Methodology for Selecting Job Corps Centers for Closure; Comments Request, 2284-2287 [2013-00337]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 7 / Thursday, January 10, 2013 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2013–00284 Filed 1–9–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Methodology for Selecting Job Corps
Centers for Closure; Comments
Request
Office of Job Corps,
Employment and Training
Administration, Labor.
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor
requests public comment on the
methodology for selecting Job Corps
centers for closure, outlined in this
notice.
DATES: Comments are requested
February 11, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Address comments to the
National Director, Office of Job Corps,
U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue NW., Room N4459,
Washington, DC 20210. Please note mail
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AGENCY:
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may be delayed because of security
procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
National Director, Office of Job Corps,
ETA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue NW., Room N–
4459, Washington, DC 20210;
Telephone (202) 693–3000 (this is not a
toll-free number). Individuals with
hearing or speech impairments may
access the telephone number above via
TTY by calling the toll-free Federal
Information Relay Service at 1–877–
889–5627 (TTY/TDD).
Background: Established in 1964, the
Job Corps program is a national program
administered by the Department of
Labor (DOL or we), Employment and
Training Administration (ETA). It is the
nation’s largest federally-funded,
primarily residential training program
for at-risk youth, ages 16–24. With 125
centers in 48 states, Puerto Rico, and the
District of Columbia, Job Corps provides
economically disadvantaged youth with
the academic, career technical, and
employability skills to enter the
workforce, enroll in post-secondary
education, or enlist in the military.
Serving approximately 60,000
participants each year, Job Corps
emphasizes the attainment of academic
credentials, including a high school
diploma (HSD) or general educational
development (GED), and career
technical training credentials, including
industry-recognized credentials, state
licensures, and pre-apprenticeship
credentials.
Large and small businesses, nonprofit
organizations, and Native American
tribes manage and operate 97 of the Job
Corps centers through contractual
agreements with the Department of
Labor following competitive
procurement, while 28 centers are
operated through an interagency
agreement with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA). Job Corps also
contracts with firms and companies,
usually small businesses, through
competitive procurements, to recruit
new students for the program and place
graduates and former enrollees into
meaningful jobs, education programs,
the military, or apprenticeship training.
Job Corps also receives annual
Construction, Rehabilitation, and
Acquisition (CRA) funding to build,
maintain, expand, or upgrade new and
existing facilities at all 125 centers.
Pursuing Program Reform
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, we began an
ambitious reform agenda aimed at
improving the performance of Job Corps
centers nationwide. This included
setting higher standards for all centers,
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identifying historically underperforming
centers, and implementing appropriate
corrective action.
As part of this reform process, Job
Corps continues to undergo a rigorous
and comprehensive review of its
operations and management to identify
changes that can be made to improve
the program’s effectiveness and
efficiency. Job Corps has implemented a
National Certification Initiative to
strengthen and align existing career
technical training programs to technical
standards established by industries or
trade organizations, which enables
students to graduate with industryrecognized credentials. These
credentials provide for long-term
attachment to the workforce and
economic mobility as Job Corps
graduates advance through their careers.
They also ensure that program graduates
have gained the skills and knowledge
necessary to compete in today’s
workforce. Job Corps has also expanded
academic opportunities for students
with the introduction of evening
educational programs, as well as
community college partnerships and
expanded high school diploma options.
Current budgetary constraints make it
even more critical to ensure the
program’s resources are deployed in a
way that maximizes results to students
and taxpayers.
Job Corps has intensified and
reinforced federal oversight of
operations and performance outcomes
for all centers. Federal program
managers supervise centers through
monitoring visits, desk audits, and
Contractor Performance Assessment
Reports during each contractor’s
performance period. Job Corps regional
offices also conduct the Regional Office
Center Assessments. Through these
oversight activities, Job Corps federal
program managers develop Performance
Improvement Plans (PIPs) for entire
centers that need improvement, or
Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) to
address specific aspects of operations,
such as career technical training. Both
PIPs and CAPs are used for continued
monitoring and implemented for USDA
and contract centers respectively. These
oversight actions have strengthened
collaboration between Job Corps,
contractors, and the USDA to rectify
deficiencies, and improve policy
compliance and performance outcomes.
While the majority of centers meet
program standards, some centers are
chronically low-performing and have
remained in the bottom cohort of center
performance rankings for multiple years
despite extensive DOL interventions
including corrective measures. Given
the resource intensiveness of the Job
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Corps model, the Administration has
determined that it can no longer
continue to expend resources on the
small number of chronically lowperforming centers that have repeatedly
failed to provide participants with highquality Job Corps programming.
