Narrative: III. b. 1. A.

A. State operating systems that support coordinated implementation of State strategies (e.g., labor market information systems, data systems, communication systems, case-management systems, job banks, etc.).

Labor Market Information (LMI) Division

The Labor Market Information (LMI) Division of Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) website, www.iowalmi.gov, provides data and information related to Iowa’s labor market, economy and workforce.  The website contains, but is not limited to, information about the following areas: wages employment; unemployment; industry and occupational employment; industry and occupational projections; unemployment insurance statistics; Laborshed Studies; employer surveys; education outcomes; career information; and other labor market related publications.

Information is organized by topic (i.e. indictors, industry, occupation and research) and uses Tableau to provide and display data for users such as job seekers; employers, IWD staff; economic developers; academic institutions; government agencies; nonprofit organizations; legislators; grant writers; labor organizations; consultants and other partners in an informative manner.

Career Coach

Career Coach is a Future Ready Iowa initiative in collaboration with IWD, IDOE, and the community colleges.  Career Coach provides career pathways by region, access to the ETPL, and many other features to assist job-seekers in online career exploration.  It provides users with local occupational level wages, industry trends, employment projections (growth/decline), occupational tasks, skills, education/training needed by occupation, where to find types of education/training, demographic data, and current job postings for employers in Iowa.  The tool also includes a career assessment tool (short and long versions), military occupation crosswalk, career cluster, and resume builder.

Career Coach brings together federal, state and private sources under one simple-to-use on-line tool for anyone looking to explore career options by providing them the information to make career decisions.  The data sources include the US Department of Commerce, US Department of Labor, US Department of Education, US Census Bureau, Employment & Training Administration and Careerbuilder.

Iowa Workforce Development

The IowaWORKS data management system encompasses case management, data collection, reporting, labor exchange, LMI, etc. and is used in all of the AJCs among several partners to track customers and activities in one common database.  IowaWORKS is an intuitive, customer centered, WIOA compliant system which allows customers, both job-seekers and employers, as well as AJC staff enhanced access to workforce services and delivery.  The system provides a coordinated method to manage multiple programs, while streamlining services to customers.  The communication center allows AJC staff to communicate with job-seekers and employers.  Appointments and notifications can be easily shared within the system ensuring continuous accessibility for individuals when accessing programs and services.    

Job seekers have the have virtual access to enter work registrations, resumes, and explore careers from their homes, or by visiting an AJC.  Similarly, employers can easily enter job order information virtually at their own convenience.  Iowa will be adding the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module which offers Employer Outreach Specialists, Business Services Representatives (BSRs), and other workforce system staff a full range of tools and resources to actively manage employer recruitment efforts.  The CRM module can be a tool to convert potential business customers into marketing leads in order to provide assistance to these businesses and track the profile details they manage on behalf of the potential employer.  The online survey feature will be beneficial in soliciting feedback from users and enhanced data tracking.  

Iowa is planning to add a module for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training.  Like many of the other modules, individuals can register and apply for services, track activities and services, receive notifications and schedule appointments.

IowaWORKS will also allow access for all Vocational Rehabilitation and Department for the Blind staff.  Once complete, all business engagement activities across the core partners will be captured in a single case management system, improving the coordination of services and reporting of employer data.  Referrals across core programs will also be completed in the IowaWORKS system; all referrals will be tracked and resulted within the system ensuring no customer falls through the cracks.  This system improves Iowa’s ability to track co-enrollment and increase the effectiveness of integrated resource teams.

Iowa Department of Education provides assessment and accountability services through a web based data system called TOPSpro (Tracking of Programs and Students) Enterprise for Title II case management and performance tracking.  TOPSpro is a computerized database designed for program administrators in adult education, including statewide assessments and related accountability software to accurately measure progress, mastery of skills, and competencies needed to both complete, and advance one or more Educational Functioning Level (EFL).  It automates scoring, collects student demographic data, tracks agency and individual student performance, generates reports, and aggregates data for state and federal year-end reports. Features of the data system and relevant processes include the following:

• Used for collecting information for the purposes of programmatic and annual reporting.
• Each local program uses TOPSpro Enterprise (TE®) that enables local providers to have immediate access to the data for targeting instruction for continuous program improvement.
• Local data is submitted monthly and annually to the IDOE for monitoring and aggregation into state and federal reports.
• TE® records each student’s goals on entering a class (via the TE® entry record), as well as their educational outcomes (via the TE® update record).
• Assessments are designed to measure student performance through a checklist of competencies mastered.  eTests are automatically loaded in TE® for reference and to drive program decisions.
• Exit tests for various instructional levels are provided and certain funding streams require that these tests be administered regularly to document student progress.
• The data collected consists of measurable skill gains in the following programs areas: English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), and Adult Basic Education (ABE).

IDOE intends to use the same data system to meet program-specific requirements for collecting and reporting data for WIOA performance reporting requirements.  This reporting structure is based on National Reporting System (NRS) guidelines, which are retained under WIOA.  The area of change for the IDOE pertains specifically to the addition of UI wage record data as part of the reporting structure.

The data collection process begins with local providers inputting the data at each site during the program year.  Data collected from AEFLA funded agencies is aggregated at a statewide level through the web based portal.  The annual data aggregation and data validation begins July 1 of each year.  The purpose of the annual data validation process is to compile state and federal year-end reports due to ED:DAEL annually, December 31.

Performance measures include all elements in the federal NRS reports, including enrollment, attendance hours, completion of an EFL and advancement of one or more levels, separation before completion, and persistence within a level.  Additional performance measures include attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and placement, retention, or completion of postsecondary education, training, or unsubsidized employment or career advancement.

Iowa’s Title II has developed on-line tools to assess the enrollment rates of students enrolled in ABE, ASE and ESL respectively monthly and is publishing outcome data on attainment of equivalency diplomas.

Research is conducted on several adult education-related topics from which analysis and report are produced.  Below are the following products:

• Condition of Community Colleges Report 
• Annual Condition of Secondary Career and Technical Education
• Analysis of the Economic Impact and Return on Investment of Education
• Fall Enrollment Report
• Iowa Skilled Workforce and Job Creation Fund Reports 
• Joint Enrollment Report