Project: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

Sponsor: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration through the Urban Institute
Status: In process
IPS Staff: Demetra Smith Nightingale (Project Leader) and Burt S. Barnow

Purpose and Approach
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration has emphasized performance management in employment and training programs for over a decade. The current federal law authorizing job training, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), modified the performance standards system that had operated under previous legislation. One of the guiding principles of WIA is to expand the use of market mechanisms, including establishing a streamlined program performance management system and encouraging managed competition for delivering services to customers. By building in a system of financial rewards and penalties based on measured performance and emphasizing customer satisfaction for both job seekers and employers, WIA intended to institutionalize a nationwide vision that places an emphasis on accountability and continuous improvement.

This project examines key aspects of WIA’s performance management focus at the state and local levels and includes case studies of performance management policies in selected states. The project involves analysis of national performance statistical data; interviews with key federal, state, and local officials and administrators; and structured visits to selected states and localities.

Results and Publications
Forthcoming.