For the purpose of identifying
chronically low-performing centers for
potential closure, we define
‘‘chronically low-performing centers’’ as
those that consistently lagged in overall
performance over the past five
consecutive program years, covering
Program Year 2007 through Program
Year 2011, without evidence of recent
performance improvement.
We are committed to selecting centers
for closure in a manner that is
transparent and objective, and are
seeking comments on the proposed
methodology outlined in this notice in
order to inform all interested parties
about the selection process. Job Corps’
published performance metrics will be
the primary consideration in the
selection of centers for closure.
Provided below is an overview of the
program’s Outcome Measurement
System (OMS) and our planned
methodology for using the OMS and, if
applicable, other factors we propose to
use to select centers for closure.
Upon review of this notice, interested
parties may provide DOL with feedback
on the methodology, including the
outlined criteria and assigned weights.
We will consider this feedback as we
finalize the methodology for selecting
centers for closure.
Job Corps’ Outcome Measurement
System
The Workforce Investment Act of
1998 (WIA), the authorizing legislation
for the Job Corps program, contains core
indicators of performance for
recruitment, education and placement
rates, wages, and long-term outcomes of
graduates after initial placement.
To meet the WIA performance
requirements, Job Corps uses a
comprehensive performance
management system to assess program
effectiveness across multiple
components of services and programs
offered to Job Corps students. This
detailed system evaluates the
performance of Job Corps center
operators, outreach and admissions
contractors, and career transition
services providers, based on the
outcomes of program participants. The
performance management system serves
three primary purposes:
• To meet accountability
requirements by establishing
performance measures (also known as
metrics) and reporting student outcomes
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for the Job Corps system by the WIA
legislation, Common Performance
Measures for federal youth job training
programs, and DOL priorities;
• To assess centers’ and agencies’
accomplishments in implementing
program initiatives and serving students
effectively; and
• To implement a management tool
that provides useful and relevant
feedback on performance, while
encouraging continuous program
improvement.
Job Corps’ performance management
system for centers is comprised of an
OMS Center Report Card, designed to
reflect center-level results in
participants’ academic and career
technical training achievement, as well
as post-program placement and
earnings. Job Corps centers are rated on
their performance of student outcomes
in three areas: on-center measures,
short-term career transition services,
and long-term career transition services.
On-center measures include student
attainments for General Education
Development (GEDs) or High School
Diplomas (HSDs), career technical
training, literacy and numeracy gains,
and industry-recognized credentials.
Short-term career transition services
include placement in jobs related to
career technical training, graduate
placement rate, graduate hourly wage,
and former enrollee placement rate.
Lastly, long-term career transition
services include graduate weekly
earnings at 6 months, and placement
retention at 6 months and 12 months
after initial placement.
Each OMS Report Card consists of
four basic components: results-oriented
measures, goals, weights, and ratings,
including an overall rating, described as
follows:
• Performance measures are the
categories of outcomes under
evaluation, such as an HSD or GED
attainment. Measures reflect the
program priorities and objectives
important to Job Corps’ mission.
• Performance goals are quantitative
benchmarks for each measure that are
set to establish a desired level of
performance.
• Relative weights are assigned to
performance measures to indicate areas
of emphasis among responsibilities for
serving students. Each weight is
expressed as a percentage with the sum
of all weights in a Report Card totaling
100%.
• The rating is the performance
(actual percent of goal achieved) on
each measure, expressed as a
percentage. The overall rating is the
aggregate of all individual performance
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measure ratings expressed as a
percentage.
The overall OMS ratings serve as the
basis for ranking Job Corps center
performance, and are used in
performance-based service contracting
to incentivize performance excellence.
More information about Job Corps’ OMS
and center performance results can be
found at the Job Corps public Web site:
https://www.jobcorps.gov/
AboutJobCorps/
performance_planning.aspx.
In short, Job Corps’ performance
management system measures
effectiveness in executing the program’s
mission and supporting the Secretary of
Labor’s vision of ‘‘Good Jobs for
Everyone.’’ By doing so, this system
meets the legislative intent of the WIA
and other reporting requirements.
Factors for Selecting Job Corps Centers
for Closure
Provided below is a description of the
proposed factors to select a small
number of Job Corps centers for closure.
On August 14, 2012, the Office of Job
Corps hosted a national Job Corps
listening session via webinar with the
Job Corps community to solicit input on
these factors. More than 100 Job Corps
stakeholders participated in the session
and provided criteria-related
suggestions in the areas of performance,
geographic location, local economic
impact, contract budgets, facilities, and
the time period for evaluating chronic
low performance.
In addition, we are working
collaboratively with the USDA to
address the unique qualities of the
USDA’s operation of 28 Civilian
Conservation Centers.
