ACTION BULLETINS (PY 2006)

AB - #63 Tracking and Reporting of Literacy or Numeracy Gains for Out-of-School Youth

AB - #63

Effective Date: July 1, 2006


ACTION BULLETIN


TO: All Youth Service Providers

DATE: June 15, 2006

SUBJECT: Tracking and Reporting of Literacy or Numeracy Gains for Out-of-School Youth


Purpose of Bulletin:

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform the Youth Service Providers and staff about the requirement for tracking and reporting Literacy or Numeracy Gains for out-of-school youth to determine basic skills levels.

Citation(s):

Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 17-05, Common Measures Policy for the ETA Performance Accountability System, February 17, 2006.
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Section 136 Performance Accountability system.

Background:

In 2001, as part of his management agenda, President Bush announced a budget and performance integration initiative. In this move towards a more results-oriented government, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) developed common performance measures across employment and training programs. The Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA) “Common Measures” reflect the agreed upon measures for the federal employment and training programs, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Trade Adjustment Act (TAA), Veterans Program, and Wagner-Peyser, which funds Job Services programs through Employment Development Department (EDD). The Department of Labor (DOL) decided to implement the Common Measure performance accountability in PY 2005-06. However, when the United States Solicitor General Office compared the new common measures to the performance accountability required under the WIA section 136 he determined that none of the “common” measures are equivalent substitutes for any of the “standard” youth measures.

Therefore, for PY 2005-06, and each subsequent year until WIA is reauthorized, the Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB) and their contractors will be accountable only for the youth “standard” measures, but will be responsible for tracking and reporting the “common” measures.

However, DOL and EDD are requiring that the LWIBs track and report outcomes for the common measures, even though we are not being held accountable to attain a certain goal. Beginning in PY 2006-07, LWIBs are required to track and report basic skills levels for all out-of-school youth.

The Literacy and Numeracy Gains Measure:
EXCLUDES youth who are not basic skills deficient
EXCLUDES youth who are in-school
INCLUDES youth with learning disabilities

Is defined as:
Of those out-of-school youth who are basic skills deficient:

Number who increase one or more educational functioning levels (EFL)
Number completing 1 year in program + Number who exit before completing 1 year in program

To be included in the numerator, a youth must advance one or more Adult Basic Education (ABE) or English as a Second Language (ESL) educational functioning level (EFL). Youth providers must utilize a testing tool that crosswalks with ABE and ESL levels.

The measure requires pre-testing the basic skills level of all out-of-school youth (regardless of age) in one of seven functional skill levels: reading, writing, numeracy, speaking, listening, functional, and work readiness.

The State Workforce Investment Division (WID) developed an MIS form for tracking and reporting literacy or numeracy gains. Once an attainable goal is set, the standard for success for Literacy or Numeracy Gains is expected to be about 40%.

Action:

Effective July 1, 2006, 100% of all out-of-school youth (regardless of age) must be pre-tested in basic reading, writing and math. Youth providers must use the attached MIS Youth Test Scores form for reporting pre-test scores for their youth participants.

Youth who pre-test at or below the High Intermediate Basic Education EFL (6-8.9 grade level) will require a post-test within one year of the date of participation. Youth providers must use the attached MIS Youth Test Scores form for reporting post-test scores for youth participants.
Youth who pre-test at or above the Low Adult Secondary Education EFL (9.0-10.9 grade level) will NOT require a post-test.

1st Year - Literacy or Numeracy Gains
Pre-test must occur within 60 days of the date of participation. Pre-testing should occur as soon as possible since the 1-year clock for achieving an EFL increase begins on the date of participation, not the date of pre-test.

Youth providers can use a pre-test from up to six months prior to date of participation, however, the same standardized test must be used for post testing. If this is not possible then the youth should be pre-tested again using a standardized test.

Individuals with disabilities must be accommodated according to guidelines associated with the assessment tool of choice and state law and policies.

Individuals must be post-tested by the end of the 1st year from the date of participation, and the results compared to pre-test results to determine if there is an increase in educational functioning level (EFL). The post-test can be given anytime within the 1st year, but must be given prior to the 1st year anniversary date, from date of participation.

During the 1st year of participation a youth is included in the literacy or numeracy gains measure even if they exit prior to the end of the first year. Failure to test within the first year of participation or prior to exit will result in a negative outcome for the measure.

An increase of one EFL in any functional area during the participation year is considered a success for that participation year.
2nd Year - Literacy or Numeracy Gains
If a youth continues to be basic skills deficient after the 1st year of participation, even if they increase one or more EFLs, the youth must continue to receive assistance in literacy and/or numeracy skills in the 2nd year.

The post-test for the 1st year becomes the pre-test for 2nd year. If an exit occurs prior to completion of a full 2nd year, the youth is excluded from the measure for the 2nd year, whether or not he/she was post-tested.

A youth must be post-tested prior to the 2nd year anniversary date, and included in the measure if they complete a full 2 years in the program.



The only way an out-of-school youth who is pre-tested as basic skills deficient can cycle out of the literacy or numeracy gains measure is to:

(1) obtain basic skills sufficiency (literacy and/or numeracy at or above 9.0 grade level), or
(2) exit the program prior to the completion of a full 2nd year in the program, or
(3) exit the program with a global exclusion like institutionalized, health or family care, mandated residential program or death.
a. “return to secondary school” is no longer an exclusion.
Information & Inquiries:

For further information contact Linda Slater at (510) 259.3802 or email LSlater@acgov.org



Attachments:

Youth Test Scores Form