Narrative: c. 6.

The State Workforce Board has implemented policy PY19-02 Expanded Definition of Basic Skills Deficient as follows:

Background: WIOA Sec. 3(5) defines Basic Skills Deficient as follows:

The term “basic skills deficient” means, with respect to an individual –

1. who is a youth, that the individual has English reading, writing, or computing skills at or below the 8^th grade* level on a generally accepted standardized test
2. who is a youth or adult, that the individual is unable to compute or solve problems, or read, write or speak English, at a level necessary to function on the job, in the individual’s family or in society

Standardized tests now use Educational Functioning Level (EFL) scores for the purpose identifying basic academic skill levels. ESL scores are also used to quantify skill gains through post-testing.

Purpose: As required by 20 CFR 681.290(e) this policy further defines the phrase “Are unable to compute or solve problems, or read, write, or speak English at a level necessary to function on the job, in the individual’s family, or in society” and identifies ways service provider staff may determine and document whether a person meets this definition.

Policy: Determination of whether an individual is basic skills deficient (BSD) may be done using assessment instruments that are valid and appropriate for the target population, such as assessments that determine whether reading, writing, or computing skills are at or below an 8th grade level. System partners must use federally approved, standardized testing instruments to determine educational functioning level (EFL) gains. As applicable, WIOA partners must follow and apply accommodation procedures outlined in the assessment instrument. Certain standardized assessment instruments may be more appropriate dependent upon an individual’s unique characteristics such as culture, disability, and/or income level. Qualified individuals with a disability must be able to receive reasonable accommodations upon request.

In addition to standardized assessments, alternative measures may also be used to determine whether an individual meets the definition, including, but not limited to:

• Alternative evaluations (participation in try-out employment or work experience)
• Observation of individual while participating in program activities
• Conversation with individual or his/her family, educators, and/or service providers
• Review of work history with demonstrated deficiency in identified areas

When using alternative evaluations such as those listed above, staff must document the individual’s inability to compute or solve problems, or read, write, or speak English at a level necessary to function on the job, in the individual’s family, or in society, by citing specific examples of how it was determined that the person has such deficiency.

For example: “Individual was provided a simple two step instruction (take handouts and find a seat in the room) and was unable to follow the instruction successfully; at one point during the workshop, the individual went to the restroom and was unable to find his/her way back to the room independently even though the room was just down the hall.”

Reasonable accommodation – Testing accommodations are changes to the regular testing environment and auxiliary aids and services that allow individuals with disabilities to demonstrate their true aptitude or achievement level on standardized exams or other high-stakes tests. Testing results must accurately reflect the individual’s aptitude or skill achievement the assessment purports to measure. Accommodations should not fundamentally alter the assessment.