Based on the feedback it has received
and its own analysis, we identified the
following primary criteria against which
all centers will be measured:
• Five-year performance level,
including considerations for patterns of
demonstrable and recent performance
improvement;
• On-Board Strength (OBS);
• Facility condition and physical
plant; and
• Continued availability of Job Corps
services in each state, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
While the factors above are the
primary ones proposed for determining
center closures, additional
consideration may be given to Job
Corps’ continuing commitment to
diversity.
1. Five-Year Performance Levels
Given that the Job Corps’ performance
metrics provide a comprehensive
assessment of center performance, allow
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 7 / Thursday, January 10, 2013 / Notices
for comparison of performance among
centers, and supply enough data for
decision makers to determine trends
over time, the OMS will be the guiding
factor in selecting centers for closure.
We believe this approach is the most
equitable and transparent for both
stakeholders and the public, as these
published performance metrics have
driven center performance and
programmatic decisions for over a
decade.
We plan to evaluate each center’s
overall OMS ratings for the last five full
program years, Program Years 2007–
2011, to derive a weighted five-year
average rating. The five-year average for
ratings will be critical to guiding the
evaluation. We selected the five-year
performance period for the following
reasons:
• Uses the most recent performance
data available;
• Allows enough time to analyze
impact of any Performance
Improvement Plans (PIPs);
• Provides a stable basis for
comparison, since the measurement
system had no significant changes over
the past five years; and
• Relies on published outcomes that
have been transparent to the system
over time.
This factor will be assigned a weight
of 70%. The original OMS ratings for
each of the five program years will be
normalized at one hundred percent
(100%) so as to be consistent with the
OBS and Facility Condition Index (FCI)
data. Normalized means the data has
been placed on a 100 point scale.
We also plan to weight recent
performance more heavily than previous
years, to acknowledge cases in which
there might be recent improvement
trends. To reflect this, weights will be
applied to each of the five program
years’ performance data, with recent
years receiving more weight to
incorporate performance improvement.
The year-by-year weighted structure is
as follows:
PY 2011—30%
PY 2010—25%
PY 2009—20%
PY 2008—15%
PY 2007—10%
Total: 100%
The calculation formula for five-year
performance is as follows:
Center’s five-year weighted average
rating × 70%= Overall Performance
Rating
Overall Performance Rating
(70%).
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2. On-Board Strength
On Board Strength is an efficiency
rating that demonstrates the extent to
which a center operates at full capacity.
Job Corps already uses this measure to
assess center performance. The measure
is reported as a percentage, calculated
by the actual slot capacity divided by
the planned slot capacity (daily number
of students that a center is authorized to
serve). The national goal for OBS is
100% in order to operate the program at
full capacity, maximize program
resources, and fulfill the mission of
serving the underserved student
population. Centers operating below
100% OBS create cost inefficiencies,
such as underutilization of center staff,
equipment, and facilities.
We plan to evaluate each center’s end
of Program Year OBS rating for the last
five full program years, specifically
Program Years 2007–2011, to derive a
five-year average rating.
This factor will be assigned a weight
of 20%. The original OBS ratings for
each of the five program years will be
normalized at one hundred percent
(100%) so as to be consistent with the
OMS and FCI data.
As with the performance criterion,
weights will be applied to each of the
five program years’ OBS data, with
recent years receiving more weight to
incorporate performance improvement.
The year-by-year weighted structure is
as follows:
PY 2011—30%
PY 2010—25%
PY 2009—20%
PY 2008—15%
PY 2007—10%
Total: 100%
The calculation formula for five-year
OBS is as follows:
Center’s five-year weighted average
cumulative OBS x 20%= Overall
OBS Rating
3. Facility Condition and Physical Plant
In a program that operates 24 hours
per day, seven days per week and is
primarily residential, facility conditions
are important. The quality of Job Corps’
residential and learning facilities has a
direct impact on students’ experiences
and, ultimately, their educational
achievement. Each Job Corps center is a
fully operational complex with
academic and career technical training
facilities, dining and recreation
buildings, administrative offices, and
Overall OBS Rating (20%) ...
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residence halls (with the exception of
solely non-residential facilities),
including the surrounding owned or
leased property on which the center is
located.
Job Corps receives an annual
appropriation for Construction,
Rehabilitation, and Acquisition (CRA)
that is used to improve facility
conditions at Job Corps centers. To
properly manage the program’s facility
and condition needs, Job Corps uses an
FCI and gives each center an annual
rating. This rating, which is expressed
as a percentage, accounts for the value
of a center’s construction, rehabilitation,
and repair backlog, as compared to the
replacement value of the center’s
facilities. Facility condition affects the
outcomes of the Job Corps program
because ‘‘Good Jobs for Everyone’’
begins with facilities that contribute to
a safe learning environment.
