[Federal Register: July 13, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 133)]
[Notices]
[Page 40402-40404]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13jy05-130]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public
Comment and Recommendations; Data Collection and Reporting for
Workforce Investment Act Title 1B Programs
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format,
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The
Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments on
the revised reporting requirements for the Workforce Investment Act
(WIA) Management Information and Reporting System. These changes are
necessary to include data elements necessary for tracking state
progress against a set of common performance measures beginning July 1,
2005.
DATES: Submit comments on or before September 12, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Dr. Esther R. Johnson, Administrator,
Performance and Technology Office, Employment and Training
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Room S-5206, Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-3420 (this is
not a toll-free number); fax: (202) 693-3490; e-mail:
ETAperforms@dol.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karen A. Staha, Performance and
Technology Office, Employment and Training Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-5206,
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-3420 (this is not a toll-
free number); fax: (202) 693-3490; e-mail: ETAperforms@dol.gov.
Copies of the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission Package may be
obtained directly at the Web site: http://www.doleta.gov/performance/guidance/ombcontrolnumber.cfm
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Each state administering a grant under the WIA adult, dislocated
worker, and youth programs is required to submit quarterly (ETA 9090)
and annual (ETA 9091) reports containing information related to levels
of participation and performance outcomes for each program. In
addition, each state submits a file of individual records on all
participants who exit the programs, formally called the Workforce
Investment Act Title I-B Standardized Record Data (WIASRD). These
participant records are submitted once a year based on a July-to-June
program period.
In 2001, under the President's Management Agenda, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and other Federal agencies developed a set
of common performance measures to be applied to certain Federally-
funded employment and training programs with similar strategic goals.
As part of this initiative, ETA initially issued Training and
Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 15-03 and has more recently issued
TEGL 28-04, Common Measures Policy, which rescinded TEGL 15-03 and
reflected updates to the policy.
The value of implementing a set of common performance measures is
the ability to describe in a similar manner the core purposes of the
workforce system--how many people found jobs; did they keep their jobs;
and what were their earnings. Multiple sets of performance measures
have burdened states and grantees as they are required to report
performance outcomes based on varying definitions and methodologies. By
minimizing the different reporting and performance requirements,
implementing a set of common performance measures can facilitate the
integration of service delivery, reduce barriers to cooperation among
programs, and enhance the ability to assess the effectiveness and
impact of the workforce investment system, including the performance of
the system in serving individuals facing significant barriers to
employment.
The common performance measures are an integral part of ETA's
performance accountability system, and ETA will continue to collect
from grantees the data on program activities, participants, and
outcomes that are necessary for program management and to convey full
and accurate information on the performance of workforce programs to
policymakers and stakeholders.
This modification to the WIA Management Information and Reporting
System identifies a minimum level of information collection that is
necessary to comply with Equal Opportunity requirements, holds states
appropriately accountable for the Federal funds they receive, assesses
progress against the common performance measures, and allows the
Department to fulfill its oversight and management responsibilities.
The Employment and Training Administration is proposing similar
changes to the reporting requirements for labor exchange programs
funded under the Wagner-Peyser Act and by the Veterans' Employment and
Training Service and the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. Please
note that ETA will seek comments regarding changes to the information
collection for these programs in separate Federal Register notices.
The WIA performance accountability system, authorized by section
136 of WIA, establishes a set of performance measures, and states
report outcomes against these measures on a quarterly and annual basis.
States establish negotiated levels for each of the
[[Page 40403]]
measures, and these results are used by ETA for various purposes,
including budget justifications, program reviews, and determination of
exceeding performance or performance failure. These performance
measures will continue to comprise the WIA performance accountability
system.
Adult Performance Measures
The following three common performance measures apply to the WIA
adult and dislocated worker programs:
Entered Employment
Retention
Earnings Increase.
For the WIA adult and dislocated worker programs, the common
performance measures will be incorporated into the WIA performance
accountability system by adjusting the methodology for calculating the
results. (The approach for the WIA youth program is different, and is
discussed later in this notice.) The ETA proposes to implement changes
to WIA reporting requirements beginning on July 1, 2005 (Program Year
2005) to be able to calculate the adult common measures for the WIA
programs. Specific changes to the definitions include:
The measurement period for employment retention measure
will now include both the second and third quarters following the
quarter of exit.
States will now be required to calculate and report on
six-months' pre-to post-program earnings for dislocated workers using
the same methodology as the current WIA Adult earnings increase
measure. The outcome will be expressed as a dollar amount, which
reflects the difference between pre- and post-program earnings.
