WIOA State Plan Common Elements

DWD continued its State Performance Metrics project (www.in.gov/dwd/RPM.htm) that was built to complement and supplement Federal reporting measures. The primary purpose of the state metrics is to analyze what percent of the state’s unemployed population is actively engaged with the state’s workforce system. DWD now utilizes new customer check-in technology that enables the agency to track clients’ progress from the moment they first step into their local one-stop center through the culmination of their workforce services. The ultimate goal of the project is to identify and recognize successful practices at the regional level. The State Performance Metrics are gathered and negotiated in collaboration with Indiana’s 12 Regional WDBs.

Update for 2022: Due to covid Indiana has decided to pause accountability on the complimentary state performance metrics. We will continue to collect the data and evaluate these state performance during PY22/23 to determine their effectiveness.

DWD also developed a Federal Quarterly Performance Measures dashboard in PY18 that enables staff and workforce partners to quickly analyze years’ worth of Local Area Reports in one location. This can also be viewed on the DWD Performance Portal at www.in.gov/dwd/RPM.htm.

Additionally, DWD publishes an annual Workforce Programs Report (www.in.gov/dwd/WPR.htm) that tracks expenditures, participation, and outcomes for all agency programs. The Workforce Programs Report is a collaborative effort with other state agencies, including the Department of Education and Commission for Higher Education, among several others. Beginning in 2021, we will include the Family and Social Services Agency as part of this report. It is designed to enable policy makers to analyze all of Indiana’s workforce programs based on outcomes that are closely aligned to WIOA performance indicators.

The State of Indiana, through the state Legislative Services Agency (LSA), also conducts an annual review, analysis, and evaluation of Indiana’s workforce-related programs to provide the general assembly with the information it needs to make informed policy choices about the efficacy of each workforce related program. Specifically, IC 2-5-42.4-3 requires the LSA to conduct a systematic and comprehensive review, analysis, and evaluation of each workforce related program that includes information about each workforce-related program that is necessary to determine if the goals of the workforce related program are being achieved. The annual review is to be conducted over a five-year cycle during which each program will be reviewed at least once on a schedule determined by the Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis, Legislative Services Agency (LSA). Additional evaluation requirements for the evaluation are outlined in IC 2-5-42.4-3(b).  

The Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis (OFMA), a division of the Legislative Services Agency, conducted this review during PY 2020 and PY2021. The PY 2020 OFMA review included numerous programs across the state, including WIOA Title I & IV programs, Career and Technical Education (CTE), Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers (TAA), Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments, and Rapid Response. This review is available at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/publications/workforce_program_review/#document-29a9eb30. 

Findings in the PY20 report support the importance of goals and strategies outlined in the Combined Plan such as co-enrollment, co-location and data sharing as foundational elements for continued program success and improved client outcomes. The report highlighted that program coordination among the programs evaluated varied significantly by region and staff and that opportunities for cross-training, co-location and improved referral processes between partner agencies could lead to better outcomes. Agency initiatives to cross-train WorkOne and VR program staff on programs and implement improved referral processes between the agencies as discussed elsewhere in this Plan are in alignment with recommendations from the PY20 evaluation.

The PY20 evaluation report also emphasizes the importance of case management and supportive services in client outcomes particularly when it comes to successful completion of training. To that end, beginning in 2021, DWD implemented some changes in how it was administering the Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready Grant training program. Historically, individuals participating in the WRG program were connected to training providers through an online application. Using this self-service model, training providers followed up directly with students and enrolled them into courses. While the program has been incredibly successful, to further drive success for program participants, in 2020/21 DWD began granting a portion of WRG funding to regional WDBs, as opposed to the traditional self-service model, to utilize in working with clients in effort to provide better access to case management and supportive services. This dual model for self-service enrollment and enrollment through the WDB WorkOne offices was made possible by the additional influx of CARES Act dollars to the state, which allowed Indiana to expand WRG program offerings.

Early outcomes of this change in program administration demonstrated increased student success for those enrolling in WRG through a WorkOne office. Outcomes for students enrolling through the WorkOne exceeded those enrolling through self-service in terms of drop rates and completion rates lending support to evaluation findings that case management and supportive services are a key element of client success. From April 2020 thru December 2021, DWD enrolled 9,351 students in WRG trainings through the self-service application and 2,603 students were enrolled through their local WorkOne office. Course drop and completion rates are included in the table below.

