Located in:
- Program-specific Requirements for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities under Title I-B
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following with respect to activities carried out under subtitle B--
e. Waiver Requests (optional) (e1-e6)
1. Identifies the Statutory or Regulatory Requirements for Which a Waiver is Requested and the Goals That the State or Local Area, as Appropriate, Intends to Achieve as a Result of the Waiver and How Those Goals Relate to the Unified or Combined State Plan;
2. Describes the Actions That the State or Local Area, as Appropriate, Has Undertaken to Remove State or Local Statutory or Regulatory Barriers;
3. Describes the Goals of the Waiver and the Expected Programmatic Outcomes if the Request is Granted;
4. Describes How the Waiver Will Align with the Department’s Policy Priorities, Such As:
A. Supporting Employer Engagement;
B. Connecting Education and Training Strategies;
C. Supporting Work-based Learning;
D. Improving Job and Career Results, and
E. Other Guidance Issued by the Department.
5. Describes the Individuals Affected by the Waiver, Including How the Waiver Will Impact Services for Disadvantaged Populations or Individuals with Multiple Barriers to Employment; and
6. Describes the Process Used To:
A. Monitor the Progress in Implementing the Waiver;
B. Provide Notice to Any Local Board Affected by the Waiver;
C. Provide Any Local Board Affected by the Waiver an Opportunity to Comment on the Request;
D. Ensure Meaningful Public Comment, Including Comment by Business and Organized Labor, on the Waiver.
E. Collect and Report Information About Waiver Outcomes in the State’s WIOA Annual Report
7. The Secretary May Require That States Provide the Most Recent Data Available About the Outcomes of the Existing Waiver in Cases Where the State Seeks Renewal of a Previously Approved Waiver;
Current Narrative:
The State of Arkansas requests approval of three waiver requests.
1) Waiver Request to allow the Credential Attainment Rate to be considered a baseline indicator for the first two years of the plan to allow the WIOA Title I youth, adult, dislocated worker programs, Adult Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation to gather data on credential attainment of participants and establish a baseline for negotiation of performance targets in program year 2018.
2) Waiver Request to allow the Measurable Skill Gains Rate to be considered a baseline indicator for the first two years of the plan to allow the Vocational Rehabilitation to gather data on measurable skills gains of participants and establish a baseline for negotiation of performance targets in program year 2018.
3) Waiver Request to allow the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate program and the Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE) program completion of curriculum and certification to be counted as a credential for the purposes of calculating the Credential Attainment rate.
Waiver Request: Baseline Indicator for Credential Attainment Rate This waiver request is to allow Arkansas to add the Credential Attainment Rate to the list of designated baseline indicators for the following programs for the first plan submission for program year 2016 and 2017.
Adults Dislocated Workers Youth Adult Education Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the Blind
1) Identifies the statutory or regulatory requirements for which a waiver is requested and the goals that the State or local area, as appropriate, intends to achieve as a result of the waiver and how those goals relate to the Unified or Combined
Statutory Reference: WIOA Section 116 (b)(2)(A)(i)(IV), Credential Attainment Rate.
The selection of primary indicators for the designation as a baseline indicator was made based on the likelihood of a state having adequate data on which to make a reasonable determination of an expected level of performance. At this time, Arkansas does not believe that it has adequate reliable data available on which to make a reasonable determination of an expected level of performance for these programs. A goal will be to ensure that pertinent data is captured in a management information system and that is readily available to the partner programs.
2) Actions that the State or local area, as appropriate, has undertaken to remove State or local statutory or regulatory barriers;
This is not applicable. There is no State or local statutory or regulatory barrier.
3) Describes the goals of the waiver and the expected programmatic outcomes if the request is granted;
A goal will be to ensure that pertinent data is captured in a management information system and that it is readily available to the partner programs for reporting purposes. The actual performance data reported for these indicators in the first two years of the Combined Plan will serve as baseline data in future years. While the State has reported credential attainment for youth in the past, the population served through the youth program was predominantly in-school youth, which earned a high school diploma as a credential. With the new focus on out-of-school youth, the previous credential attainment rates cannot be used as a baseline. For that reason, we are requesting that the credential attainment rate be considered a baseline indicator for the first two years.
4) Describes how the waiver will align with the Department’s policy priorities, such as:
(A) supporting employer engagement;
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
(B) connecting education and training strategies;
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
(C) supporting work-based learning;
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
(D) improving job and career results, and
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
(E) other guidance issued by the Department.
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
5) Describes the individuals affected by the waiver, including how the waiver will impact services for disadvantaged populations or individuals with multiple barriers to employment; and
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
(6) Describes the processes used to:
(A) Monitor the progress in implementing the waiver;
Progress will be monitored through monthly reviews of the management information system(s) reports for all programs to which the waiver applies.