Given funding constraints, we must
make strategic decisions about the
continued allocation of its CRA
resources. For this factor, we will
evaluate each center’s Program Year
2011 Facility Condition Index, which
takes into account all construction
projects completed over the same fiveyear period as the other two factors,
specifically Program Years 2007–2011.
This factor will be assigned a weight
of 10%.
As with the performance and OBS
criteria, weights will be applied to each
of the five program years’ FCI data, with
recent years receiving more weight to
incorporate improvement. The year-byyear weighted structure is as follows:
PY 2011—30%
PY 2010—25%
PY 2009—20%
PY 2008—15%
PY 2007—10%
Total: 100%
The calculation formula for FCI is as
follows:
Center’s five-year weighted average
FCI rating × 10% = Overall FCI Rating
Ranking Centers for Closure
The analysis of the factors above will
yield an overall rating for each center.
This will allow us to create a list that
ranks all centers, with the lowest
performing centers receiving the lowest
ratings. The calculation formula is as
follows:
Overall FCI Rating (10%) .....
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=
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Overall Rating for Primary
Selection Factors.
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 7 / Thursday, January 10, 2013 / Notices
4. Job Corps Services Available in Each
State, Puerto Rico, and the District of
Columbia
In addition to the above three primary
criteria with quantifiable data, DOL will
also ensure that Job Corps services
remain available in each state, Puerto
Rico, and the District of Columbia. We
believe it is in the best interests of Job
Corps’ target population to ensure that
potential students have access to Job
Corps in the geographic areas in which
they reside. We intend to maintain at
least one Job Corps center in each state,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and
the District of Columbia to ensure that
training is aligned with local and
regional labor market opportunities. The
centers of Ottumwa, Milwaukee,
Pinellas, Denison, Gulfport and New
Orleans are not included for
consideration. In each case, there is
insufficient data to evaluate each
center’s performance over the full fiveyear period.
159 of the WIA, which includes the
following:
• The proposed decision to close the
center is announced in advance to the
general public through publication in
the Federal Register or other
appropriate means;
• A reasonable comment period, not
to exceed 30 days, is established for
interested individuals to submit written
comments to the Secretary; and
• The Member of Congress who
represents the district in which such
center is located is notified within a
reasonable period of time in advance of
any final decision to close the center.
Dated: Signed in Washington, DC, on this
3rd day of January, 2013.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for the Employment and
Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013–00337 Filed 1–9–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FR–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Timeline for Selecting Job Corps
Centers for Closure
We will begin to implement the
selection and closure process by
Program Year 2013, following the
legislatively mandated activities
pertaining to center closure required by
the WIA and as stipulated in the DOL/
USDA Interagency Agreement. We
estimate that it will take a minimum of
six months to execute closure of a
center. If a contract center is selected for
closure, we anticipate that the
mechanism for closing the contract
center will be through a decision not to
exercise its option year or to renew a
center operator’s contract. If a USDA
center is selected for closure, we will
continue working collaboratively with
the USDA to ensure adherence to the
existing Interagency Agreement.
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with
Additional Considerations
Subordinate to the primary selection
criteria listed above, additional
consideration may be given to Job
Corps’ commitment to diversity. Job
Corps currently serves a diverse student
population and remains committed to
serving disadvantaged youth from all
backgrounds. We may consider whether
a center’s closure would have a
disproportionate impact on a certain
subpopulation of students in making a
final closure decision.
In accordance with Section 223 of the
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (‘‘Act’’),
19 U.S.C. 2273, the Department of Labor
issued a Certification of Eligibility to
Apply for Worker Adjustment
Assistance on July 27, 2012, applicable
to workers and former workers of
Esselte Corporation, including on-site
leased workers from Onin Staffing,
Morristown, Tennessee. The
Department’s Notice of determination
was published in the Federal Register
on August 9, 2012 (77 FR 47673).
Workers were engaged in employment
related to the production of envelope
and legal pads.
At the request of a duly authorized
representative, the Department reviewed
the certification for workers of the
subject firm.
The company reports that workers
leased from Resource Manufacturing
and Express Employment Professionals
were employed on-site at the
Morristown, Tennessee location of
Esselte Corporation, Morristown,
Tennessee. The Department has
determined that these workers were
sufficiently under the control of the
The Process for Closing Job Corps
Centers, as Outlined in the Workforce
Investment Act
In addition to the steps outlined
above, we will ensure that it follows the
legislatively-mandated process for
closing a Job Corps center, in Section
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[TA–W–81,811]
Esselte Corporation, Including On-Site
Leased Workers From Onin Staffing,
Resource Manufacturing, and Express
Employment Professionals,
Morristown, TN; Amended Certification
Regarding Eligibility To Apply for
Worker Adjustment Assistance
Frm 00037
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subject firm to be considered leased
workers.
