . To view an abstract of these publications as well as to download the full report s please visit the ETA Research Publication Database Web site at http wdr.doleta.gov research keyword.cfm .