(B) Provide notice to any local board affected by the waiver;
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(C) Provide any local board affected by the waiver an opportunity to comment on the request;
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(D) Ensure meaningful public comment, including comment by business and organized labor, on the waiver.
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(E) Collect and report information about waiver outcomes in the State’s WIOA Annual Report.
The actual performance data for these indicators will be reported in the annual report for the first two years of the Combined Plan and will serve as baseline data in future years.
7) The Secretary may require that States provide the most recent data available about the outcomes of the existing waiver in cases where the State seeks renewal of a previously approved waiver.
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
Waiver Request: Baseline Indicator for Measurable Skill Gains This waiver request is to allow Arkansas to add the Measurable Skill Gains Rate to the list of designated baseline indicators for the following programs for the first plan submission for program year 2016 and 2017.
Vocational Rehabilitation Vocational Rehabilitation, Services for the Blind
1) Identifies the statutory or regulatory requirements for which a waiver is requested and the goals that the State or local area, as appropriate, intends to achieve as a result of the waiver and how those goals relate to the Unified or Combined
Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS) and the Department of Human Services - Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) requests a waiver to allow the Measurable Skill Gains, primary performance accountability measure found in Chapter 4, Section 116.(b)(2)(A)(i)(V) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, to be considered a baseline indicator for program years 2016 and 2017 . This measure is defined as:
The percentage of program participants, during a program year, who are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains toward such a credential or employment;
2) Actions that the State or local area, as appropriate, has undertaken to remove State or local statutory or regulatory barriers; There are no statutory or regulatory barriers to this waiver.
3) Describes the goals of the waiver and the expected programmatic outcomes if the request is granted;
The goal of this waiver is to allow for time to develop a tracking system for this performance accountability measure. Otherwise, there will be no data from which to establish baselines and negotiate performance rates.
The state has been working with the existing providers of case management services for ARS, but was informed in November 2015 the provider was changing its business model and would no longer provide vocational rehabilitation case management services. DSB uses a case management system known as AWARE by Alliance Enterprises. AWARE is working to develop a tracking mechanism for tracking these measures.
The current case management system, utilized by ARS, does not include standardized tracking of this measure; therefore, past performance data for the establishment of baselines is not available. ARS proposes to establish a standardized tracking system by October 1, 2016. Data will be collected for one year to establish a baseline for this performance accountability measure. The effect of this waiver is to ensure levels used for negotiation will reflect levels with decreased probability of inaccurate measures related to incomplete data. Additionally, the current case management system utilized by DSB does not include a tracking mechanism for this measure. Similarly, there is no baseline information in which to set a current performance measure. DSB proposes to establish a standardized tracking system within AWARE by October 1, 2016. Data will be collected for one year to establish a baseline for this performance accountability measure. The effect of this waiver will ensure accurate data in which to draw predictions for the coming years.
5) Describes how the waiver will align with the Department’s policy priorities;
The waiver for both agencies supports employer engagement, connecting education and training strategies work-based learning, and improving job and career results. This will provide much more accuracy in performance accountability system and the future strategies developed based on these measures. The lack of data could lead to erroneous assessments of performance.
5) Describes the individuals affected by the waiver, including how the waiver will impact services for disadvantaged populations or individuals with multiple barriers to employment; and
If this waiver is not approved, it has the potential to negatively impact the services provided to people with disabilities. This would be a result of decisions being made by incomplete data related to the performance of eligible providers, which could be either significantly inflating or under-reporting performance.
(6) Describes the processes used to:
(A) Monitor the progress in implementing the waiver;
Progress will be monitored through monthly reviews of the management information system(s) reports for all programs to which the waiver applies.
(B) Provide notice to any local board affected by the waiver;
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(C) Provide any local board affected by the waiver an opportunity to comment on the request;
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(D) Ensure meaningful public comment, including comment by business and organized labor, on the waiver.
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(E) Collect and report information about waiver outcomes in the State’s WIOA Annual Report.
The Commissioner of ARS, in conjunction with the ARS Chief of Field Services, will be responsible for ensuring compliance with this waiver for Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. The Commissioner will track the development of the tracking system and ensure timelines are met. ARS leadership will provide status updates to the members of the Arkansas Workforce Development Board during regular meetings and summarize progress of the waiver plan for the State’s WIOA Annual Report.
For DSB, the Director of DSB, as well as the DSB Field Administrator, will be responsible for ensuring compliance with this waiver for the Division of Services for the Blind. The Director will track the development of the tracking system and ensure timelines are met. The DSB Director will provide status updates to the members of the Arkansas Workforce Development Board during regular meetings and summarize progress of the waiver plan for the State’s WIOA Annual Report.
