PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY:ACCOUNTABILITY:

WIA YOUTH PERFORMANCE WIA YOUTH PERFORMANCE MEASURESMEASURES

John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Sar Levitan Center for Public Policy Study

Johns Hopkins University

National Youth Employment Coalition

May 2000

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Required Youth Council RoleRequired Youth Council Role

• Planning youth workforce activities • Establish linkages with other organizations serving

youth• Consider full range of issues that can have an impact

on the success of youth in the labor market• Assist Workforce Investment Board in:

- Selecting eligible providers

- Negotiating local performance goals

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WIA Youth Programs WIA Youth Programs A Comprehensive, Long-Term Approach

• Preparing youth to succeed in the labor

market

• Improving educational achievement levels

• Providing a sustained support system

• Providing leadership and citizenship

development

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Youth Performance Measures Promote and Encourage:

• Youth development approaches

• Long-term attachment

• Collaboration

• Further education and training, both before and during employment

• A continuum of services that lead to skill attainment, educational advancement, credentials and job placement

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Youth Performance Measures A New Approach

• Different measures for different age groups– Older Youth = 19 to 21 at entry – Younger Youth = 14 to 18 at entry

• Different points in time – While receiving services – After services were received (with UI: not

always immediately after) – 6 months after services

• New data source -- UI wage records

Youth Performance MeasuresYouth Performance Measures

Older Youth -- Youth 19-21 at entry

Entered Employment Rate

Employment Retention Rate

Earnings Change

Credential Rate

Youth Performance MeasuresYouth Performance Measures

Younger Youth -- Youth 14-18 at entry

Skill Attainment Rate

Diploma or Equivalent Attainment Rate

Retention Rate

Youth Performance MeasuresYouth Performance Measures

Customer Satisfaction

Both older and younger youth and employers working with youth programs

are included in the two customer satisfaction measures.

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Older Youth

Entered Employment Rate

Measures the number of youth who didn’t have a job before services and got a job after services

Measures what happens right after services

Recognizes enrollment in education: Youth who exit but are in post-secondary education or advanced training are not included in the measure.

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Older Youth

Employment Retention Rate

Measures the number of youth who had a job after leaving services and still had a job 6 months later

Longer-term measure (6 months after services)

Recognizes enrollment in education: Youth who are in post-secondary education or advanced training 6 months after exit are not included in the measure.

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Older Youth

Earnings ChangeCompares earnings youth had 6 months before services to 6 months after services

Longer-term measure (6 months after services)

Recognizes enrollment in education: Youth who exit but are in post-secondary education or advanced training 6 months after exit are not included in the measure.

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Older Youth

Credential RateMeasures the number of youth in employment, post-secondary education or training who acquire a recognized credential during services or within 6 months after services

Longer-term measure (6 months after services)

Recognizes and rewards attainment of credentials

“Recognized credentials” defined locally by state

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Younger Youth

Skill Attainment Rate

Measures the attainment of basic, work readiness or occupational skills while receiving services

“Real time” -- measures what’s happening while youth are receiving services

Rewards flexible intermediate goals

Compares achievement to planned achievement

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Younger Youth

Diploma or Equivalent Attainment Rate

Of those who enter without a diploma or equivalent, measures the number of youth who receive one by the time they leave services or right after leaving services. In-school youth who leave services and are still in school are excluded from this measure.

Recognizes importance of high school diploma/equivalent

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Younger Youth

Retention RateMeasures the proportion of youth who are in the following activities 6 months after they leave services:Post-secondary education

Qualified apprenticeships

Employment

Advanced training

Military service

Longer-term measure (6 months after services)

Recognizes variety of positive outcomes for youth

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Performance Goals

• Goals should reflect the vision and priorities of the Youth Council and local Workforce Investment Board

• Goals should be realistic and attainable

• Goals will be negotiated between the State and each local Workforce Investment Board

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Performance Goals (cont’d)

• For incentives, states must achieve at least 100% score for each program area, with no measures below 80% of goal -- states may hold workforce investment areas to the same requirements

• Incentives and sanctions linked to attainment of goals

• States may be sanctioned if performance below 80% on any measure

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Year 1 of WIAPerformance Measures Avg. Perf. Level

Older Youth

Entered Employment Rate 63%

Employment Retention Rate 77%

Earnings Change in Six Months $3,150

Credential Rate 50%

Younger Youth

Skill Attainment Rate 72%

Diploma or Equivalent Attainment Rate 55%

Retention Rate 54%

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How Measures Promote Long-Term Attachment and Collaboration

• Youth need not exit from WIA based on program or funding source. They may continue in adult WIA or partner services.

• Exit-based measures apply to all programs only after final exit -- allowing a full range of services.

• Once a youth registers for WIA youth services, the program can get credit for partner outcomes (as long as a Memorandum of Understanding is in place).

• The more partners you have, the greater the chance for success!

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On a scale of 1 to 10, how much consideration do you believe should be given to WIA youth performance measures when Councils design

their youth delivery systems?

Little or no importance Great importance

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

What do you think?What do you think?

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Implications for Program Design• Flexibility for Youth Council in designing

programs that meet community’s needs

• Emphasis on longer-term programs, with consistent case management, support and follow-up

• Collaborate with partners and formalize with Memoranda of Understanding

• Focus on skill attainment, educational advancement, credentials and job placement

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Effect on Program Management• Information system needed for day-to-day

management and to project performance on longer-term measures

• Case management system needed to constantly track/follow participants

• Benchmarks/goals for vendors need to be clearly defined

• Strong network of vendors and partners needed

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Performance Measures

• Help to define desired outcomes

• Can be negotiated based on economic conditions, characteristics of participants, or program design

• Should reflect program design -- not drive it