Based on these findings, the
Department is amending this
certification to include workers leased
from Resource Manufacturing and
Express Employment Professionals
working on-site at the Morristown,
Tennessee location of Esselte
Corporation.
The amended notice applicable to
TA–W–81,811 is hereby issued as
follows:
All workers of Esselte Corporation,
including on-site leased workers from Onin
Staffing, Resource Manufacturing, and
Express Employment Professionals,
Morristown, Tennessee, who became totally
or partially separated from employment on or
after July 17, 2011, through July 27, 2014,
and all workers in the group threatened with
total or partial separation from employment
on the date of certification through two years
from the date of certification, are eligible to
apply for adjustment assistance under
Chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade Act of 1974,
as amended.
Signed in Washington, DCm this 28th day
of December, 2012.
Del Min Amy Chen,
Certifying Officer, Office of Trade Adjustment
Assistance.
Employment and Training
Administration
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[FR Doc. 2013–00341 Filed 1–9–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FN–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training
Administration
[TA–W–81,718]
Daimler Buses North America, Inc., a
Subsidiary of Daimler North America
Corp, Including On-Site Leased
Workers From Noramtec, First Choice
Staffing, Staff Works, and Mr. Santo
Lamarco From Wurth Revcar
Fasteners, Inc., Oriskany, NY;
Amended Certification Regarding
Eligibility To Apply for Worker
Adjustment Assistance
In accordance with Section 223 of the
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (‘‘Act’’),
19 U.S.C. 2273, the Department of Labor
issued a Certification of Eligibility to
Apply for Worker Adjustment
Assistance on September 28, 2012,
applicable to workers of Daimler Buses
North America, Inc. a subsidiary of
Daimler North America Corp., including
leased workers from Noramtec, First
Choice Staffing, and Staff Works,
Oriskany, New York. The workers are
engaged in activities related to the
production of transit buses. The notice
was published in the Federal Register
on October 12, 2012 (77 FR 62260).
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 7 (Thursday, January 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2284-2287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00337]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Methodology for Selecting Job Corps Centers for Closure; Comments
Request
AGENCY: Office of Job Corps, Employment and Training Administration,
Labor.
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor requests public comment on the
methodology for selecting Job Corps centers for closure, outlined in
this notice.
DATES: Comments are requested February 11, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Address comments to the National Director, Office of Job
Corps, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room
N4459, Washington, DC 20210. Please note mail may be delayed because of
security procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: National Director, Office of Job
Corps, ETA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room
N-4459, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone (202) 693-3000 (this is not a
toll-free number). Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may
access the telephone number above via TTY by calling the toll-free
Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD).
Background: Established in 1964, the Job Corps program is a
national program administered by the Department of Labor (DOL or we),
Employment and Training Administration (ETA). It is the nation's
largest federally-funded, primarily residential training program for
at-risk youth, ages 16-24. With 125 centers in 48 states, Puerto Rico,
and the District of Columbia, Job Corps provides economically
disadvantaged youth with the academic, career technical, and
employability skills to enter the workforce, enroll in post-secondary
education, or enlist in the military. Serving approximately 60,000
participants each year, Job Corps emphasizes the attainment of academic
credentials, including a high school diploma (HSD) or general
educational development (GED), and career technical training
credentials, including industry-recognized credentials, state
licensures, and pre-apprenticeship credentials.
Large and small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and Native
American tribes manage and operate 97 of the Job Corps centers through
contractual agreements with the Department of Labor following
competitive procurement, while 28 centers are operated through an
interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Job Corps also contracts with firms and companies, usually small
businesses, through competitive procurements, to recruit new students
for the program and place graduates and former enrollees into
meaningful jobs, education programs, the military, or apprenticeship
training. Job Corps also receives annual Construction, Rehabilitation,
and Acquisition (CRA) funding to build, maintain, expand, or upgrade
new and existing facilities at all 125 centers.
Pursuing Program Reform
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, we began an ambitious reform agenda aimed
at improving the performance of Job Corps centers nationwide. This
included setting higher standards for all centers, identifying
historically underperforming centers, and implementing appropriate
corrective action.