Progress from both agencies will be routinely reported to the Program and Performance Evalucation Committee of the Arkansas Workforce Development Board.
7) The Secretary may require that States provide the most recent data available about the outcomes of the existing waiver in cases where the State seeks renewal of a previously approved waiver.
This is not applicable to this waiver request. Waiver Request: Career Readiness Certificate and WAGE Program to be Counted As Credentials This waiver request is to allow the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) Program and the Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE) Program to be counted as credentials for the purposes of calculating the Credential Attainment Rate
(1) Identifies the statutory or regulatory requirements for which a waiver is requested and the goals that the State or local area, as appropriate, intends to achieve as a result of the waiver and how those goals relate to the Unified or Combined State Plan;
Statutory Reference: WIOA Section 3 (52), Recognized Postsecondary Credential.
Background:
Career Readiness Certificate The Career Readiness Certificate is a portable credential based on the ACT WorkKeys assessments that substantiate to employers that an individual possesses the basic workplace skills they are seeking. Individuals who earn an Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate are automatically eligible for the National Career Certificate (NCRC). Even if an individual has a high school diploma, GED or a post secondary degree, the Career Readiness Certificate further verifies that he or she can handle tasks that are common and vital in today’s workplace such as finding information, reading instructions and working with figures.
To earn an Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate, job seekers must successfully complete the Career Ready 101 instruction and score at least a level 3 on the WorkKeys assessments in Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics and Locating Information. As a result of the WorkKeys assessment scores, job seekers receive a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze certificate or identify areas in which they need further instruction.
Reading for Information - The ability to understand information in common workplace documents such as letters, memos, procedures and instructions.
Applied Mathematics - The ability to use mathematical reasoning in solving common workplace situations.
Locating Information - The ability to understand and extract information from graphics such as diagrams, tables, forms, graphs, and charts. The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to Employers are:
• Reduces turnover, overtime, and waste while improving morale • Take the guesswork out of selection decisions • Improve the effectiveness of training dollars • Streamlines hiring by including a preferred certificate level in job postings • Meets EEOC requirements
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to Job Seekers are: • Builds confidence that skills meet the needs of local employers • Gives advantage over other job applicants who have not demonstrated needed skills • Determines skill improvement and training needs • Possesses a portable skills credential that enhances employability and sets the stage for possible career advancement and lifelong learning
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to Educators are: • Increases chances that graduates will be hired • Enables students to see a reason to take coursework seriously • Improves students success in entry-level and subsequent jobs • Aligns curricula to meet the job skills employers need • Provides a workforce development tool that ensures no worker is left behind
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to the Community are: • Keeps employers from moving entry-level jobs to other cities, states, or countries • Decreases unemployment rates • Creates a work-ready community to improve the quality of life for residents • Increases the tax base through more profitable business partners • Attracts new employers to the state, resulting in economic development
WAGE™ Certificate WAGE™ is a job readiness training program conducted through the Adult Education Division of the Arkansas Department of Career Education. It includes 112 basic skills competencies based on the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) which have been determined as essential by the nation’s and Arkansas’ employers. WAGE™ offers six state-issued certificates: Employability, Industrial, Customer Service Level I, Customer Service Level II, Bank Teller and Office Technology. The WAGE™ program accepts students who assess at less than a 12.9 grade-level (12th grade, 9th month) equivalency on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)™ and who have a goal of obtaining a job, retaining a job, improving their skill level to gain improved employment, or entering next-level workplace training. It is based on the same alliance principles as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and requires more than 50 percent employer participation on the local WAGE™ alliance advisory committee for an Adult Education Center to become WAGE™-certified. The alliance also includes participation agreements with the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, WIOA, chambers of commerce, human resources associations, local leaders, staffing and training agencies, economic development agencies and boards, as well as other educational providers. Participating employers allow adult educators to perform literacy tasks analysis on positions that rely on foundation skills for maximized employee performance. Adult educators use the literacy task analyses to customize competencies within the context of local employers. WAGE™ uses consistent assessment and aptitude instruments statewide. WAGE™ industrial and clerical certificates are recognized by employers statewide as having the same standards of 12.9 grade level equivalency on the Level A TABE™ (math, reading, and language), 100 percent on the WAGE™ test, and consistent achievement levels on the specific industrial and clerical components’ assessments and aptitudes. Participating employers agree to give added consideration to WAGE™ students; given all other candidate qualifications are equal. Some employers provide various incentives to encourage employees to complete WAGE™ including: a sign on bonus, increase in hourly rates, release time for classes, or as a pre-requisite to be enrolled in next-level workplace training.
