Archived: Evaluation Standards and Performance Indicators for the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program

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EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS
Evaluation Standards and Performance Indicators for the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program

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Section 106 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, requires the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to establish evaluation standards and performance indicators for the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program that include outcome and related measures of program performance. Two evaluation standards were published in the Federal Register on Monday, June 5, 2000 (34 CFR Part 361).

Each year, state VR agencies must report program performance data to RSA by December 1st (60 days after the end of the fiscal year). RSA has established minimum levels of performance for each performance indicator. State agencies that fail to meet these performance levels must develop a program improvement plan outlining specific actions to be taken to improve program performance. RSA also provides technical assistance to those state agencies that perform below the established performance levels.

Data tables for fiscal years 1999-2004 are available below. The tables show performance by state agency and provide the minimum performance levels for each indicator. Separate tables are provided for:

General/Combined Agencies, which are both agencies serving all individuals with disabilities in the state and agencies serving all individuals with disabilities except those who are blind or visually impaired; and

State Agencies for the Blind, which are agencies that provide services only for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Due to the nature of the populations served, performance levels are usually different for general/combined agencies and blind agencies. The two standards and their associated indicators follow.

Standards and Indicators

Evaluation standard 1: State agencies must assist any eligible individual, including an individual with a significant disability, to obtain, maintain, or regain high-quality employment.

Performance Indicator 1.1 is the change in the number of individuals with employment outcomes. It is the difference between the number of individuals exiting the VR program who achieved an employment outcome during the current performance period and the number of individuals exiting the VR program who achieved an employment outcome during the previous performance period.

Performance Indicator 1.2 is the percentage of individuals who become employed after receiving services. This indicator is the percentage of individuals who are determined to have achieved an employment outcome of all individuals who exit the VR program after receiving services.

Performance Indicator 1.3 is a measure of competitive employment. It is the percentage of individuals who exit the VR program in competitive, self-employment, or BEP (Business Enterprise Program) employment with earnings at or above the minimum wage of all individuals who achieved an employment outcome.

Performance Indicator 1.4 is the proportion of people with significant disabilities who achieve competitive employment. It is the percentage of individuals with significant disabilities of all individuals in competitive employment.

Performance Indicator 1.5 relates the average hourly earnings of those with competitive employment to the average hourly earnings of the state's employed population. It is the ratio of the average hourly earnings of all individuals in competitive employment to the average hourly earnings of all employed individuals in the state.

Performance Indicator 1.6 is the change in the percentage of people who are primarily self-supporting. Of individuals in competitive employment, it is the difference between the percent whose primary source of support at the time they applied for VR services was "personal income" and the percent whose primary source of support at exit was "personal income."

Evaluation standard 2: State agencies must ensure that individuals from minority backgrounds have equal access to VR services. Standard 2 has 1 performance indicator.

Performance Indicator 2.1 is the ratio of the percent of minorities exiting the program who received VR services to the percent of non-minorities exiting the program who received VR services. It is the ratio of the service rate for all minorities with disabilities to the service rate for all non-minorities with disabilities.

For additional information about the standards and indicators see 34 CFR Part 361 Subpart E.