Located in:
- III. Operational Planning ElementsThe Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that support the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II.(c) above. Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs. This section must include—
- b. State Operating Systems and PoliciesThe Unified or Combined State Plan must include a description of the State operating systems and policies that will support the implementation of the State strategy described in Section II Strategic Elements . This includes—
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
III. b. 4. C. Previous Assessment Results
Current Narrative:
Department of Economic Opportunity
DEO conducted a 2-year data analysis of workforce system performance within the state’s Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Common Measures. This analysis was compared with future WIOA indicators of performance.
Accountability and Continuous Improvement
Florida workforce law expressly calls for increased accountability for the workforce system for the state, localities and training providers. Florida has several methods for continually monitoring performance that has great value as both real-time management tools as well as tools for continuous improvement.
Performance Indicators: Section 136 of WIA identifies indicators of performance for the Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs. These measures are below:
Figure 3.08
Florida Common Measures Goals PY 2014-2015
| Adult Measures | PY 2014-2015 Goals |
|---|---|
| Entered Employment Rate | 82.0% |
| Employment Retention Rate | 92.0% |
| Average Six Months Earnings | $20,000 |
| Dislocated Worker Measures | |
| Entered Employment Rate | 90.0% |
| Employment Retention Rate | 91.2% |
| Average Six Months Earnings | $17,621 |
| Youth Common Measures | |
| Placement in Employment or Education | 60.0% |
| Attainment of Degree or Certificate | 75.5% |
| Literacy or Numeracy Gains | 53.1% |
| Wagner-Peyser Measures | |
| Entered Employment Rate | 61.0% |
| Employment Retention Rate | 85.0% |
| Average Six Months Earnings | $13,598 |
WIA Performance Measures
Data on core measures and Common Measures is collected from Florida’s Management Information System (MIS), Reemployment Assistance (RA) Wage Records, and from the Wage Record Information System (WRIS). The MIS system gathers exit information on participants and covers the real-time data elements referenced above. Reemployment Assistance (RA) Wage records contain information such as wage and retention information after exit. The WRIS system is a database consisting of several participating states’ records for wages and employment, etc. WRIS records supplement Florida’s RA data to provide a more complete picture of participant outcomes.
The chart below displays Florida’s negotiated rate for each of the required Common Measures along with the actual statewide outcomes achieved. Pursuant to federal policy, states achieving at least 80 percent of the negotiated goal are considered to have met the goal. The 80 percent criterion is shown in parentheses.
State WIA Statewide Common Measures of Performance PY 2014-2015
| WIA CORE MEASURE | NEGOTIATED GOAL (80%of Goal) | ACTUAL PERFORMANCE | DIFFERENCE COMPARED TO 80%of Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Entered Employment Rate | 82.0% (65.6%) | 81.3% | +15.7% |
| Adult Employment Retention Rate | 92.0% (73.6%) | 93.2% | +19.6% |
| Adult Average Earnings | $20,000 ($16,000) | $18,875 | +$2,875 |
| Dislocated Worker Entered Employment Rate | 90.0% (72.0%) | 85.6% | +13.6% |
| Dislocated Worker Employment Retention Rate | 91.2% (73.0%) | 91.1% | +18.1% |
| Dislocated Worker Average Earnings | $17,621 ($14,097) | $16,612 | +$2,515 |
| Youth Placement in Employment or Education | 60.0% (48.0%) | 71.9% | +23.9 |
| Youth Attainment of Degree or Certificate | 75.5% (60.4%) | 75.9% | +15.5% |
| Literacy or Numeracy Gains | 53.1 (42.5%) | 55.0% | +12.5% |
As the above table indicates, Florida’s PY 2014-2015 performance met or exceeded the federal criterion of 80 percent of goal for each of the negotiated Common Measures. Compared with PY 2013-2014 outcomes, PY 2014 - 2015 results remained consistent.
Local Performance
Expected levels of performance or goals were agreed upon for each LWDB. The chart below summarizes outcomes based on these goals and the previous federal 80 percent criterion.