As part of this reform process, Job Corps continues to undergo a
rigorous and comprehensive review of its operations and management to
identify changes that can be made to improve the program's
effectiveness and efficiency. Job Corps has implemented a National
Certification Initiative to strengthen and align existing career
technical training programs to technical standards established by
industries or trade organizations, which enables students to graduate
with industry-recognized credentials. These credentials provide for
long-term attachment to the workforce and economic mobility as Job
Corps graduates advance through their careers. They also ensure that
program graduates have gained the skills and knowledge necessary to
compete in today's workforce. Job Corps has also expanded academic
opportunities for students with the introduction of evening educational
programs, as well as community college partnerships and expanded high
school diploma options. Current budgetary constraints make it even more
critical to ensure the program's resources are deployed in a way that
maximizes results to students and taxpayers.
Job Corps has intensified and reinforced federal oversight of
operations and performance outcomes for all centers. Federal program
managers supervise centers through monitoring visits, desk audits, and
Contractor Performance Assessment Reports during each contractor's
performance period. Job Corps regional offices also conduct the
Regional Office Center Assessments. Through these oversight activities,
Job Corps federal program managers develop Performance Improvement
Plans (PIPs) for entire centers that need improvement, or Corrective
Action Plans (CAPs) to address specific aspects of operations, such as
career technical training. Both PIPs and CAPs are used for continued
monitoring and implemented for USDA and contract centers respectively.
These oversight actions have strengthened collaboration between Job
Corps, contractors, and the USDA to rectify deficiencies, and improve
policy compliance and performance outcomes.
While the majority of centers meet program standards, some centers
are chronically low-performing and have remained in the bottom cohort
of center performance rankings for multiple years despite extensive DOL
interventions including corrective measures. Given the resource
intensiveness of the Job
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Corps model, the Administration has determined that it can no longer
continue to expend resources on the small number of chronically low-
performing centers that have repeatedly failed to provide participants
with high-quality Job Corps programming.
For the purpose of identifying chronically low-performing centers
for potential closure, we define ``chronically low-performing centers''
as those that consistently lagged in overall performance over the past
five consecutive program years, covering Program Year 2007 through
Program Year 2011, without evidence of recent performance improvement.
We are committed to selecting centers for closure in a manner that
is transparent and objective, and are seeking comments on the proposed
methodology outlined in this notice in order to inform all interested
parties about the selection process. Job Corps' published performance
metrics will be the primary consideration in the selection of centers
for closure. Provided below is an overview of the program's Outcome
Measurement System (OMS) and our planned methodology for using the OMS
and, if applicable, other factors we propose to use to select centers
for closure.
Upon review of this notice, interested parties may provide DOL with
feedback on the methodology, including the outlined criteria and
assigned weights. We will consider this feedback as we finalize the
methodology for selecting centers for closure.
Job Corps' Outcome Measurement System
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), the authorizing
legislation for the Job Corps program, contains core indicators of
performance for recruitment, education and placement rates, wages, and
long-term outcomes of graduates after initial placement.
To meet the WIA performance requirements, Job Corps uses a
comprehensive performance management system to assess program
effectiveness across multiple components of services and programs
offered to Job Corps students. This detailed system evaluates the
performance of Job Corps center operators, outreach and admissions
contractors, and career transition services providers, based on the
outcomes of program participants. The performance management system
serves three primary purposes:
To meet accountability requirements by establishing
performance measures (also known as metrics) and reporting student
outcomes for the Job Corps system by the WIA legislation, Common
Performance Measures for federal youth job training programs, and DOL
priorities;
To assess centers' and agencies' accomplishments in
implementing program initiatives and serving students effectively; and
To implement a management tool that provides useful and
relevant feedback on performance, while encouraging continuous program
improvement.
Job Corps' performance management system for centers is comprised
of an OMS Center Report Card, designed to reflect center-level results
in participants' academic and career technical training achievement, as
well as post-program placement and earnings. Job Corps centers are
rated on their performance of student outcomes in three areas: on-
center measures, short-term career transition services, and long-term
career transition services. On-center measures include student
attainments for General Education Development (GEDs) or High School
Diplomas (HSDs), career technical training, literacy and numeracy
gains, and industry-recognized credentials. Short-term career
transition services include placement in jobs related to career
technical training, graduate placement rate, graduate hourly wage, and
former enrollee placement rate. Lastly, long-term career transition
services include graduate weekly earnings at 6 months, and placement
retention at 6 months and 12 months after initial placement.
Each OMS Report Card consists of four basic components: results-
oriented measures, goals, weights, and ratings, including an overall
rating, described as follows:
Performance measures are the categories of outcomes under
evaluation, such as an HSD or GED attainment. Measures reflect the
program priorities and objectives important to Job Corps' mission.
Performance goals are quantitative benchmarks for each
measure that are set to establish a desired level of performance.
