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. D. Evaluation
Describe how the State will conduct evaluations and research projects on activities under WIOA core programs; how such projects will be coordinated with, and designed in conjunction with, State and local boards and with State agencies responsible for the administration of all respective core programs; and, further, how the projects will be coordinated with the evaluations provided for by the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education under WIOA.
Current Narrative:
Evidence Based Practice Academy
To promote and accelerate the state evaluation process and activities, CDLE/Workforce Development Programs has contracted with Northern Illinois University to achieve the following outcomes:
“Northern Illinois University's Center for Governmental Studies (CGS) is proposing to work with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to design an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Academy for local and state-level workforce practitioners. Over a seven-week period, CGS will confer with a broad cross-section of Colorado workforce professionals and stakeholders regarding the feasibility, benefits, and challenges of creating an EBP Academy or other focused training opportunity. At the conclusion of this project, CDLE will be provided with a recommended structure, learning objectives, curriculum and suggested implementation plan for a Colorado EBP Academy based on information collected from prospective Academy participants and other Colorado workforce system stakeholders.”
Contract work will be completed during PY19 and the recommendation plan will be implemented through a contract with the University of Denver beginning PY20.
USDOL Evaluation Peer Learning Cohort
On November 1, 2019, Colorado submitted its application to become part of the The Evaluation Peer Learning Cohort (EvalPLC) which is an interactive technical assistance forum and comprised of cross-agency representatives from four to six states. State teams who represent core WIOA programs will collaborate and develop evaluation action plans designed to conduct and implement state and/or local research and evaluations.
Participants will:
- Learn from experienced evaluators, state and national subject matter experts (SMEs), and each other as they develop an evaluation plan.
- Use the Evaluation Toolkit: Key Elements for State Workforce Agencies and two evaluation assessment tools to build evaluation capacity, the
- Evaluation Readiness Assessment - designed to help assess the degree to which your state is ready to implement research evaluation activities and projects; and
- Evaluation Design Assessment - developed to support states in designing a plan for evaluation.
- The EvalPLC will also exchange ideas to support the creation of other evaluation tools and resources to enhance evaluation capacity for the workforce system.”
Should Colorado be selected for this opportunity, we will integrate the tools and expertise gained with the implementation plan developed by Northern Illinois University.
CDLE/WDP will also:
- Review existing program evaluation tools and processes
- Work with its partner agencies to determine whether additional resources are required, and develop additional methods to evaluate existing data
- Develop policies and guidance on how to identify and evaluate potential promising practices, and use evaluation as part of process improvement
- Require the use of logic models and outcome measures as part of the development of new projects and proposals
- Share information regarding promising practices identified through these activities with the appropriate state or federal entity for further evaluation to determine whether it might be an evidence-based practice
- Work with the CWDC, local workforce development boards and state partner agencies to develop and use quasi-research methods to evaluate the effectiveness of core programs and new initiatives, to the extent practicable and within the constraints of existing resources.
CDLE/WDP will continue to utilize existing methods for program evaluation, such as annual compliance monitoring and data validation, routine tracking of state and local performance and expenditures, and look for ways to incorporate additional outcome measures. CDLE/WDP will work with its state partners to develop training in evaluation techniques for staff and foster a culture of informed inquiry. CDLE/WDP will also work with the local workforce areas to build capacity, and encourage the development and use of additional outcome measures and program evaluation as part of the selection and oversight processes for contracted workforce center operations.