Performance Accountability Indicators

Employment in the 2^nd and 4^th quarters after exiting the program
Median earning in the 2^nd quarter after exiting the program
Credential Attainment
Measurable Skills Gain

These indicators apply to:

Title 1A: Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
Title 1B: Adult, Dislocated Worker, & Youth Programs
Title 2: Nebraska VR & Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Title 3: Nebraska Department of Labor – Employment Services
Title 4: Southeast Community College – Adult Education & Family Literacy, Proetus, Pine Ridge Job Corps, National Able Network, & Nebraska Department of Labor Programs: Jobs for Veterans State Grant, National Dislocated Worker Grants, and Trade Adjustment Assistance.

Employment Rate- 2nd Quarter After Exit

The percentage of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program.

Methodology: The number of participants who exited during the reporting period who are found to be employed through a records search in the second quarter after the exit quarter.

divided by

The number of participants who exited during the reporting period.

(for the title I Youth program, the indicator is the percentage of program participants in education or training activities, or unsubsidized employment, during the second quarter after exit)

Employment Rate- 4th Quarter After Exit

The percentage of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit from the program.

Methodology: The number of participants who exited during the reporting period who are found to be employed through a records search in the fourth quarter after the exit quarter.

divided by

The number of participants who exited during the reporting period.

(for the title I Youth program, the indicator is the percentage of program participants in education or training activities, or unsubsidized employment, during the second quarter after exit)

Median Earnings- 2nd Quarter After Exit

The median earnings of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program.

Methodology: Total quarterly earnings for all participants employed in the second quarter after exit are collected either by direct wage record match or supplemental wage information. The collected quarterly wage information values are listed in order, from the lowest to the highest value. The value in the middle in this list is the median earnings value.

Credential Attainment

The percentage of participants enrolled in an education or training program (excluding those in on-the-job training and customized training) who attain a recognized postsecondary credential or a secondary school diploma, or its recognized equivalent, during participation or within one year after exit from the program.

Methodology: The number of participants who exited during the reporting period who obtained a recognized postsecondary credential during the program or within one year after exit or those who were in a secondary education program and obtained a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent during the program or within one year of exit and were also employed, or in an education program leading to a recognized postsecondary credential within one year after exit.

divided by

The number of participants enrolled in an education or training program (excluding those in OJT and customized training) who exited during the reporting period.

Measurable Skill Gains

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 skills 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 in which a participant is enrolled, documented progress is defined as one of the following:

Educational functioning level gain (below post-secondary level);
Diploma or recognized equivalent (secondary school);
Secondary or postsecondary transcript or report card;
Satisfactory or better progress report, towards established milestones; or
Successful passage of a knowledge-based exam that is required for a particular occupation or progress in attaining technical or occupational skills.

Methodology: The number of program participants during the reporting period who are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and are achieving measurable skill gains based on attainment of at least one type of gain.

divided by

The number of program participants during the reporting period who are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment. Participants who, during any point in the program year, are placed in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment are included in the denominator. This includes participants who continue to receive services and ones who have exited the program.

Note: A participant may have achieved more than one type of gain in a reporting period. However, only one gain per participant in a reporting period may be used to calculate success on the measurable skill gains indicator.

Exclusions

Participants who exit from services for reasons identified below are excluded from USDOL’s Common Measures. Any participant considered “excluded” must have documentation in the file which verifies the reason for exclusion.

Institutionalized – The participant exits the program because he or she has become incarcerated in a correctional institution or has become a resident of an institution or facility providing 24- hour support, such as a hospital or treatment center, during the course of receiving services as a participant.
Health/Medical – The participant exits the program because of medical treatment and that treatment is expected to last longer than 90 days and precludes entry into unsubsidized employment or continued participation in the program.
Deceased – a participant is no longer living
Reservists or National Guard called to active duty – a participant that is a reservist or national guard called to active duty for at least 90 days
Foster Care – The participant is in the foster care system and exits the program because the participant has moved from the local workforce area as part of such a program or system.

Negotiated Levels of Performance

The negotiated levels of performance are the levels of performance for each primary indicator for each core program, agreed to by the State and the Secretaries, prior to the start of the program year.

In addition to the State-negotiated levels of performance, States must work with local areas to establish performance goals for WIOA Title I programs. The local board, the chief elected official, and the Governor must negotiate and reach agreement on the local levels of performance.

The performance levels are negotiated for a two-year period.

Determining Success

The adjusted levels of performance will be used to determine performance success or failure. The threshold for performance failure is:

Individual local-area single indicator score. Failure occurs when local area individual indicator score < 50% of the adjusted level of performance for that indicator.
Overall local-area single program score. Failure occurs when local area overall single program score < 90% of the adjusted level of performance for that indicator.
Overall local-area single indicator score. Failure occurs when local area overall single indicator score < 90% of the adjusted level of performance for that indicator.

Statistical Adjustment

This model is an objective regression model used to estimate levels of performance and adjusted levels of performance.

Before the program year, the statistical adjustment model determines estimates that are used as a factor in the negotiations process.
After the program year, the estimates derived from the statistical adjustment model are applied to the actual economic conditions and characteristics of participants served to determine the adjustment factor.

Factors In the Statistical Adjustment

Economic conditions include differences in unemployment rates and job losses or gains in particular industries.
Characteristics of participants include, but are not limited to, indicators of:
- poor work history,
- lack of work experience,
- lack of educational or occupational skills attainment,
- dislocation from high-wage and high-benefit employment,
- low levels of literacy or English proficiency,
- disability status,
- homelessness,
- justice system involvement status, and
- welfare dependency.

The statistical adjustment model also takes into account other factors that, through empirical support, are determined to have an effect on predicting state outcomes.

Technical Assistance

NDOL must provide technical assistance when a local area fails to meet adjusted levels of performance. Technical assistance provided by NDOL may include:

assistance in the development of a performance improvement plan;
development of a modified local or regional plan; or
other actions designed to assist the local area in improving performance.

Corrective Action

If a local area fails to meet adjusted levels of performance for the same individual local-area single indicator for the same Title I program for a third consecutive program year, NDOL must take corrective actions, including the development of a reorganization plan under which the Governor:

requires the appointment and certification of a new local board,
prohibits the use of eligible service providers and one-stop partners that have been identified as achieving poor levels of performance; or
takes such other significant actions as the Governor determines appropriate.