Relative weights are assigned to performance measures to
indicate areas of emphasis among responsibilities for serving students.
Each weight is expressed as a percentage with the sum of all weights in
a Report Card totaling 100%.
The rating is the performance (actual percent of goal
achieved) on each measure, expressed as a percentage. The overall
rating is the aggregate of all individual performance measure ratings
expressed as a percentage.
The overall OMS ratings serve as the basis for ranking Job Corps
center performance, and are used in performance-based service
contracting to incentivize performance excellence. More information
about Job Corps' OMS and center performance results can be found at the
Job Corps public Web site: https://www.jobcorps.gov/AboutJobCorps/performance_planning.aspx.
In short, Job Corps' performance management system measures
effectiveness in executing the program's mission and supporting the
Secretary of Labor's vision of ``Good Jobs for Everyone.'' By doing so,
this system meets the legislative intent of the WIA and other reporting
requirements.
Factors for Selecting Job Corps Centers for Closure
Provided below is a description of the proposed factors to select a
small number of Job Corps centers for closure. On August 14, 2012, the
Office of Job Corps hosted a national Job Corps listening session via
webinar with the Job Corps community to solicit input on these factors.
More than 100 Job Corps stakeholders participated in the session and
provided criteria-related suggestions in the areas of performance,
geographic location, local economic impact, contract budgets,
facilities, and the time period for evaluating chronic low performance.
In addition, we are working collaboratively with the USDA to
address the unique qualities of the USDA's operation of 28 Civilian
Conservation Centers.
Based on the feedback it has received and its own analysis, we
identified the following primary criteria against which all centers
will be measured:
Five-year performance level, including considerations for
patterns of demonstrable and recent performance improvement;
On-Board Strength (OBS);
Facility condition and physical plant; and
Continued availability of Job Corps services in each
state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
While the factors above are the primary ones proposed for
determining center closures, additional consideration may be given to
Job Corps' continuing commitment to diversity.
1. Five-Year Performance Levels
Given that the Job Corps' performance metrics provide a
comprehensive assessment of center performance, allow
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for comparison of performance among centers, and supply enough data for
decision makers to determine trends over time, the OMS will be the
guiding factor in selecting centers for closure. We believe this
approach is the most equitable and transparent for both stakeholders
and the public, as these published performance metrics have driven
center performance and programmatic decisions for over a decade.
We plan to evaluate each center's overall OMS ratings for the last
five full program years, Program Years 2007-2011, to derive a weighted
five-year average rating. The five-year average for ratings will be
critical to guiding the evaluation. We selected the five-year
performance period for the following reasons:
Uses the most recent performance data available;
Allows enough time to analyze impact of any Performance
Improvement Plans (PIPs);
Provides a stable basis for comparison, since the
measurement system had no significant changes over the past five years;
and
Relies on published outcomes that have been transparent to
the system over time.
This factor will be assigned a weight of 70%. The original OMS
ratings for each of the five program years will be normalized at one
hundred percent (100%) so as to be consistent with the OBS and Facility
Condition Index (FCI) data. Normalized means the data has been placed
on a 100 point scale.
We also plan to weight recent performance more heavily than
previous years, to acknowledge cases in which there might be recent
improvement trends. To reflect this, weights will be applied to each of
the five program years' performance data, with recent years receiving
more weight to incorporate performance improvement. The year-by-year
weighted structure is as follows:
PY 2011--30%
PY 2010--25%
PY 2009--20%
PY 2008--15%
PY 2007--10%
Total: 100%
The calculation formula for five-year performance is as follows:
Center's five-year weighted average rating x 70%= Overall Performance
Rating
2. On-Board Strength
On Board Strength is an efficiency rating that demonstrates the
extent to which a center operates at full capacity. Job Corps already
uses this measure to assess center performance. The measure is reported
as a percentage, calculated by the actual slot capacity divided by the
planned slot capacity (daily number of students that a center is
authorized to serve). The national goal for OBS is 100% in order to
operate the program at full capacity, maximize program resources, and
fulfill the mission of serving the underserved student population.
Centers operating below 100% OBS create cost inefficiencies, such as
underutilization of center staff, equipment, and facilities.
We plan to evaluate each center's end of Program Year OBS rating
for the last five full program years, specifically Program Years 2007-
2011, to derive a five-year average rating.
This factor will be assigned a weight of 20%. The original OBS
ratings for each of the five program years will be normalized at one
hundred percent (100%) so as to be consistent with the OMS and FCI
data.
