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.
Describe data-collection and reporting processes used for all programs and activities, including the State’s process to collect and report data on co-enrollment, and for those present in the one-stop centers.
- A. Data Alignment and Integration
- 6. Program Data
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
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
Current Narrative:
The newly created Department of Commerce operates a collection of different IT systems to capture participant information, services, and outcomes. While Titles I & III utilize a common system, the other core WIOA partner programs continue to use legacy systems that were transferred to Commerce as programs were moved to the Department. The Department of Commerce supports efforts to increase efficiency while maintaining quality levels of service through judicious use of resources and adhering to policy (local, state, and federal). Prior to the establishment of the Department of Commerce on July 1, 2019, the WIOA Partners Roundtable (consisting of each WIOA core partner) had been evaluating workforce system solutions in other states to better unite the case management and job search functions of our programs. We are increasing these efforts now that each of Arkansas' WIOA core partners under the Department of Commerce umbrella. Our intentions are to identify ways to either integrate or replace these legacy systems. These Department of Commerce believes that our efforts will eventually lead to the implementation of a data warehouse and analytics platform that will support oversight, consumer education, and decision-making at all levels of the workforce system. The integrated warehouse may also be a means to deliver some of the benefits that an integrated case management system is envisioned as providing. This model will allow Commerce to work to develop advanced statistical models that can help identify not only who most needs services but to also help prescribe the types of services that may be most effective for a given customer based on what we learn from having served similarly situated customers in the past.
Common Intake Efforts that will Support Assessment and Evaluation-
Employment Services and the Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Workers programs share a common case management system. The contractor, AJLA, has the following deliverables that are contingent on partner program’s case management systems adopting the common file referenced below and working with the AJLA to establish the API process for each system:
- Create new tables to store API data from partner agencies
- Add new fields to Data Base for Arkansas Common Intake Web Service
- Create email notification for stub accounts
- Create enrollment for partner agencies
- Process for determining matches
- Create API to send data to partners
- Create API to consume data from partners (Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitative Services (vision impaired, and Adult Education)
- Process for creating Common ID
- Create stub account in Arkansas JobLink (AJL)
These processes will allow the partner’s databases to be matched, compared, and updated, regardless of which program interacts with the potential client first. Although the service has been offered, partner programs have not been able to connect to the program to date. Having this combined database will enhance our ability to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the system of the state's workforce development programs.
Employment Services and the Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Workers programs share a common case management system. The contractor, AJLA, has the following deliverables that are contingent on partner program’s case management systems adopting the common file referenced below and working with the AJLA to establish the API process for each system:
- Create new tables to store API data from partner agencies
- Add new fields to Data Base for Arkansas Common Intake Web Service
- Create email notification for stub accounts
- Create enrollment for partner agencies
- Process for determining matches
- Create API to send data to partners
- Create API to consume data from partners (Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitative Services (vision impaired, and Adult Education)
- Process for creating Common ID
- Create stub account in Arkansas JobLink (AJL)
These processes will allow the partner’s databases to be matched, compared, and updated, regardless of which program interacts with the potential client first. Although this service has been offered, partner programs have not been able to connect to the service due to funding. The Core Partner Programs continue to make this effort a priority.
Once established, the new database that results from partners' connected systems will advance goals by:
- Increasing staff access to systems services;
- Integrating and aligning WIOA systems and services;
- Equipping staff, Boards and their partners, and service providers with innovative technology and tools;
- Delivering excellent customer service and customer experiences in our Arkansas Workforce Centers;
- Delivering excellent customer outcomes; and
- Streamline mission critical case management services and activities for staff and Workforce Boards, that will address complicated integration and/or lack of integration between our multiple stand-along systems and platforms of varying ages.
The state board has established data systems alignment as one of its objective under the overall goal of enhancing service delivery to workforce customers. The Board has charged staff with researching the availability of an integrated data system that will enable the sharing of information between partner agencies to more efficiently service both employers and jobseekers. The identification of such a system must be in compliance with the Governor’s overall vision.
Until such time that an integrated system can be built, the core program agencies will work cooperatively to produce the required federal performance reports utilizing Unemployment Insurance wage data and the Arkansas Longitudinal Data System, which connects data from education, higher education and workforce programs.
CiviForm and “LAUNCH” are major components of Governor Sanders’ workforce strategy. All state agencies will be mandated to use the systems upon its initial launch in 2024. CiviForm will serve as the “door” to all workforce development agency’s management information systems. Although many of the agencies will continue to utilize their own systems, application programming interfaces (API) will be used to share data across systems. Customers will apply for programs using CiviForm and key demographic information will be sent to each program notifying staff of the pending application. A customer will be referred to all programs that provide a service matching with an interest or barrier. CiviForm will serve as the primary intake system for all workforce development programs in Arkansas. LAUNCH will serve as the state’s primary labor exchange system and is currently active by clicking here.
The Adult Education Section's data management system (LACES) has aligned key intake data fields to match the Combined State Agency's plans to create a common intake process. The LACES data fields also match the federal reporting tables and the key reporting federal benchmarks we share in Measurable Skill Gains, 2nd Quarter Employment after Exit, 4th Quarter After Exit, Median Earnings 2nd Quarter After Exit, and Credential Attainment.
Key indicators of participant data from LACES will be able to transfer and match indicators to the common intake for integrating partner information systems into one common intake. This participant portfolio of information is kept from intake through exit with links to postsecondary enrollment information and post-exit employment follow-up information to keep participant information accurate and accessible for reporting and cross-agency sharing purposes.
Throughout the year, as students’ progress, performance and attendance are collected. Similarly, follow-up information is also updated in students' records as they exit. At the end of the Program Year, a file is prepared for the Department of Higher Education and the Department of Labor to data match participant information to supplement ongoing manual outcomes local providers complete throughout the year. Attached to the student file in LACES, which generates co-enrollment and participation in multiple programs, is information taken from the intake form that asks for initial enrollment or co-enrollment in other core WIOA programs. This information is also updated and kept for other WIOA partners to use as adult education participants are referred to those core WIOA partners.
ARS is working with other core programs to develop a common intake and referral system, which will streamline the referral process so all core partners can access the individual’s information.
DSB is participating in the project to develop a common intake and referral system for all core programs. This program will be able to make referrals to all core programs based on information provided into any one programs case management system.