Date of Issue: May 30, 2006

Office of Issue: AWI FG 06-054

Reference: TEGL 17-05

Final Guidance Common Measures - Recording Literacy and Numeracy Gains for Out-of-school

Youth who are Basic Skills Deficient

OF INTEREST TO Workforce Florida, Inc. (WFI), Regional Workforce Boards (RWBs), service providers, and other entities engaged in implementing Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Programs. SUBJECT Common Measures - Recording Literacy and Numeracy Gains for Out-of-School Youth who are Basic Skills Deficient PURPOSE The purpose of this issuance is to provide guidance to the RWBs, as well as WIA Program providers regarding the proper way to record Literacy and Numeracy Gains for Out-of-School Youth who are denoted as Basic Skills Deficient in the One Stop Management Information System (OSMIS). BACKGROUND On February 17, 2006 the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) published a Training Employment and Guidance Letter (TEGL) 17-05 entitled “Common Measures Policy for the Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA) Performance Accountability System and Related Performance Issues” to States in an attempt to replace existing guidance on common measures reporting. This TEGL provides additional clarification regarding the Literacy and Numeracy measure. RWBs were encouraged to read this information. PROGRAM GUIDANCE Effective July 1, 2006 all Out-of-School youth (determined at registration) who are Basic Skills Deficient will be included in this new measure. Note: Out-of-School youth (determined at registration) who are Basic Skills Deficient whose registration date is prior to 7/1/2006 will not be included in this measure. Although states are not required to report the “Literacy and Numeracy” data prior to 7/1/2006, it is suggested that RWBs and WIA

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service providers begin recording “Literacy and Numeracy” data in OSMIS prior to the 7/1/2006 implementation date. A recent poll indicated that most RWBs use the TABE test to determine whether a youth is basic skills deficient. The following guidance is the step-by-step instruction that is intended to assist WIA providers with properly recording TABE assessment scores in OSMIS as they relate to the “Literacy and Numeracy” common measure. Currently, OSMIS will only allow the raw TABE test score to be recorded, which is the only assessment data reported to USDOL. It is noted that some RWBs are using other acceptable tools i.e., Work Keys as well as ESL assessments; however, due to the current limitations of OSMIS, other assessment scores cannot be recorded in a way that they can be retrieved and included in the State’s federal performance reports. In the future, other acceptable USDOL approved assessments tools may be approved at which time OSMIS will require additional programming. Measure: “Literacy and Numeracy Gains” Definition: Of those out-of-school youth who are basic skills deficient: # of youth participants who increase one or more educational functioning levels ______________________________________________________________ # of youth participants who have completed a year (one year from date of program participation/registration) in the program plus the # of youth participants who exit before completing a year in the youth program. General rules:

• In-school youth are excluded from this measure. • Determination of in-school or out-of-school status is only made at the point of

program participation (registration). • All out-of-school youth must be assessed in basic reading/writing and math. • Individuals who are not basic skills deficient based on pre-test results are excluded

from this measure (i.e., programs will not be held accountable for this measure). • Measures gains in educational functioning levels, not attainment of skills.

Participant’s First Year

• An initial test (pre-test) must be given within 60 days of the Date of First Youth Service (registration date).

• If a previous assessment was conducted (i.e., by a partner program) within six months prior to the Date of First Youth Service (registration date), then that test score can be used and recorded in OSMIS.

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• The participant is included in the measure even if they exit prior to the end of the first year.

• Exit can occur at anytime, but post-test must be given prior to exit. • The post-test can be at anytime within the first year, but must be given prior to or on

the anniversary date. • The same standardized assessment tool (currently TABE) must be used at both the

pre-test and post-test. • Multiple post assessments can be given throughout the year however, the latest

test date, i.e., the test date entered on the anniversary or the closest date prior to the anniversary, will be the score reported regardless of whether or not it was a higher or lower score than any of the previous post assessments that were conducted during the year.

• An academic functioning level gain could come from either a reading score or a math score, but need not be a gain from both in order to count positively in this measure.

• Post-test must be within one year of participation/registration, not one year from pre- test.

OSMIS Data entry instructions

1. Select Case Management, Career Plan, and Assessment under the Navigational Menu.

2. Record the following mandatory information: • Select Type of Assessment = (Academic), • Select Name of Assessment = (TABE Survey), • Enter (Schedule Date of Completion), and • Select Status = (Scheduled)

3. Assessment scores should be entered into OSMIS as described in item #4 below: • Upon completion of assessment for WIA program registration or • When recording scores for an assessment conducted up to 6 months prior to

WIA program registration. Note: Status should not be changed to “Completed” nor should the “Actual Date” field be populated prior to recording the assessment results under TABE test details.

4. Under TABE test details, select the “Add” hyperlink. 5. Remember to record both the Reading and Math scores. 6. Select the “Test Type” e.g., “Form 10 Advanced – Reading”

• Enter the “Grade Equivalency” e.g., 7th grade (note an OSMIS change will allow decimal points e.g., 7.9 in the future)

• Enter the “Score” Note: that this is the raw score in which USDOL is requesting e.g., 518 – 566 (see TEGL 17-05 attachment C), and

• Enter the “Test Date”

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Note: this is the test date field that will be used for the measure.

Participant’s Second and Third Years

• Participants, who remain basic skills deficient after completing a full year in the program, must continue to receive basic skills remediation services.

• The participant’s first year post-test now becomes the second year’s pre-test. • New post-tests can be given at anytime prior to or on the anniversary date. • If the participant exits prior to the anniversary of the participation year (in years 2 &

3), then the participant is excluded from the measure whether or not he/she completed the appropriate post-test.

• Those participants who exit with an exclusion (i.e., death, health/medical, family care, institutionalized, Reservists called back to duty, etc.) are excluded from this performance measure.

• Participants who are no longer basic skills deficient based on pre-test results are no longer included in this measure.

• Basic Skills Sufficiency should be recorded in OSMIS under Case Management – Career Plan - Education Details - Training Details - Date Attained Basic Skills Sufficiency.

Testing Youth with Disabilities

• Per WIA Regulations 29 CFR 37.4 when administering assessment tools, individuals with disabilities are to be provided with reasonable accommodations:

“modifications or adjustments,” made on a case-by-case basis, “that enable a qualified individual with a disability…to receive aid, benefits, services, or training equal to that provided to qualified individuals without disabilities.”

• Reasonable Accommodations are to be provided in accordance with:

- Section 188 of the WIA ; - Guidelines associated with the assessment test; and - State laws and local policy.

• Youth with disabilities are expected to achieve the same gains as other youth. Note: accommodations are to provide a level playing field.

• For further information regarding Testing Youth with Disabilities see TEGL 17-05.

SUPERSESSION None

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