Figure 3.11
Local Workforce Development Board WIA Performance Program Year 2014-2015
| WIA COMMON MEASURE | STATE GOAL | OF LWDBs ACHIEVING GOAL | % OF LWDBs ACHIEVING GOAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Entered Employment Rate | 82.0% | 22 of 24 | 91.7% |
| Adult Employment Retention Rate | 92.0% | 24 of 24 | 100% |
| Adult Average Earnings | $20,000 | 22 of 24 | 91.7% |
| Dislocated Worker Entered Employment Rate | 90.0% | 22 of 24 | 91.7% |
| Dislocated Worker Employment Retention Rate | 91.2% | 23 of 24 | 95.8% |
| Dislocated Worker Average Earnings | $17,621 | 23 of 24 | 95.8% |
| Youth Placement In Employment Or Education | 60.0% | 23 of 24 | 95.8% |
| Youth Attainment Of Degree Or Certificate | 75.5% | 20 of 24 | 83.3% |
| Youth Literacy Or Numeracy Gains | 53.1% | 18 of 24 | 75.0% |
*Based on United States Department of Labor Training and Employment Guidance Letter 25-13, May 15, 2014, “Fails” is defined as the number of performance measures less than 80 percent of the negotiated goal. “Meets” is defined as the number of performance measures between 80 percent - 100 percent of the negotiated goal. “Exceeds” is defined as the number of performance measures above 100 percent of the negotiated goal.
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
At the direction of, and in consultation with, CareerSource Florida, DEO earlier contracted with a vendor to evaluate Florida’s customer satisfaction survey processes and to develop a new protocol for assessing customer satisfaction by job seekers and businesses utilizing the services of Florida’s workforce system, i.e., career centers. A Customer Satisfaction Team comprising of representatives from the CareerSource Florida network and DEO was established to provide input and engagement throughout the evaluation process. The final report summarized the customer satisfaction processes formerly used by the state and recommended new processes and methodologies to better refine and more accurately capture true customer satisfaction by job seekers and employers. Florida plans to further refine some of the recommended protocols and to design and implement a new customer satisfaction survey process to capture customer satisfaction metrics for those who use the workforce system.
Florida plans to integrate customer satisfaction surveys as a component of its workforce management system, Employ Florida Marketplace (EFM). DEO will be working with the vendor to ensure its survey protocol, processes, and methodology meet the requirements outlined in Training and Employment Guidance Letter 12-12. Customer satisfaction survey results will be invaluable to the state as it continues to identify and refine strategies that can be implemented to better serve its workforce services customers.
Local Workforce Development Board Performance Reviews
Section 445.007(3), Florida Statutes, directs DEO, under CareerSource Florida’s direction, to meet annually with each LWDB to review performance and certify they are in compliance with state and federal laws.
During PY 2014-2015, DEO staff presented performance findings to each local workforce board. The presentations included information on the local board’s program and financial performance. The annual presentations provide a unique opportunity for dialogue with local board members and offer them a better understanding of state and federal performance requirements and their local board’s performance outcomes.
State Performance Improvement Plan Policy
Florida’s approach also provides for consequences in situations where there is a pattern of low performance. Typically, low-performing local workforce boards are required to first develop and implement their own Corrective Action Plans. If low performance persists, state-level staff work with local workforce board staff to design a state-approved performance improvement plan policy with specific deliverables, often supported by state and peer Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) and sometimes supplemental funding for specific interventions. Continued chronic performance and operational problems can result in progressive levels of direct, sustained on-site oversight by state staff or state-designated local workforce board peer supervision, receivership, or replacement of local executive staff. As an ultimate sanction, a local board may be re-designated or consolidated due to performance problems; to date, no local board has been sanctioned in this manner.
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
VR continues to experience a rehabilitation rate below target. This is due to a focused effort to identify and close inactive cases, after diligent efforts to locate and/or reengage customers. Although these efforts temporarily caused the rehabilitation rate to drop, VR is beginning to see the anticipated shift in the ratio of successful closures to unsuccessful closures. This will result in an increased number and percentage of employment outcomes, as previously measured by Federal Performance Indicator 1.1 and 1.2.
VR will continue to collaborate with partners at the state and local levels to maximize employment services for people with disabilities. Florida VR anticipates that all projects within its Strategic Plan will have a positive impact on program performance. Specific activities include the following.
- Develop and implement all components of the VR Business Relationship Program.
- Redesign and implement pre-employment services for transition-age customers.
- Design and implement a program about service alternatives for customers to use in making an informed choice prior to entering subminimum wage employment.