As with the performance criterion, weights will be applied to each
of the five program years' OBS data, with recent years receiving more
weight to incorporate performance improvement. The year-by-year
weighted structure is as follows:
PY 2011--30%
PY 2010--25%
PY 2009--20%
PY 2008--15%
PY 2007--10%
Total: 100%
The calculation formula for five-year OBS is as follows:
Center's five-year weighted average cumulative OBS x 20%= Overall OBS
Rating
3. Facility Condition and Physical Plant
In a program that operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week
and is primarily residential, facility conditions are important. The
quality of Job Corps' residential and learning facilities has a direct
impact on students' experiences and, ultimately, their educational
achievement. Each Job Corps center is a fully operational complex with
academic and career technical training facilities, dining and
recreation buildings, administrative offices, and residence halls (with
the exception of solely non-residential facilities), including the
surrounding owned or leased property on which the center is located.
Job Corps receives an annual appropriation for Construction,
Rehabilitation, and Acquisition (CRA) that is used to improve facility
conditions at Job Corps centers. To properly manage the program's
facility and condition needs, Job Corps uses an FCI and gives each
center an annual rating. This rating, which is expressed as a
percentage, accounts for the value of a center's construction,
rehabilitation, and repair backlog, as compared to the replacement
value of the center's facilities. Facility condition affects the
outcomes of the Job Corps program because ``Good Jobs for Everyone''
begins with facilities that contribute to a safe learning environment.
Given funding constraints, we must make strategic decisions about
the continued allocation of its CRA resources. For this factor, we will
evaluate each center's Program Year 2011 Facility Condition Index,
which takes into account all construction projects completed over the
same five-year period as the other two factors, specifically Program
Years 2007-2011.
This factor will be assigned a weight of 10%.
As with the performance and OBS criteria, weights will be applied
to each of the five program years' FCI data, with recent years
receiving more weight to incorporate improvement. The year-by-year
weighted structure is as follows:
PY 2011--30%
PY 2010--25%
PY 2009--20%
PY 2008--15%
PY 2007--10%
Total: 100%
The calculation formula for FCI is as follows:
Center's five-year weighted average FCI rating x 10% = Overall FCI
Rating
Ranking Centers for Closure
The analysis of the factors above will yield an overall rating for
each center. This will allow us to create a list that ranks all
centers, with the lowest performing centers receiving the lowest
ratings. The calculation formula is as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall Performance Rating + Overall OBS Rating + Overall FCI Rating = Overall Rating for
(70%). (20%). (10%). Primary Selection
Factors.
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4. Job Corps Services Available in Each State, Puerto Rico, and the
District of Columbia
In addition to the above three primary criteria with quantifiable
data, DOL will also ensure that Job Corps services remain available in
each state, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. We believe it is
in the best interests of Job Corps' target population to ensure that
potential students have access to Job Corps in the geographic areas in
which they reside. We intend to maintain at least one Job Corps center
in each state, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of
Columbia to ensure that training is aligned with local and regional
labor market opportunities. The centers of Ottumwa, Milwaukee,
Pinellas, Denison, Gulfport and New Orleans are not included for
consideration. In each case, there is insufficient data to evaluate
each center's performance over the full five-year period.
Additional Considerations
Subordinate to the primary selection criteria listed above,
additional consideration may be given to Job Corps' commitment to
diversity. Job Corps currently serves a diverse student population and
remains committed to serving disadvantaged youth from all backgrounds.
We may consider whether a center's closure would have a
disproportionate impact on a certain subpopulation of students in
making a final closure decision.
Timeline for Selecting Job Corps Centers for Closure
We will begin to implement the selection and closure process by
Program Year 2013, following the legislatively mandated activities
pertaining to center closure required by the WIA and as stipulated in
the DOL/USDA Interagency Agreement. We estimate that it will take a
minimum of six months to execute closure of a center. If a contract
center is selected for closure, we anticipate that the mechanism for
closing the contract center will be through a decision not to exercise
its option year or to renew a center operator's contract. If a USDA
center is selected for closure, we will continue working
collaboratively with the USDA to ensure adherence to the existing
Interagency Agreement.
The Process for Closing Job Corps Centers, as Outlined in the Workforce
Investment Act
In addition to the steps outlined above, we will ensure that it
follows the legislatively-mandated process for closing a Job Corps
center, in Section 159 of the WIA, which includes the following:
The proposed decision to close the center is announced in
advance to the general public through publication in the Federal
Register or other appropriate means;
A reasonable comment period, not to exceed 30 days, is
established for interested individuals to submit written comments to
the Secretary; and
The Member of Congress who represents the district in
which such center is located is notified within a reasonable period of
time in advance of any final decision to close the center.
Dated: Signed in Washington, DC, on this 3rd day of January,
2013.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-00337 Filed 1-9-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FR-P