(2) Describes the actions that the State or local area, as appropriate, has undertaken to remove State or local statutory or regulatory barriers;
This is not applicable. There is no State or local statutory or regulatory barrier.
(3) Describes the goals of the waiver and the expected programmatic outcomes if the request is granted;
The goal will be to improve the overall employability of Arkansas’ workforce. The outcome will be unemployed and underemployed individuals who will be able to substantiate to employers that they possess the basic workplace skills they are seeking.
(4) Describes how the waiver will align with the Department’s policy priorities, such as:
(A) supporting employer engagement;
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to Employers are: • Reduces turnover, overtime, and waste while improving morale • Take the guesswork out of selection decisions • Improve the effectiveness of training dollars • Streamlines hiring by including a preferred certificate level in job postings • Meets EEOC requirements The WAGE™ program requires more than 50 percent employer participation on the local WAGE™ alliance advisory committee for an Adult Education Center to become WAGE™-certified.
(B) connecting education and training strategies;
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to Educators are: • Increases chances that graduates will be hired • Enables students to see a reason to take coursework seriously • Improves students success in entry-level and subsequent jobs • Aligns curricula to meet the job skills employers need • Provides a workforce development tool that ensures no worker is left behind
The WAGE™ program accepts students who assess at less than a 12.9 grade-level (12th grade, 9th month) equivalency on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)™ and who have a goal of obtaining a job, retaining a job, improving their skill level to gain improved employment, or entering next-level workplace training.
(C) supporting work-based learning;
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
(D) improving job and career results, and
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to Job Seekers are: • Builds confidence that skills meet the needs of local employers • Gives advantage over other job applicants who have not demonstrated needed skills • Determines skill improvement and training needs • Possesses a portable skills credential that enhances employability and sets the stage for possible career advancement and lifelong learning
The WAGE™ program accepts students who assess at less than a 12.9 grade-level (12th grade, 9th month) equivalency on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)™ and who have a goal of obtaining a job, retaining a job, improving their skill level to gain improved employment, or entering next-level workplace training. Participating employers agree to give added consideration to WAGE™ students; given all other candidate qualifications are equal. Some employers provide various incentives to encourage employees to complete WAGE™ including: a sign on bonus, increase in hourly rates, release time for classes, or as a pre-requisite to be enrolled in next-level workplace training.
(E) other guidance issued by the Department.
This is not applicable to this waiver request.
(5) Describes the individuals affected by the waiver, including how the waiver will impact services for disadvantaged populations or individuals with multiple barriers to employment; and
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to Job Seekers are: • Builds confidence that skills meet the needs of local employers • Gives advantage over other job applicants who have not demonstrated needed skills • Determines skill improvement and training needs • Possesses a portable skills credential that enhances employability and sets the stage for possible career advancement and lifelong learning
The benefits of the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate to the Community are: • Keeps employers from moving entry-level jobs to other cities, states, or countries • Decreases unemployment rates • Creates a work-ready community to improve the quality of life for residents • Increases the tax base through more profitable business partners • Attracts new employers to the state, resulting in economic development
The WAGE™ program accepts students who assess at less than a 12.9 grade-level (12th grade, 9th month) equivalency on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)™ and who have a goal of obtaining a job, retaining a job, improving their skill level to gain improved employment, or entering next-level workplace training. Participating employers agree to give added consideration to WAGE™ students; given all other candidate qualifications are equal. Some employers provide various incentives to encourage employees to complete WAGE™ including: a sign on bonus, increase in hourly rates, release time for classes, or as a pre-requisite to be enrolled in next-level workplace training.
(6) Describes the processes used to:
(A) Monitor the progress in implementing the waiver;
Progress will be monitored through monthly reviews of the number of Career Readiness and WAGE™ certifications that are issued and periodic reviews of the number of employers that recognize and accept such certifications.
(B) Provide notice to any local board affected by the waiver;
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(C) Provide any local board affected by the waiver an opportunity to comment on the request;
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(D) Ensure meaningful public comment, including comment by business and organized labor, on the waiver.
The waiver request will be published in the Arkansas WIOA state plan for public comment.
(E) Collect and report information about waiver outcomes in the State’s WIOA Annual Report.
The state has submitted a waiver request is to allow Arkansas to add the Credential Attainment Rate to the list of designated baseline indicators for the following programs for the first plan submission.
Adults Dislocated Workers Youth Adult Education Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the Blind
Actual performance data will be reported in the annual report for the first two years of the Combined Plan. Career Readiness and WAGE™ certification will be a part of the Credential Attainment Rate baseline data in future years.
(7) The Secretary may require that States provide the most recent data available about the outcomes of the existing waiver in cases where the State seeks renewal of a previously approved waiver.
This is not applicable to this waiver request.