Final Notice of Job Corps Center for Closure, 61099-61100 [2014-24094]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 196 / Thursday, October 9, 2014 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training
Administration
Final Notice of Job Corps Center for
Closure
Office of Job Corps,
Employment and Training
Administration (ETA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Employment and
Training Administration (ETA) of the
U.S. Department of Labor (Department
or DOL) issues this notice to announce
its final decision to close the Treasure
Lake Job Corps Center. The Office of Job
Corps (OJC) in ETA published a
proposed methodology for selecting
centers for closure at 78 FR 2284 on
January 10, 2013. Based on public
comments received, the Office of Job
Corps published a revised methodology
for selecting centers for closure at 79 FR
36823 on June 30, 2014. Based on
review of those comments, the Office of
Job Corps published its final closure
methodology and announced its
proposed decision to close the Treasure
Lake Job Corps Center at 79 FR 51198
on August 27, 2014. A total of 13 public
comments were received in response to
the proposal to close Treasure Lake.
After reviewing all comments, the
Department has decided to close the
Treasure Lake Job Corps Center.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lenita Jacobs-Simmons, Acting National
Director, Office of Job Corps, ETA, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW., Room N–4463,
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).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Process for Selecting Job Corps Center
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
the methodology factors for selecting Job
Corps centers for closure. 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.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:56 Oct 08, 2014
Jkt 235001
On January 10, 2013, OJC published a
Federal Register Notice requesting
public comments on a proposed
methodology for selecting Job Corps
centers for closure (78 FR 2284). A total
of 18 public comments were received.
As a result of analysis, OJC revised the
methodology factors for selection of Job
Corps centers for closure. OJC also
proposed additional considerations for
inclusion as factors in the methodology.
On June 30, 2014, OJC published a
second Federal Register Notice
requesting public comments on a
revised methodology for selecting Job
Corps centers for closure (79 FR 36823).
The comment period for the June 30,
2014 Federal Register Notice was open
from June 30, 2014 to July 21, 2014. A
total of 11 public comments were
received. After reviewing these
comments, OJC decided not to make any
changes to the proposed methodology.
On August 27, 2014, OJC published a
third Federal Register Notice
announcing the final methodology.
Applying the methodology, Job Corps
also announced its proposed decision to
close the Treasure Lake Job Corps
Center in Indiahoma, Oklahoma. The
Notice further requested comments on
the proposed decision to close Treasure
Lake.
The comment period for the August
27, 2014, Federal Register Notice was
open from August 27, 2014, to
September 26, 2014. Thirteen (13)
public comments were received in
response to the proposed decision to
close Treasure Lake. OJC considered
these comments in making its final
decision to close Treasure Lake.
The comments are summarized briefly
and discussed below.
Two commenters generally supported
the Job Corps’ decision to close Treasure
Lake.
One commenter criticized the
methodology that Job Corps developed
and applied in determining which
center to close. Since commenters had
ample time to discuss those issues in
response to two previous Federal
Register Notices, and because the
August 27, 2014, FRN requested
comments only on the proposed
selection of Treasure Lake, we consider
this comment to be out of scope and
will not respond to it here.
One commenter expressed their belief
that Job Corps’ decision ignores
Congress’ intent with respect to
measuring and improving center
performance as manifested in its
passage of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As noted
in the August 27, 2014, FRN, the actions
available to Job Corps to improve
performance under WIOA are consistent
PO 00000
Frm 00053
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
61099
with those available under the
Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
Waiting until WIOA becomes effective
on July 1, 2015, would adversely affect
those students who may otherwise have
the opportunity to attend a higher
performing center. OJC believes that
implementing reforms to the Job Corps
program now while working toward
successful implementation of WIOA
will lead to the greatest improvement
across the Job Corps system.
Two commenters asserted that closing
Treasure Lake would cost $10.5 million
and would be an inefficient use of Job
Corps’ resources. OJC cannot respond to
the commenters’ cost estimate because it
is unclear how they developed it. More
broadly, OJC is focused on the longerterm cost efficiencies that will result
from achieving better results for current
and future Job Corps students with the
limited funds available.
The same commenters argued that
Program Year 2013 data shows that
Treasure Lake’s successful placement of
graduates in full time employment upon
graduation and those graduates’ high job
retention rates indicate that Treasure
Lake is not a poorly performing center.
However, these commenters point only
to three of the fifteen measures that
comprise Treasure Lake’s Outcome
Measurement System (OMS) score. On
the remaining twelve measures Treasure
Lake was in the bottom quintile of
performance for eleven of them. In
addition, Treasure Lake’s PY 2013 OMS
score was a full seven percentage points
lower than its PY 2012 OMS score.
Accordingly, OJC had no basis to
conclude that Treasure Lake’s overall
performance in PY 2013 constituted
significant performance improvement
such that it should have been exempt
from closure.
One commenter expressed concern
that there was not sufficient opportunity
for stakeholder input. OJC disagrees. As
discussed above, in addition to holding
a broadly attended listening session
with all potentially affected
stakeholders, the Department published
three separate Federal Register Notices,
including two specifically requesting
comments on the proposed
methodology to which the public,
including stakeholders, could provide
substantive comments.
One commenter asserts, based on
Senate Report 112–176, that Congress
mandated for Job Corps to exhaust all
options to improve a center before
closing it, which, it asserts, OJC had not
done in this case. Job Corps disagrees
with the commenter’s assertion, and
believes that Treasure Lake has been
given ample opportunity to demonstrate
sustained performance improvement. In
E:\FR\FM\09OCN1.SGM
09OCN1
61100
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 196 / Thursday, October 9, 2014 / Notices
addition, as the referenced report,
Senate Report 112–176, was a report on
proposed but never enacted legislation
we disagree that it provides evidence of
Congress’ intent on this matter.
The same commenter expressed their
opinion that Treasure Lake has not been
on its Performance Improvement Plan
(PIP) for sufficient time to make
performance improvement. OJC
disagrees that additional time and
resources will lead to improved
performance. Despite having been on a
PIP and having received assistance for at
least the past two years, Treasure Lake’s
performance has dramatically
decreased. Between PY 2011 and PY
2013, Treasure Lake’s OMS score has
decreased more than 18 percentage
points, from 94.5% to 76%. To OJC, this
performance decline indicates that
additional resources should not be
expended to attempt to improve
performance. Balanced against the lost
opportunity for current and future
students to attend a higher performing
center, OJC believes that closing
Treasure Lake achieves the best
outcome for the program.
Several commenters generally
expressed their opinion, based on their
experience at the center, the
opportunities that the center provides
for troubled youth, and the impact that
the center has on the broader
community, that Job Corps should not
close Treasure Lake. The core mission of
Job Corps is to train students to become
more employable, responsible, and
productive citizens, and we believe that
we will advance this mission by closing
Treasure Lake and enhancing
opportunities for current and future
students at higher performing centers.
Finally, one comment was received
that is outside the scope of the
requested response, and was therefore
not considered.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Job Corps Center Selected for Closure
and the Closure Process
Based on its application of the closure
methodology as described in the August
27, 2014, Federal Register Notice and
OJC’s consideration of the comments
received in response to the August 27,
2014, Federal Register Notice, OJC has
decided to close the Treasure Lake Job
Corps Center.
OJC will implement the closure
process following the center closure
requirements in WIA section 159(g) and
other applicable requirements.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:56 Oct 08, 2014
Jkt 235001
Signed in Washington, DC, this 3rd day of
October 2014.
Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and
Training .
[FR Doc. 2014–24094 Filed 10–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FT–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training
Administration
Notice of a Public Meeting of the
Advisory Committee on
Apprenticeship (ACA)
Employment and Training
Administration (ETA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to Section 10 of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2 § 10), notice is
hereby given to announce an open
meeting of the Advisory Committee on
Apprenticeship (ACA) on Tuesday,
November 18, 2014 and Wednesday,
November 19, 2014. The meeting will
convene over a day and a half. The ACA
is a discretionary committee established
by the Secretary of Labor, in accordance
with FACA, as amended in 5 U.S.C.
App. 2, and its implementing
regulations (41 CFR 101–6 and 102–3).
All meetings of the ACA are open to the
public.
DATES: The meeting will begin at
approximately 1:00 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time on Tuesday, November
18, 2014, at the U.S. Department of
Labor, Francis Perkins Building, 200
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington,
DC 20210, and will continue until
approximately 5:00 p.m. The meeting
will reconvene on Wednesday,
November 19, 2014, at approximately
9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time at the
U.S. Department of Labor, Francis
Perkins Building, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210,
and adjourn at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Any updates to the agenda and meeting
logistics will be posted on the Office of
Apprenticeship’s homepage: https://
www.doleta.gov/oa/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The
Designated Federal Official, Mr. John V.
Ladd, Administrator, Office of
Apprenticeship, Employment and
Training Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW., Room N–5311,
Washington, DC 20210, Telephone:
(202) 693–2796 (this is not a toll-free
number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In order to
promote openness, and increase public
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00054
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
participation, webinar and audio
conference technology will be used
throughout the meeting. Webinar and
audio instructions will be prominently
posted on the Office of Apprenticeship
homepage: https://www.doleta.gov/oa/.
Members of the public can attend the
meeting in-person or virtually. Members
of the public that will attend the
meeting in-person are encouraged to
arrive early to allow for security
clearance into the Francis Perkins
Building.
Security and Transportation
Instructions for the Frances Perkins
Building
Meeting participants should use the
visitor’s entrance to access the Frances
Perkins Building, one block north of
Constitution Avenue on 3rd and C
Streets NW. For security purposes
meeting participants must:
1. Present valid photo identification
(ID) to receive a visitor badge.
2. Know the name of the event you are
attending: the meeting event is the
Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship
meeting.
3. Visitor badges are issued by the
security officer at the Visitor Entrance
located at 3rd and C Streets NW., as
described above.
4. Laptops and other electronic
devices may be inspected and logged for
identification purposes.
5. Due to limited parking options,
Metro rail is the easiest way to travel to
the Frances Perkins Building. For
individuals wishing to take metro rail,
the closest metro stop to the building is
Judiciary Square on the Red Line.
Notice of Intent To Attend the Meeting
All meeting participants are being
asked to submit a notice of intent to
attend by Monday, November 3, 2014,
via email to Mr. John V. Ladd at
oa.administrator@dol.gov, with the
subject line ‘‘November 2014 ACA
Meeting.’’
1. Please indicate if you will be
attending virtually, or in-person, to
ensure adequate space is arranged to
accommodate all meeting participants.
2. If individuals have special needs
and/or disabilities that will require
special accommodations, please contact
Kenya Huckaby on (202) 693–3795 or
via email at huckaby.kenya@dol.gov no
later than Monday, November 3, 2014.
3. Any member of the public who
wishes to file written data or comments
pertaining to the agenda may do so by
sending the data or comments to Mr.
John V. Ladd via email at
oa.administrator@dol.gov, subject line
‘‘November 2014 ACA Meeting,’’ or to
the Office of Apprenticeship,
E:\FR\FM\09OCN1.SGM
09OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 196 (Thursday, October 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61099-61100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24094]
[[Page 61099]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Final Notice of Job Corps Center for Closure
AGENCY: Office of Job Corps, Employment and Training Administration
(ETA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the U.S.
Department of Labor (Department or DOL) issues this notice to announce
its final decision to close the Treasure Lake Job Corps Center. The
Office of Job Corps (OJC) in ETA published a proposed methodology for
selecting centers for closure at 78 FR 2284 on January 10, 2013. Based
on public comments received, the Office of Job Corps published a
revised methodology for selecting centers for closure at 79 FR 36823 on
June 30, 2014. Based on review of those comments, the Office of Job
Corps published its final closure methodology and announced its
proposed decision to close the Treasure Lake Job Corps Center at 79 FR
51198 on August 27, 2014. A total of 13 public comments were received
in response to the proposal to close Treasure Lake. After reviewing all
comments, the Department has decided to close the Treasure Lake Job
Corps Center.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lenita Jacobs-Simmons, Acting National
Director, Office of Job Corps, ETA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-4463, 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).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Process for Selecting Job Corps Center 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 the methodology factors for selecting Job Corps
centers for closure. 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.
On January 10, 2013, OJC published a Federal Register Notice
requesting public comments on a proposed methodology for selecting Job
Corps centers for closure (78 FR 2284). A total of 18 public comments
were received. As a result of analysis, OJC revised the methodology
factors for selection of Job Corps centers for closure. OJC also
proposed additional considerations for inclusion as factors in the
methodology.
On June 30, 2014, OJC published a second Federal Register Notice
requesting public comments on a revised methodology for selecting Job
Corps centers for closure (79 FR 36823). The comment period for the
June 30, 2014 Federal Register Notice was open from June 30, 2014 to
July 21, 2014. A total of 11 public comments were received. After
reviewing these comments, OJC decided not to make any changes to the
proposed methodology.
On August 27, 2014, OJC published a third Federal Register Notice
announcing the final methodology. Applying the methodology, Job Corps
also announced its proposed decision to close the Treasure Lake Job
Corps Center in Indiahoma, Oklahoma. The Notice further requested
comments on the proposed decision to close Treasure Lake.
The comment period for the August 27, 2014, Federal Register Notice
was open from August 27, 2014, to September 26, 2014. Thirteen (13)
public comments were received in response to the proposed decision to
close Treasure Lake. OJC considered these comments in making its final
decision to close Treasure Lake.
The comments are summarized briefly and discussed below.
Two commenters generally supported the Job Corps' decision to close
Treasure Lake.
One commenter criticized the methodology that Job Corps developed
and applied in determining which center to close. Since commenters had
ample time to discuss those issues in response to two previous Federal
Register Notices, and because the August 27, 2014, FRN requested
comments only on the proposed selection of Treasure Lake, we consider
this comment to be out of scope and will not respond to it here.
One commenter expressed their belief that Job Corps' decision
ignores Congress' intent with respect to measuring and improving center
performance as manifested in its passage of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As noted in the August 27, 2014, FRN, the
actions available to Job Corps to improve performance under WIOA are
consistent with those available under the Workforce Investment Act
(WIA). Waiting until WIOA becomes effective on July 1, 2015, would
adversely affect those students who may otherwise have the opportunity
to attend a higher performing center. OJC believes that implementing
reforms to the Job Corps program now while working toward successful
implementation of WIOA will lead to the greatest improvement across the
Job Corps system.
Two commenters asserted that closing Treasure Lake would cost $10.5
million and would be an inefficient use of Job Corps' resources. OJC
cannot respond to the commenters' cost estimate because it is unclear
how they developed it. More broadly, OJC is focused on the longer-term
cost efficiencies that will result from achieving better results for
current and future Job Corps students with the limited funds available.
The same commenters argued that Program Year 2013 data shows that
Treasure Lake's successful placement of graduates in full time
employment upon graduation and those graduates' high job retention
rates indicate that Treasure Lake is not a poorly performing center.
However, these commenters point only to three of the fifteen measures
that comprise Treasure Lake's Outcome Measurement System (OMS) score.
On the remaining twelve measures Treasure Lake was in the bottom
quintile of performance for eleven of them. In addition, Treasure
Lake's PY 2013 OMS score was a full seven percentage points lower than
its PY 2012 OMS score. Accordingly, OJC had no basis to conclude that
Treasure Lake's overall performance in PY 2013 constituted significant
performance improvement such that it should have been exempt from
closure.
One commenter expressed concern that there was not sufficient
opportunity for stakeholder input. OJC disagrees. As discussed above,
in addition to holding a broadly attended listening session with all
potentially affected stakeholders, the Department published three
separate Federal Register Notices, including two specifically
requesting comments on the proposed methodology to which the public,
including stakeholders, could provide substantive comments.
One commenter asserts, based on Senate Report 112-176, that
Congress mandated for Job Corps to exhaust all options to improve a
center before closing it, which, it asserts, OJC had not done in this
case. Job Corps disagrees with the commenter's assertion, and believes
that Treasure Lake has been given ample opportunity to demonstrate
sustained performance improvement. In
[[Page 61100]]
addition, as the referenced report, Senate Report 112-176, was a report
on proposed but never enacted legislation we disagree that it provides
evidence of Congress' intent on this matter.
The same commenter expressed their opinion that Treasure Lake has
not been on its Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) for sufficient time
to make performance improvement. OJC disagrees that additional time and
resources will lead to improved performance. Despite having been on a
PIP and having received assistance for at least the past two years,
Treasure Lake's performance has dramatically decreased. Between PY 2011
and PY 2013, Treasure Lake's OMS score has decreased more than 18
percentage points, from 94.5% to 76%. To OJC, this performance decline
indicates that additional resources should not be expended to attempt
to improve performance. Balanced against the lost opportunity for
current and future students to attend a higher performing center, OJC
believes that closing Treasure Lake achieves the best outcome for the
program.
Several commenters generally expressed their opinion, based on
their experience at the center, the opportunities that the center
provides for troubled youth, and the impact that the center has on the
broader community, that Job Corps should not close Treasure Lake. The
core mission of Job Corps is to train students to become more
employable, responsible, and productive citizens, and we believe that
we will advance this mission by closing Treasure Lake and enhancing
opportunities for current and future students at higher performing
centers.
Finally, one comment was received that is outside the scope of the
requested response, and was therefore not considered.
Job Corps Center Selected for Closure and the Closure Process
Based on its application of the closure methodology as described in
the August 27, 2014, Federal Register Notice and OJC's consideration of
the comments received in response to the August 27, 2014, Federal
Register Notice, OJC has decided to close the Treasure Lake Job Corps
Center.
OJC will implement the closure process following the center closure
requirements in WIA section 159(g) and other applicable requirements.
Signed in Washington, DC, this 3rd day of October 2014.
Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training .
[FR Doc. 2014-24094 Filed 10-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FT-P
