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—
- 6. Program Data
- A. Data Alignment and Integration
Describe the plans of the lead State agencies with responsibility for the administration of the core programs, along with the State Board, to align and integrate available workforce and education data systems for the core programs, unemployment insurance programs, and education through postsecondary education, and to the extent possible, the Combined State Plan partner programs included in this plan. The description of the State’s plan for integrating data systems should include the State’s goals for achieving integration and any progress to date.
- A. Data Alignment and Integration
- 6. Program Data
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
III. b. 6. A. iv. Describe the State’s plans to develop and produce the reports required under section 116, performance accountability system. (WIOA section 116(d)(2))
Current Narrative:
All core partners currently use wage data from the Unemployment Insurance system to report employment and median earnings performance outcomes required by Section 116 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The Bureau of Unemployment Compensation (BUC), the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS), the Bureau of Employment Services (BES), and the Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI) are all housed within the Maine Department of Labor. The BRS contracts with the BUC to conduct employment and earnings match necessary to report participant performance to the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor on a quarterly and annual basis. Through an agreement with the CWRI, Maine Adult Education also partners to conduct employment and earnings match on behalf of their customers. The BES houses the management information system (Maine JobLink) used by the following programs: Title I-B Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs, Title III employment services, the Jobs for Veteran’s State grant, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and Title ID National Farmworker Jobs Program. A process has been built into the system to match employment and earnings data necessary to report employment and earnings performance outcomes.
Credential attainment data for Title I-B adult, dislocated worker and youth services are collected through the Maine JobLink system based on data entered by service provider staff and validated through document uploads. Similarly, staff enter and track measurable skills gains for participants enrolled in training or education services. Title I-B programs report on five types of measurable skills gains. Title I-B providers track educational functioning level (EFL) gains through pre- and post-test scores using CASAS.
As a core partner, Maine Adult Education, also works with the Center for Workforce Research and Innovation (CWRI) and the Unemployment Insurance (UI) database through the Maine Department of Labor is able to meet employment and earnings performance data obtained through a data match using participant social security numbers. Although median earnings were not being collected or reported for Adult Education in the past, improved collaboration and integration of data reporting systems processes allow for accurate and complete employment and median wage data for federal reports.
Adult Education also collects performance measures regarding credential attainment and postsecondary outcomes. Credential attainment for secondary school diplomas and high school equivalency is obtained by accessing data through the State’s managed information system, MaineSTARS and through the state account of the HiSET Data Access Manager database. Postsecondary enrollment information for adult education is conducted through a data match using the National Student Clearinghouse through the Maine Department of Education. Although the information obtained through the clearinghouse is useful for tracking some postsecondary enrollment, it is not as effective in tracking successful postsecondary completions. Clearinghouse data is incomplete and does not include all recognized postsecondary education or training programs. To enable core programs to collect and report this required data, core partners are examining ways several data sets may be able to be combined to compile the data necessary for the required performance measures. The core partners are also exploring ways to align the Department of Labor’s expanded Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI) with the new data requirements under WIOA.
Measurable skill gains are currently collected and reported for Adult Education using the federally approved CASAS assessment for the pre-and-post testing of participants. Core partners have agreed to coordinate and align measurable skills assessment by implementing eCASAS as the assessment tool used by all partners. Currently eCASAS assessments are recognized and used by all local Adult Education programs, one-stops, and other eligible training providers. Results are shared where appropriate to reduce duplicative testing.