The PY2021 review included programs such as Wagner Peyser, WIOA Youth, Jobs for America’s Graduates, Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, Senior Community Service Employment Program, Serve Indiana, Gateway to Work, and Older Youth Services. A copy of the PY21 report is available at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/publications/workforce_program_review/#document-c6bfb9fe.

In PY22, Indiana plans to complete an evaluation of workforce business services including an analysis of the type of services provide, how services are funded, service delivery models used, service outcomes and employer satisfaction. DWD will work with the GWC and local WDBs to develop a statement of work for the evaluation consistent with the requirements in 20 CFR 682.220 and select a third-party evaluator to complete this review. The planned evaluation will include a literature review of other state models for providing business services and recommendations for innovative service delivery models or continuous improvement strategies to further enhance Indiana’s employer engagement and business services program(s). DWD also plans to participate in the DOL Evaluation Peer Learning Cohort in PY22. Any future state level evaluations will keep in mind how those projects may coordinate with evaluations conducted by the Secretaries of Labor and Education under WIOA.

To achieve Goals 2 and 4 of the Combined Plan, Indiana intends on applying the WIOA performance metrics beyond the Core Programs to include both the Partner and state programs as components of state reporting and evaluation efforts. State reporting will including the following programs:

• Carl D. Perkins;
• SNAP E&T;
• TANF;
• Jobs for Veterans;
• SCSEP;
• Unemployment Insurance;
• TAA; and
• Indiana’s Next Level Jobs – Workforce Ready Grants and Employer Training Grants.

For Indiana to achieve Goal 4 and maximize our investments, we recognize that we must go above and beyond the WIOA data points. While these data help us understand the basic levels of performance for our programs, we will include additional data to ensure we are portraying a holistic picture in our state reports. We will capture data that help our state understand the effectiveness of a program at various stages, rather than merely completion at the end. These data will encompass early indicators of success, performance goals upon completion, and longitudinal goals after a program. Overall, Indiana will include the following measurements to determine each of our program’s effectiveness:

For state reporting purposes only, we will be applying the following metrics to all of our Core and Partner Programs:

For each of the data points above, Indiana will disaggregate the programs by subgroups, including race/ethnicity, gender, disability status, and socioeconomic status (e.g., those eligible for SNAP and/or TANF). Once baselines are set for each of the data points above in both the aggregate and then disaggregated by subgroups, Indiana will be able to reevaluate the effectiveness of its programs and how well it is serving Hoosiers with the greatest needs.

In addition to the Performance Goals above, Indiana’s Commission for Higher Education will assess and report on the following data aligned to our Vision:

1. Educational Attainment[2]

• Measured by progress toward at least 60% of Hoosiers having a quality credential beyond a high school diploma, assessing

1. Postsecondary-Going Rate
2. On-Time Postsecondary Completion Rate
3. 6-Year Postsecondary Completion Rate
4. Adult Learner Completion Rates

2. Career Relevance & Preparation

• Measured by progress toward 100% of postsecondary programs requiring an internship, work-based learning, research project, or other student engagement experience that has career relevance

3. Economic Impact

• Measured by progress toward Indiana becoming a leading Midwest state for median household income

5. By 2025: Above Average in Peer States
6. By 2030: Top 5 in Peer States

Indiana will utilize its Management Performance Hub to facilitate cross-agency data analysis to better understand how our different policies are working together systematically to improve Hoosiers’ lives.

[1] The Self-Sufficiency Standard calculates how much income families of various sizes and compositions need to make ends meet without public or private assistance. This will vary based on family size and geographic location. (The Indiana Institute For Working Families, 2016).

[2] Indiana uses data from the Census Bureau to track its postsecondary attainment. Currently, these metrics includes only 2- and 4-year degrees earned by adults 25 to 64-years-old. The Commission for Higher Education is considering a revised method to capture the following data in our attainment: adults 18 to 24-years-old and a wider array of credential types (e.g., industry-recognized certifications, long- and short-term workforce certificates, non-credit certificates and apprenticeships).