Although the definitions for the measures will be the same, states
will continue to report performance outcomes for the WIA adult and
dislocated worker programs separately. Additionally, states will
continue to report outcomes for the credential measure and customer
satisfaction.
Youth Performance Measures
The following three common performance measures apply to Youth
programs:
Placement in employment or education
Degree or certificate attainment
Literacy/numeracy gains measure
It is important to note that results for the above three measures
are to be collected in addition to results for the current seven youth
measures that are part of the WIA performance accountability system.
In PY 2005, ETA proposes to collect data necessary to calculate the
placement in employment or education and degree or certificate
attainment measures. ETA encourages states to collect and report data
necessary to calculate the literacy/numeracy gains measure in PY 2005.
States will be required to report the information on literacy/numeracy
gains beginning in PY 2006. There are no new data elements required in
order to report on the placement and employment or degree or
certificate attainment measure.
In addition, a new data element, youth in foster care, has been
added, which is consistent with ETA's new strategic vision for the
delivery of youth services under WIA outlined in TEGL 3-04, ETA's New
Strategic Vision for the Delivery of Youth Services Under the Workforce
Investment Act (WIA).
Changes to Reporting Requirements
Revisions to the WIA reporting requirements are necessary to
calculate the common performance measures. A few other revisions have
been proposed to enhance ETA's management and oversight of the
programs.
Changes to the WIA Quarterly Report include:
Aggregate participant and exiter counts for adults who
access self-service information and for adults who receive training
services, individuals receiving services through National Emergency
Grants (NEGs), and in-school and out-of-school youth participants.
States will no longer be required to report on employer
and job seeker customer satisfaction on a quarterly basis. This
information will now be reported only on the WIA Annual Report.
Additional reporting elements to capture outcomes for the
youth common performance measures.
Additional reporting elements to capture performance
outcomes for participants served through NEGs.
The reporting methodology for the WIA Quarterly Report now
captures performance results for the most recent four quarter period;
rather than only on a Program Year (PY) period (July-to-June).
Changes to the WIA Annual Progress Report include:
A new section, Table H.1, to capture outcomes for the
youth common measures.
A revised Table M, Participation Levels, to report on
adults who access self-services only. National Emergency Grant
participant counts will not be included in the Annual Report.
Table O includes a new section to capture outcomes for the
youth common performance measures.
Changes to the WIASRD include:
Revisions to definitions and specifications for capturing
certain participant characteristics, such as equal opportunity data,
eligible veterans' status, and employment status.
Expansion of existing data collection on individuals who
are homeless or offenders to the WIA adult program participants
receiving intensive and training services.
Addition of fields in the services section to capture
receipt of disaster relief assistance, self-services, workforce
information services, pre-vocational services, dates entered and
completed training services, and type of training received.
For youth, addition of a field that tracks whether the
participant was enrolled in education, which is used to calculate the
attainment of degree or certificate measure.
Revisions to existing fields for the state to specify the
method used to determine the individual's employment status in each of
the first, second, third and fourth quarters after program exit.
Change in definition in two fields for dislocated workers
that tracked wages in the second and third quarters prior to the date
of dislocation; these fields will now be used to track wages in the
second and third quarters prior to participation to be able to
calculate the six months earnings increase measure.
Change in reporting instructions to indicate that states
are required to report whether WIA participants were co-enrolled in the
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) or Wagner-Peyser Act programs.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
Currently, the Department is soliciting comments concerning the
proposed revised information collection request (ICR) for Workforce
Investment Act title IB programs in order to:
evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology,
[[Page 40404]]
e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.
A copy of the proposed ICR can be obtained by contacting the office
listed above in the addressee section of this notice.
III. Current Actions
Type of Review: Revision.
Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration.
Title: Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Management Information and
Reporting System.
OMB Number: 1205-0420.
Affected Public: State, local, or tribal Governments.
Cite/Reference: Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-220)
sections 136, 172, 185, and 189.
Total Respondents: 53 states and territories.
Frequency: Quarterly and Annual.
Estimated Total Burden Hours:
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Average annual Total annual
Form/activity Total respondents hours/respondent burden/hours
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WIASRD record............................... 53 states....................... 11,415 604,982
Quarterly summary report.................... 53 states....................... 640 33,920
Annual summary report....................... 53 states....................... 400 21,200
Customer satisfaction....................... 53 states....................... 925 49,043
Total................................... 53 states....................... 13,380 709,145
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Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $1,791,400.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $22,237,916.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information
collection request; they will also become a matter of public record.
Signed in Washington, DC, on July 6, 2005.
Emily Stover DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. E5-3693 Filed 7-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P