DIRECTIVE	:	TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 30-95
TO	:	ALL STATE JTPA LIAISONS ALL STATE WAGNER-PEYSER ADMINISTERING AGENCIES ALL STATE WORKER ADJUSTMENT LIAISONS ALL ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER LEADS
FROM	:	BARBARA ANN FARMER Administrator for Regional Management
SUBJECT	:	Report to Congress, Core Data Elements and Common Definitions for Employment and Training Programs

1. Purpose. To transmit an information copy of the referenced Report to Congress.

2. Reference. Section 455 of Job Training Partnership Act, as amended.

3. Background. Testimony by the General Accounting Office has shown that use of common terms and definitions is a key component in the development of a consolidated workforce development system. This Report prepared by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration provides some terms and definitions that can be used as basic building blocks of systems design for employment and training program consolidation.

   Core Data Elements and Common Definitions for Employment and Training Programs presents a recommended core set of 43 data elements that describe populations served, services provided and completed, and outcomes achieved. A working group representing the Departments of Education, Labor, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services, as well as the Bureau of the Census, General Accounting Office, National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee, and the National Governors' Association, developed a glossary of the data elements plus 76 proposed standardized definitions of the elements and related terms. The Report also provides a discussion of some of the expected benefits of adopting common terms and definitions.

4. Expected Benefits. The benefits offered by establishing core data elements and common definitions across programs are groundbreaking and will help every customer use or operate the job training system more effectively. Some of the expected benefits include:

   • simplifying the customer intake process;

   • removing barriers to coordination and integration of services;

   • freeing staff and other resources from duplicative administrative functions to be rededicated to actually serving customers; and

   • enhancing program planning, oversight, and evaluation capability at the Federal, State, and local levels, within and across programs.

5. Recommendations. In the Report, the work group recommends the core data elements and common definitions be adopted for use where appropriate by the seven major employment and training programs covered in the project: JTPA Titles II and III, Job Corps, Employment Service, JOBS, Adult Education State Administered Basic Grants, Food Stamp Employment and Training Program, and Vocational Education Programs authorized by the

   Carl Perkins Act. In addition, they recommend continued collaboration for the development of additional common terms and definitions. Specific recommendations are as follows:

   • encourage Federal and State employment and training programs to adopt the core data elements and common definitions for reporting requirements;

   • continue Federal-level efforts to develop common determinants of eligibility for services and client/customer status terms;

   • build up the glossary of terms identified in this project as part of a more comprehensive dictionary of common definitions for federally-funded employment and training programs;

   • ensure overall consistency in data and definitions through ongoing OMB review of Federal reporting requirements and regulations;

   • sensitize Congress and Federal agencies to the importance of maintaining consistent statutory definitions for employment and training programs; and

   • consider the core data elements and common definitions when federal agencies develop performance measures and management information systems resulting from the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993.

6. Phase II. As recommended by the work group, ETA has continued its collaborative efforts with other federal agencies to inventory and categorize more terms that may be common to several employment and training programs. Phase II focuses on the terms and definitions used in establishing eligibility for services. It also expands the number of programs in the analysis to cover programs likely to be included in workforce development system initiatives, such as programs for: disadvantaged job seekers, dislocated workers, public assistance recipients, education, student financial aid, employment security, and special populations. An interim Compendium of program descriptions and eligibility terms is being developed.

7. Inquiries. For more information about the Core Data Elements and Common Definitions projects, contact Valerie Lloyd, Division of Performance Management and Evaluation, Office of Policy and Research, at 202/219-5487 ext. 115.

8. Attachment. Report to Congress, Core Data Elements and Common Definitions for Employment and Training Programs.

    

   NOTE: Attachments not available to DMS