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2 Year Modification

Plan: Arizona PYs 2018-2019
Unified Plan U

Section: WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Narrative: III. b. 6. A. i.

Published
Located in:
  • III. Operational Planning Elements
    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that support 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.

III. b. 6. A. i. Describe the State’s Plans to Make the Management Information Systems for the Core Programs Interoperable to Maximize the Efficient Exchange of Common Data Elements to Support Assessment and Evaluation.

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2016-2017

Current Narrative:

i) State plans to make the management information systems for the core programs interoperable to maximize the efficient exchange of common data elements to support assessment and evaluation

Research and Assessment of Current Status

It has been identified that Arizona core partners currently utilize three distinct programs across the four core programs. Title I-B (Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth Programs) and Title III, Wagner-Peyser Employment Service, utilize the AJC system, developed by AJLA to manage all aspects of case management, data recording, and performance reporting for the programs. Title II Adult Education programs utilize the Arizona Adult Education Data Management System (AAEDMS) through Benchmark to enter student demographic, performance and class data as required for Federal reporting. Title IV, Vocational Rehabilitation, has developed a comprehensive system with Libera, Inc., called System 7. Case, vendor, procurement, and financial management modules are built into System 7 and information is captured for federal reporting purposes. Each of the programs is currently in multiyear contracts with the respective data management vendors.

Management Information Systems Inter-Operation for Core Programs

Core partners will continue to work together in an effort to identify technological tools for linking datasets in order to maximize efficiency and the exchange of information. Preliminary exploration indicates that two possible options exist to manage data across core programs:

  • Option 1 - Develop a web-based system that leverages the existing data management systems of the state for maximum secure data sharing with minimal new cost investment. A web-based system meets the unique and combined needs of the core partners by facilitating client identification, streamlined access to participant information, and data collection across core programs.

  • Option 2 - Develop a support system to facilitate data sharing between current systems. A process of data alignment and integration is being investigated in an effort to begin to analyze data from across all core programs and formulate a standard template for the exchange of common and required data elements. Data used for program analysis would be matched based on the “record linkage” technique where program files are processed electronically and individually identifiable data is matched from different databases. Following the data matching process the data would be de-identified as the purpose of the linkage process is to develop aggregate statistics, program performance, or other program analysis.

The state will work toward Option 1 while presently implementing Option 2 in order to meet the immediate requirements of WIOA performance management and program reporting. Data sharing agreements are currently being developed in order to maximize the efficient exchange of common data elements. Additionally, research is being conducted to determine how to implement a single identifier for participants that would be shared across all programs. A single identifier currently exists between Title I and Title III, which use the same data management system. Title IV has also begun using the same data management system and a single identifier is available for Title IV if clients who are enrolled in a program tracked in the data management system. There is no data-matching with Title II at this time, however the opportunity for Title II to register students in the data management system when they are job-ready would create a single identifier with a program in which the student is enrolled. It is anticipated that a single identifier will allow client files to be exchanged across programs in order to serve clients effectively as well as conduct necessary research and reporting functions.