WIOA Performance Accountability System and Employment Outcomes
The foundation of the VR program is the principle that individuals with disabilities, including those with the most significant disabilities, are capable of achieving high quality, competitive integrated employment when provided the necessary services and supports. VR agencies must have effective processes to meet this mark, ensure performance accountability, and meet WIOA performance measures. Though VR agencies may set their own performance goals for various program aspects, the WIOA performance measures establish the Federal compliance goals for a VR agency. Therefore, the gold standard can be benchmarked using a VR agency's negotiated level of performance set for each program year (i.e. goal). This is not intended to supersede the passing or failing of the VR agency's performance (which includes additional calculations and individual/overall performance measure scores), but rather indicate targets for agencies to measure progress/achieve to inform the VR agency’s success. These targets help the VR agency to understand what participants in the program are achieving and inform potential adjustments to improve their outcomes.
WIOA Performance Accountability System
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed into law on July 22, 2014, is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. WIOA supersedes titles I and II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and amends the Wagner-Peyser Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Section 116 of WIOA establishes performance accountability indicators and performance reporting requirements to assess the effectiveness of States and local areas in achieving positive outcomes for individuals served by the workforce development system’s six core programs:
U.S. Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
- Title I: Adult Program
- Title I: Dislocated Worker Program
- Title I: Youth Program
- Title III: Wagner-Peyser Employment Services Program
U.S. Department of Education – Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)
U.S. Department of Education – Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
WIOA Performance Indicators
Section 116(b)(2)(A) and its implementing regulations 34 CFR §361.155(a)(1) establish the six primary indicators of performance:
Employment Rate in the 2nd Quarter After Exit
The percentage of participants in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program.
Things to Know
- Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) is unsubsidized employment.
- Due to a two-quarter lag in unemployment insurance (UI) wage data, information for this indicator is reported in the fourth quarter after exit.
- Participants with both successful and unsuccessful outcomes are included in this indicator, unless they are excluded from the agency’s performance.
- When reporting wages verified through other methods than UI wage data (including SWIS), the VR agency must implement supplemental wage policies.
Resources
Employment Rate in the 4th Quarter After Exit
The percentage of participants in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit from the program.
Things to Know
- Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) is unsubsidized employment.
- Due to a two-quarter lag in unemployment insurance wage data, information for this indicator is reported in the sixth quarter after exit.
- Participants with both successful and unsuccessful outcomes are included in this indicator, unless they are excluded from the agency’s performance.
- This is not a retention measure. It is exclusively measuring the rate of participants who exited the VR program and who are employed in the fourth quarter after exit.
Median Earnings in the 2nd Quarter After Exit
The median earnings of those participants in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program.
Things to Know
- This indicator only includes participants who were employed during the 2nd quarter after exit from the VR program.
- Due to a two-quarter lag in unemployment insurance (UI) wage data, information for this indicator is reported in the fourth quarter after exit, along with the Employment Rate in the 2nd Quarter After Exit indicator.
- Participants with both successful and unsuccessful outcomes are included in this indicator, unless they are excluded from the agency’s performance.
- When reporting wages verified through other methods than UI wage data (including SWIS), the VR agency must implement supplemental wage policies.
Credential Attainment (CA) Rate
The percentage of participants enrolled in an education or training program (excluding on-the-job training and customized training) who attain a recognized postsecondary credential or secondary school diploma or equivalent during participation in, or within one year of, exit from the program.
A participant who has attained a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent is included in the percentage of participants who have attained a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent only if the participant also is employed or is enrolled in an education or training program leading to a recognized postsecondary credential within one year after exit from the program.
Things to Know
- Credential attainment supports the intent of WIOA and the VR regulations to provide individuals with disabilities opportunities to participate in job-driven training and to pursue high quality employment outcomes.
- Credential attainment can close the opportunity gap by embracing a more holistic and nuanced approach for connecting diverse talent (e.g., individuals with disabilities) to economic opportunity.
- Aligning policies and procedures among core programs in a state will strengthen the intent and accuracy of credential reporting. Remember, states with a General VR agency and a Blind VR agency represent title IV together.
- VR agencies must develop strategies and procedures to assist VR Counselors in determining if and when a training or education program leads to a credential as defined by WIOA.
- Credentials are documented when they are achieved by the participant, not the date the VR Counselor received the supporting documentation.
- The Credential Attainment Rate includes participants who exited the VR program during the previous calendar year.
- >On-the-job training (OJT) and customized training are not included in the Credential Attainment Rate because these types of training programs do not typically lead to a credential.
Measurable Skill Gains (MSG) Rate
34 CFR §361.155(a)(1)(v)
The percentage of program participants who, during a program year, are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains, defined as documented academic, technical, occupational, or other forms of progress, towards such a credential or employment.
Depending on the type of education or training program, documented progress is defined as one of the following:
- Documented achievement of at least one educational functioning level of a participant who is receiving instruction below the postsecondary education level (i.e., Adult Education);
- Documented attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent (i.e., High School Diploma, GED, HiSET);
- Secondary or postsecondary transcript or report card for a sufficient number of credit hours that shows a participant is meeting the State unit’s academic standards (i.e., 12 credits, states academic standards);
- Satisfactory or better progress report towards established milestones, such as completion of OJT or completion of one year of an apprenticeship program or similar milestones from an employer or training provider who is providing training (i.e., agency approved progress forms, apprenticeship/employer training reports); or
- Successful passage of an exam that is required for a particular occupation or progress in attaining technical or occupational skills as evidenced by trade-related benchmarks such as knowledge-based exams (i.e., passing scores, exam results).
Things to Know
- Training programs that lead to employment, supports the intent of WIOA and the VR regulations to provide individuals with disabilities opportunities to participate in job-driven training and to pursue high quality employment outcomes.
- Measurable Skill Gains can close the opportunity gap by embracing a more holistic and nuanced approach for connecting diverse talent (e.g., individuals with disabilities) to economic opportunity.
- Aligning policies and procedures among core programs in a State will strengthen the intent and accuracy of MSG reporting. Remember, States with a General VR agency and a Blind VR agency, together represent title IV.
- All VR program participants who are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized secondary or postsecondary credential or employment, which is identified on the individual’s IPE, would be included in the MSG indicator.
- MSGs are documented when they are achieved by the participant, not the date the VR Counselor received the supporting documentation.
- The MSG Rate includes participants who were enrolled in an education or training program leading toward a credential or employment during the program year. This is not an exit-based measure.
Effectiveness in Serving Employers - Coming soon
