Located in:
- III. Operational Planning Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports 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 Policies
The 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. A. Assessment of Core Programs
Describe how the core programs will be assessed each year based on State performance accountability measures described in section 116(b) of WIOA. This State assessment must include the quality, effectiveness, and improvement of programs broken down by local area or provider. Such state assessments should take into account local and regional planning goals.
Current Narrative:
The State of Michigan recognizes that performance data alone is not a true measure of a program’s effectiveness. The State conducts evaluations and assessments on activities under the WIOA core programs. As part of Michigan’s continued efforts toward assessment and evaluation of programs, State staff work closely with the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, Workforce Longitudinal Data System partners, multiple state agencies, such as the Department of State, Department of Education, Vocational Rehabilitation partners, in addition to our core program partners.
Michigan’s Data Validation process covers both the accuracy of aggregate reports submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) on program activity and performance outcomes and the accuracy of individual data elements. Michigan conducts participant file review in compliance with the requirement to regularly monitor subrecipients of funding in accordance with 2 CFR 200.331(d). Michigan monitors the activities of the subrecipient as necessary to ensure that the sub award is used for authorized purposes, in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the sub award; and that subaward performance goals are achieved. Source documentation is reviewed at this time to verify participants’ eligibility, service receipt, case management, and outcomes. Failure to produce acceptable source documentation results in a finding. Corrective action and/or technical assistance are required as a result of review findings.
Michigan has implemented several tools and reports in the One-Stop Management Information System (OSMIS) that are used by State and Michigan Works! Agency (MWA) staff to validate the data submitted in the Workforce Integrated Performance System (WIPS):
- PIRL Admin Utility: The PIRL Admin Utility allows State and MWA staff to view records that did not pass edit checks. The participants and the exact edit check rule that was broken is displayed. Links within the utility lead directly to the errored record. The record can be researched and, where applicable, updated before the PIRL file is submitted in the WIPS. This facilitates more accurate data and identifies possible updates necessary to the OSMIS system.
- Participant Reports: The participant reports allow OSMIS users to run on-demand, real time reports for the individuals served in the Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth, and Wagner-Peyser programs. For each of these programs, reports are available for active individuals, registrations, participations, activities, exiters, and performance. The flexibility in the filtering/criteria allows users to customize the criteria for each report. The State and MWAs use these reports to find participant lists, answer questions and better serve customers.
- Performance Summary: The performance summary is a robust tool that provides a summary of an individual’s Common Measures participation. Links within this tool take OSMIS users directly to the registrations, activities and the Measurable Skills Gain (MSG) information that is included in the Common Measures participation. This summary helps OSMIS users identify which activities may be holding a common measures participation open and what other case manager(s) are serving this customer so together they can assist the participant in reaching their goals.
State level reports detailing performance on all performance measures are published quarterly for all local areas. These reports allow the state and local areas to monitor performance outcomes in order to establish trends and identify measures requiring corrective action. Furthermore, performance data is available at the contractor level.
In addition, our Michigan Workforce System Dashboard provides information on key performance measures, in aggregate and then further broken out by each of our local service delivery areas. The Michigan Workforce System Dashboard includes information on our employment environment and other key initiatives related to our workforce investment system.
The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development (LEO-WD) will ensure that the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act is administered in a manner that maintains the intent of the law, which is to provide access to educational services for adult learners through the One-Stop delivery system, particularly for those with barriers to employment. Performance benchmarks will be negotiated to the extent possible to take into account the percentages served with barriers to employment, including low-level learners, English language learners, and those that are not in the labor force or are in a correctional facility.
The WIOA performance accountability measures in Section 116(a)(2) will be used to assess the effectiveness of adult education statewide and ensure continuous improvement in the service delivery system.
LEO will target programs for technical assistance that fail to meet the state performance benchmarks. Failure to meet the performance benchmarks for two consecutive years may result in the reduction or elimination of funding.
LEO will evaluate the collaboration between adult education providers and the other core partners within the region based on the percentage of participants co-enrolled among the core programs and will set targets for continuous improvement. Providers will also be evaluated based on the percentage of individuals served with barriers to employment, including those at the lowest literacy levels.
Performance accountability measures provide effectiveness across all core program areas. Quarterly performance reviews, sent via email to all local areas for the most recent quarter’s expenditure and performance reporting, provide oversight. WD finds this consistent communication extremely valuable and effective to provide a proactive approach to potential performance issues with each local area. Michigan has consistently meet or exceeded performance measures.
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) – Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) and Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP)
MRS and BSBP review performance quarterly based on federal performance indicators. A Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment is completed every three years, which includes a survey of key stakeholders, to provide ongoing information and data points about service delivery.
VR is continuing to collect data to establish baselines necessary to negotiate performance goals with the RSA.