- Design and implement enhancements to the Vendor Profile document for customer use in making informed choices regarding employment providers.
- Implement additional mental health training for counselors, and develop transitional employment, Individual Placement and Support and peer specialist models to improve success with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.
- Expand the capacity for providing Discovery and Customized Employment services.
- Establish additional casework quality assurance review practices to validate data entry.
- Continue data validation practices to detect errors prior to reporting.
- Expand use of Benefits Planning services for Social Security recipients that will promote self-support. Purchase these services when not available from SSA.
Figure 3.12
Florida Vocational Rehabilitation Federal Performance Indicators and Targets
| Federal Performance Indicators and Targets | Actual Performance(FFY 15) | Previous Year(FFY 14) |
|---|---|---|
| Indicator 1.1: Change in Employment Outcomes (RSA Target: Increase over prior year) | -2,177 | +437 |
| Indicator 1.2: Percent of Employment Outcomes (RSA Target: 55.8%) | 37.4% | 29.82% |
| Indicator 1.3: Competitive Employment Outcome (Primary) (RSA Target: 72.6%) | 99% | 99.67% |
| Indicator 1.4: Significance of Disability (Primary) (RSA Target: 62.4%) | 99.1% | 97.53% |
| Indicator 1.5: Earnings Ratio (Primary) (RSA Target: 52%) | 54% | 51.67% |
| Indicator 1.6: Self-Support (RSA Target: 53%) | 65.3% | 66.2% |
| Indicator 2.1: Ratio of Minority to Non-Minority Service Rate (RSA Target: 80%) | 98% | 98% |
Division of Blind Services
FDBS contracted with Mississippi State University to conduct a needs assessment. The assessment revealed the following areas of need related to the workforce system:
- Develop and strengthen greater employer relationships.
- Expand services to Hispanic/Latino, African American, American Indian and other populations that identify themselves as multiple races.
- Improve assistive technology services such as standardizing curriculum, making an effort to stay up-to-date on the most in-demand technology and job skills, and reworking trainings to make them more frequent and/or in-depth.
- Increase outreach and community visibility.
- Assist clients in identifying transportation resources to become and/or remain employed.
- Engage with CRPs to maximize outcomes for consumers.
- Regular follow-up with consumers.
Based upon the results of the needs assessment, FDBS has developed strategies to address the identified needs that are incorporated and described throughout this plan.
Adult Education
State targets are negotiated with the US Department of Education, Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) and established for each of the educational functioning levels for ABE, Adult Secondary Education (ASE), and ESOL on an annual basis. The target percentage is based upon prior program year performance and a comparison of the state with national averages. The percentages
represent the portion of students that must meet the goal for each educational functioning level. The same targets are required of programs receiving a federal grant and the target must be met (90% of each EFL) or show improvement. If these conditions aren’t met, the program will be required to submit a program improvement plan. Technical assistance and training is provided. The chart below shows the target and performance for 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015.
Figure 3.13
Florida Adult Education State Targets
Adult Basic Education and Adult Secondary Education
| Measure | 2012-13Target | 2012-13Performance | 2013-14Target | 2013-14Performance | 2014-15Target | 2014-15Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABE Beginning Literacy | 41% | 35% | 34% | 32% | 39% | 28% |
| ABE Beginning | 44% | 43% | 44% | 39% | 45% | 33% |
| ABE Low Intermediate | 43% | *49% | 47% | 45% | 51% | 37% |
| ABE High Intermediate | 45% | *52% | 50% | 49% | 54% | 39% |
| ASE Low | 53% | *56% | 55% | 54% | 58% | 41% |
Figure 3.14
Florida Adult Education State Targets English for Speakers of Other Languages
| Measure | 2012-13Target | 2012-13Performance | 2013-14Target | 2013-14Performance | 2014-15Target | 2014-15Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESL Beginning Literacy | 47% | 42% | 46% | 39% | 48% | 38% |
| ESL Low Beginning | 46% | 44% | 41% | 43% | 49% | 41% |
| ESL High Beginning | 45% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 47% | 35% |
| ESL Low Intermediate | 41% | 36% | 36% | 33% | 42% | 28% |
| ESL High Intermediate | 40% | 33% | 35% | 31% | 38% | 28% |
| ESL Advanced | 26% | 20% | 31% | 27% | 30% | 23% |