Until legislation reauthorizing WIA is enacted, the current WIA performance measures and standards remain in effect. Therefore, the new collection of baseline common performance measure data is in addition to the current WIA performance requirements.

The common performance measures include:

1. Three measures that apply to programs serving Adults:
   1. Entered Employment Rate
   2. Retention Rate
   3. Earnings Increase

      Note: The Adult measures apply to individuals in the WIA Title IB Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs.

2. Three measures that apply to programs serving Youth:
   1. Placement in Employment or Education
   2. Attainment of a Degree or Certificate
   3. Literacy and Numeracy Gains

3. One measure of Efficiency that applies to both the adults and youth served by these programs.

The attached tables, Tables 1 and 2, compare the common performance measures to the existing WIA Adult & Dislocated Worker program measures and the existing Youth program measures, respectively.

The following specifies the required data and information collection actions that will be necessary for each common measure.

1. Adult Measures
   1. Entered Employment
      • No additional performance data collection action required on the part of local WIA Title I management or program staff.

        Note: The measure is calculated using the same data sources for the WIA measure: UI wage data and WRIS data.

   2. Retention
      • No additional performance data collection action required on the part of local WIA Title I management or program staff, except to note that the outcome quarter changes under the common measure from the 3rd quarter after exit (under WIA) to both the 2nd and 3rd quarters after exit.

        Note: The measure is calculated using the same data sources for the WIA measure: UI wage data and WRIS data.

      • Employment in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarters following exit does not have to be with the same employer, nor does it have to be continuous.

   3. Earnings Increase
      • No additional performance data collection action required on the part of local WIA Title I management or program staff, except to note that calculation of the earnings increase under common measures is considerably different than under WIA.

      • The data collected under this measure should be utilized to inform program design and delivery elements including well-defined follow-up services.

        Note:

        • The measure is calculated using the same data sources as the WIA measures: UI wage data and WRIS data.
        • Calculation of the earnings increase under common measures has two parts:
          1. Earnings increase 1 – Intended to evaluate program impact on earnings, by comparing pre-program earnings (in the 1st quarter prior to registration) to post-program earnings (in the 1st quarter after exit).
          2. Earnings increase 2 – Intended to capture earnings increases that occur as a result of raises, promotions, or other advancements following program exit by comparing earnings in the 3rd quarter after exit to earnings in the 1st quarter after exit.

2. Youth Measures
   1. Placement in Employment or Education
      • All WIA Youth program operators or managers must collect data on the individual’s education outcome as well as employment outcome.

      • Youth competitive procurements and contracts should delineate responsibility for this data collection element.

        Note:

        • Applies to individuals who are not in post-secondary education, employment, or the military at the date of registration.
        • Employment, military, and education status at the date of registration are based on information collected from the individual.
        • Individuals in secondary school at the date of registration, regardless of employment status, are included in this measure. However, individuals in secondary school at exit are excluded from this measure.

   2. Attainment of a Degree or Certificate
      • Local areas must keep track of the number and types of credential outcomes obtained under WIA, and determine which of these credentials (the number and type) meet the requirements of a Certificate under common measures.
      • Local areas must assess the types of Certificates currently being used/desired by businesses in their local area, and how the Certificates, the associated businesses and the associated training providers align with their local youth program design, as follows:
        1. By no later than July 1, 2004, local areas must develop a plan and timeline to identify the number and types of Certificates currently being used by businesses in their local area, and the associated training providers (e.g., reaching out to local BOCES to ascertain which certificate programs have been approved by the NYS Education Department and leads to a Career & Technical Education Diploma).
        2. By December 1, 2004, local areas must complete an initial identification and assessment of Certificates that meets common measure requirements and the needs of local business.

        Note:

        • Applies to youth enrolled in education, where education refers to participation in secondary school, post-secondary school, adult education programs, or any other organized program of study that leads to a GED (General Educational Development High School Diploma equivalency test), diploma, or certificate.
        • A “valid” certificate recognizes attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills necessary to gain employment or advance within an occupation. These technical or occupational skills are based on standards developed or endorsed by employers.
        • The definition of Certificate excludes attainment of generic pre-employment or work readiness skills.

   3. Literacy and Numeracy Gains
      • All individuals enrolled in WIA youth programs must be pre-tested (using a standardized test) within 60 days of the date of registration to determine their basic literacy and numeracy skills levels and their Educational Functioning Level (EFL). Appropriate standardized testing instruments are identified in the TEGL 15-03.
      • All Youth contracts and competitive procurements must identify:
        1. The responsibility for pre-testing and assessing individuals to determine their basic skill level and EFL.
        2. The responsibility for post-testing and assessing individuals whose pre-test assessment determined them to be basic skills deficient. Post-testing must occur at the following times:
           1. At exit, if they are exiting before completing one-year in the program, or
           2. At one-year intervals following the registration date, should the individual remain in the program for longer than one-year.
        3. The standardized test to be used for both pre-testing and post-testing.
        4. The responsibility for record keeping regarding: the name of the standardized test used (e.g., TABE); the pre-test basic skills levels; the pre-test scores and EFL; and all subsequent post-test scores and EFLs (to the extent applicable).

           NYSDOL is presently developing enhancements to OSOS to allow this data to be recorded into OSOS. NYSDOL will be issuing a separate Technical Advisory on instructions for recording this data into OSOS when the enhancements are operational.

      • Youth program managers must develop and distribute a common policy to all youth contractors, articulating the data collection, data entry, data management and data analysis responsibilities associated with all youth measures.

        Note:

        • Measurement and assessment of literacy and numeracy skills and EFL must be based on results from a standardized test (e.g., TABE), provided the test crosswalks directly to the EFL outlined in the US Department of Education's National Reporting System (NRS). (Educational functioning level descriptors may be found in attachment D of TEGL 15-03.)
        • The same standardized test must be used to determine an individual’s literacy and numeracy gain (i.e., the same test must be used for both pre-testing and post-testing).
        • During this data collection phase of common measure implementation, Local Areas may use more than one standardized test instrument. This will allow youth program managers to discern which testing instrument offers the range necessary for the program design utilized within the Local Area. However, at the time USDOL ETA issues the implementation timeline for the common measures, Local Areas will be required to use only one standardized test that has been determined appropriate for their WIA youth programs.
        • Individuals determined not to be basic skills deficient at pre-test are excluded from this measure, therefore post-testing of these individuals is not required.

3. Efficiency Measures
   • No additional performance data collection action required on the part of local WIA Title I management or program staff.

     Note:

     • The efficiency measure applies to programs that serve adult, dislocated workers and youth.
     • Data source is Administrative records.
     • The efficiency measure will be calculated at the Federal level to determine an efficiency outcome for programs as a whole, and is not intended to place greater value on low-cost services or to discourage the provision of services to individuals facing significant barriers to employment.

   Local Workforce Investment Areas (LWIAs) must become familiar with the additional common data elements that will be captured by NYSDOL beginning July 1, 2004. LWIAs will need to develop collection methods enabling them to capture, report and maintain this data. LWIAs should maintain a primary focus on achieving their locally negotiated WIA performance standards. Common performance measures are additional data collection and reporting elements. A subsequent Technical Advisory will provide further information regarding the updates to OSOS and other reporting methods.

   Questions regarding this technical advisory may be directed to Ann Vandenberg at (518) 457-8491.

1. TEGL 15-03, Common Measures Policy
   
2. Table 1, Adult and Dislocated Worker Program: Comparison of WIA to Common Performance Measures
   
3. Table 2, Youth: Comparison of WIA to Common Performance Measures