WIOA State Plan Common Elements

EDD-Work Services Branch (Title I & III) utilizes CalJOBS for both case management and performance tracking. The CalJOBs system also tracks most financial information for Title I and Title III.

The data collection and reporting process currently requires all Local Areas required to report all Title I and Title III WIOA participants served in One-Stop centers through the CalJOBS system, a web based application accessible to all local partners receiving WIOA funding from EDD. EDD also uses CalJOBS for the Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) programs. Features of the data system and relevant processes include the following:

• web-based, fully integrated labor exchange, financial and case management system

• used by local areas to track and report program data for Title I programs and Title III, as well as eligible training providers entering program data for WIOA-funded participants

• data is entered directly into CalJOBS system or uploaded on a regular basis using a Virtual One-Stop (VOS) system or an approved third party system

• individual participant assessment instruments used by Local Boards are currently determined at the local level, but the state may work to negotiate a policy with state plan partners that establishes common assessment procedures and a common set of assessment tools throughout the system

The California Department of Education -Adult Education Office (AEO) (Title II) provides assessment and accountability services through TOPSpro Enterprise for Title II performance tracking. It is a database designed to accurately measure progress, mastery of skills, and competencies needed to both complete, and advance one or more Educational Functioning Levels (EFL). It automates scoring, collects student demographic data, tracks agency and individual student performance, generates reports, and aggregates data for state and federal year-end reports. Features of the data system and relevant processes include the following:

• TOPSpro Enterprise software is used to collect and report all student progress and outcome measures, and for collecting information for federal and state annual reporting.

• The system provides student, class, and program reports that enable local providers to have immediate access to the data for targeting instruction for continuous program improvement.

• The local data are submitted quarterly and annually to the CDE for monitoring and aggregation into state and federal reports.

• TOPSpro Enterprsie records each student’s goals on entering a class, as well as their educational outcomes.

• Assessment may be formal (e.g., a written test), or informal (e.g., teacher observation of student performance through a checklist of competencies mastered).

The data collected consists of measurable skill gains in the following programs areas: English Language Acquisition (ELA), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), and Adult Basic Education (ABE).

For program year 2018-19 the CDE-AEO intends to use the same data system to meet requirements for collecting and reporting data requirements for the WIOA performance indicators. This reporting structure is based on National Reporting System (NRS) guidelines, which are retained under WIOA.

The data collection process begins with program staff at agencies funded by the Adult Education Family Literacy Act inputting the data on a daily basis at each site during the program year. Each week the data collected from AEFLA funded agencies is aggregated at a statewide level. The annual data aggregation and data validation begins August 1^st of each year. The purpose of the annual data aggregation and validation process is to compile state and federal year-end reports due to ED annually, by December 31^st.

Performance measures include all elements in the federal NRS reports, including enrollment, attendance hours, completion and advancement of one or more levels, separation before completion, and persistence within a level, attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and job placement or retention, and transition into postsecondary education or training.

The CDE also conducts an annual comprehensive qualitative program survey. This survey is required of all participating agencies and involves practitioner focus groups and interviews of both teachers and students. The results provide recommendations for state level planning and development activities, identify best practices and emerging needs, and help focus professional development and training to ensure effective instructional programs for targeted populations.

DOR (Title IV) utilizes a case management system known as Accessible Web-Based Activity Reporting Environment (AWARE). In addition to WIOA data reporting, the AWARE system has a financial component utilized for federal reporting requirements. The system contains consumer data, case notes, and information regarding goods/services for consumers.

Data are collected and input in-house by direct service staff located statewide in 13 geographic districts. DOR plans to train staff in the new processes and use AWARE to collect WIOA data.

State VR systems/agencies collect and report summary data in a federally mandated format called the RSA Case Service Report, also known as the RSA-911.The RSA-911 report is submitted annually for the preceding fiscal year by each state’s vocational rehabilitation agency.

The RSA-911 report contains a record for each case closure that occurred in an agency, regardless of the reason for closure. Therefore, because case closure is the trigger event, it is feasible that a consumer: (1) may not appear in the report in a given year, even though they received VR services during that year or (2) an individual may appear more than once in one year, if their case was closed on two or more separate occasions.

The Federal RSA-911 report aggregates many variables of outcomes-related information, including demographics, disability, interventions, and reason for closure, employment status, sources of financial support, and more. The values of certain fields (e.g. income, hours worked per week, etc.) are reported both status at application and status at closure. Features of the data system and relevant processes include the following:

• Web-based, fully integrated financial and case management data system utilized by the DOR and public vocational rehabilitation agencies

• Currently, the assessment process involves the rehabilitation counselor providing an assessment of the skills and needs of every client as part of the eligibility determination process

• The rehabilitation counselor also assesses functional limitations through the determination of the level of severity of disability as part the order of selection process

• Some cooperative programs provide vocational assessments as part of the contract scope of work to help determine eligibility, severity of disability, strengths, weaknesses, potential job goals, additional service needs, and recommended accommodations. In addition, assessment is provided on an ongoing basis throughout service delivery to ensure services are appropriate and are leading the DOR consumer to an employment outcome.

• The Fee for Service Assessment Services involves the Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs), which may be certified to provide specific services under the broad category of Assessment Services. Assessment Services provide information to a DOR consumer/applicant and referring rehabilitation counselor to assist in eligibility determination, identification of barriers to employment, identification of strengths, resources, abilities and interests, and/or to determine the nature and scope of vocational rehabilitation services to be provided.

• A written report identifies answers to questions provided by the referring counselor and assists with information leading to the development or modification of rehabilitation services being provided. Identification of specific barriers to employment and recommendations to eliminate those barriers are included in the report.

• Assessment Service Specifications are available for the following three (3) services:

o Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation (CVE)

o Situational Assessment (SA)

o Vocational Assessment (VA)

Other Mandatory One-Stop/Partner Data Systems

Several mandatory One-Stop partners, including Second Chance, Youth Build, and Job Corps are funded through a federal competitive grant process and are not provided universally throughout California. Access to the services provided by these programs is negotiated locally and each grantee procures or develops their case management system and is responsible for customer tracking and reporting. Job Corps has instituted the Interim Checkpoint for Eligibility (ICFE), a data collection instrument to check on outcomes of graduates 90-120 days after initial placement and again at six and twelve months. Customers who are co-enrolled in WIOA Title 1 services are registered in the CalJOBS system. Other federal partners, including the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are formula funded, with funds moving through state agencies to local government. Case management for these systems is identified locally.