The PA Experience

1. The PA Experience The Road to Common Measures

2. Why Common Measures? • Rendell Administration’s vision of integrating workforce development • Deputy Secretary Sandi Vito named to head all workforce development programs in the Commonwealth • The myth of the $1.3 billion in workforce development funds

3. Why Common Measures? • Quantitative Measures • Methods applied to 28 workforce programs in PA • Includes programs not under DOL/ETA governance • Integral part of workforce program reform • Performance Management Plan • Resource Mapping • Industry Clusters • Industry Partnerships

4. Why Common Measures? • High-Priority Occupations • High-Performance WIBs • Comprehensive Workforce Development System • Common Measures follows in this strategy of integrating and applying similar standards to all workforce development programs

5. Birth of the Idea • Common Measures should be implemented to move toward a vision, not to “escape” from the 17 WIA measures • USDOL began to advance idea of Common Measures when TEGL 15-03 was issued in December 2003

6. Process of Getting Partner Buy-In • Get right internal team • Bring right people to table – Education is key • Communicate, communicate, communicate! • Lots of meetings, discussions, informational e-mails

7. Working With USDOL • Communicate, communicate, communicate! • Recognize varied and diverse partners at the federal level • No single repository of information at the federal level • Lots of back and forth with requests for more information

8. Working With USDOL • Delays in getting answers (on both sides) • Was over a year from PA’s request for a waiver until federal approval; another five months until it was effective • Challenge of negotiating performance levels with no benchmarks available

9. Working With USDOL • Gave up eligibility for incentives for period of waiver • Minimal financial support for system and policy conversion

10. Changes That Were Required • Biggest changes in youth • All positive outcomes based on serving out-of-school youth • Change in serving OSY and older youth • Retaining youth for longer periods of time

11. Changes That Were Required • Biggest changes in youth • Restrictive guidance on credential/certificate imposed under Common Measures • WIBs cannot set policy anymore • Lost workforce readiness certificate – big hit! • Literacy/numeracy changes • System changes in tracking participation in partner programs

12. Changes That Were Required • Single entrance/exit concept • Labor Exchange exit date and measures based on exit • New information required for Labor Exchange participants at time of participation

13. System Changes • Common Measures Activity Log – a comprehensive view of all programs tracked under Common Measures and tracked in the PA CareerLink • Identifies first and last service received in each program covered under the common measures • Identifies the date of first and last service received in a program • Identifies beginning and ending of the reporting cycle

14. System Changes • Participant Searches – modified the participant searches to allow staff to work with participants in programs covered under Common Measures • Will Exit in the Next 29 Days or Less • Identify participants based on program participation and status of participation

15. System Changes • Exclusions from Performance • WIA – added additional exclusions of family care and relocated to a mandated residential program (youth only) • Labor Exchange – added the ability to add “Exclusions” to Labor Exchange Services

16. System Changes • Assessment Testing – added the ability to record pre and post-testing results • Based on functional area selected and test score entered system will determine educational functioning level and grade level for both pre and post-tests

17. System Changes • Significant changes for Labor Exchange • Modified service detail screens to provide for estimation of exit dates which did not previously apply • Added a “planned gap in services” functionality for Labor Exchange/ES Participation program • Added exclusions to Labor Exchange services • Modified ES participation so it is only added automatically as the result of a value added service

18. Training • Extensive training is necessary • 4 sessions in June ’05 • 1 high-level • 3 regional sessions for front-line staff • Numerous e-mail updates

19. Training • Quarterly discussion at LWIA meetings • Conference call follow-up after six months • Draft WIIN

20. Was It Worth It? • Yes – our Workforce Development report to the PA Legislature is much more coherent • We better understand real outcomes or programs and can make comparisons • Other benefits will become clearer over time

21. Contact Information • Sandi Vito – Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development • Phone: 717-705-2630 • E-mail: svito@state.pa.us • Ali Cleveland – Director, L&I Policy Office • Phone: 717-772-0740 • E-mail: acleveland@state.pa.us

22. Contact Information • Cindy Gnech – Chief, Program Management Section, Bureau of Workforce Development Partnership • Phone: 717-787-0304 • E-mail: cgnech@state.pa.us • Keith Bailey – Workforce Development Research Supervisor, Center for Workforce Information and Analysis • Phone: 717-783-0706 • E-mail: kebailey@state.pa.us