Performance Accountability Indicators

These indicators apply to:

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:

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.

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:

Statistical Adjustment  

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

Factors In the Statistical Adjustment  

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:

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: