Joco Today

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., introduced the Expedited Performance Indicator Act, a piece of legislation that mandates the Department of Labor (DOL) to implement its Primary Indicator of Performance in the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) within six months of enactment. This bill is part of a broader WIOA reform package from members of the HELP Committee.

The proposed indicators aim to establish clear job training benchmarks and set expectations for state workforce boards providing services to their constituents. The legislation also requires the DOL to offer technical assistance to help workforce boards meet these goals.

"If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it," Senator Marshall stated. "DOL needs to provide clear-cut goals and guidance for state workforce boards so they know what they are expected to provide the job seekers coming through their doors. Adding this bill to WIOA reforms will be critical to measure the performance of workforce boards across the nation."

Since its initial authorization in 2014, the six main indicators of performance have not been fully implemented, resulting in incomplete performance data being sent to the DOL. This legislation aims to ensure timely implementation of these indicators, thus providing better information on WIOA program success nationwide.

The bill has received endorsement from the Kansas Association of Workforce Boards.

Senator Marshall commented on the importance of timely implementation during a Senate HELP committee session on WIOA and this legislation: "One of my sayings, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. If you don’t have the data timely, it doesn’t do me any good."

Dr. Bradley from Jobs for the Future responded: "That’s an excellent question, and that’s been one of the issues in the system is data lag... more real-time data is important because things change quickly... It’s really important both from an agility standpoint but also to know what’s working."

On short-term Pell Grants' value:

Senator Marshall stated: "Mr. Dickerson, my wife and I are community college graduates – so proud of my community colleges and technical colleges... How do you see the opportunity for short-term Pell Grants in those types of programs? Is that something that would be a good idea?"

Mr. Dickerson from Midsouth Extrusion replied: "Yes, sir. Absolutely... That’d be a great opportunity for our adult population to get into the workforce faster through certified programs... I think that’s a critical aspect that can’t be overlooked."