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# Program Improvement Plan for

. for 2013 Quarterly PIP update for 01/30/2015 -current status: Partially Saved Introduction Federal vocationa l rehabilitation (VR) program regu lations (34 CFR 361.82 thru 34 CFR 361.86) establish performance standar d s and indicators by which the U . S. Rehabilitation Services Administration (U.S. Department of Education) measures the performance of the sta te VR agencies. Eva lua tio n Standard 1 measures employment outcomes using six indicators. To achieve successful performance on Standard 1 , a VR agency must meet or exceed the performance levels for at least four of the six indicators. In addition, the agency must me et or exceed the performance level for two of the three primary i ndicato rs .

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### Agency FY 2013 Performance Because the - - - _ _ _ , did not achieve the required minimum performance levels for Standard 1 for fiscal year (FY) 2013, it is required to submit this Program Improveme n t Plan (Plan) pursuant to 34 CFR 361.89 (a). Specifically, did not meet the required minimum performance levels for Indicators 1.1, 1.2, and 1.5, as shown below. 

### Indicator 1.1



### Number with employment outcomes 2,649 Number with employment outcomes (Prior two years*) 2,8 26 Change in employment outcomes: Indicator 1.1 -1 77 Indicator 1 . 2



### Number with employment outcomes 2,649 Number who received services 3,857 Percent with employment outcomes after services: Indicator 1. 2 68.7 Indica tor 1 . 5



### Average hourly wage for individuals with competitive employment outcomes 13.79 Average annual state wage (Fiscal year wage) (weighted average) 50,501 Average hourly state wage (Fiscal year wage) (weighted average) 24.28 Ratio of average hourly VR wage to average state wage: Indicator 1.5 0.568

• Current y ear data as of March 31, 20 1 4. • B l ind agency prior year data as of April 16, 2013 and April 24, 2012 . Note that for Blind agencies prior year data averages data from two prior years.

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### Agency Goals and Strategies for Indicator 1.1

**ha~** established the following goals, including performance targets, and strategies that will enab l e 1t to meet or exceed th e required minimum perfo rma nce le ve l s f or Indicator 

### 1.1. Performance Indicator 1.1- Chang e in Employment Outcom es Indi.cator 

### 1.1 is the difference between the number of individuals exiting the VR prog ram who

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**t** outcome d urin g the current performance perio d a nd th e number of •nd1v1dual s ex 1tm g the VR p rogram who achieved an employment outcome during the previous performance pe riod. The perform ance level for indicator 

### 1.1 is: • G enera l and Combined Agencies: Eq u a l or Exc eed Previous Performance • Agencies for the Blind: Equal or Exceed Previous Performance Fa ctors af .fecting performance of this indicator might be the State eco n omy, an increase o r

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**,** a change i n the make up of the agency ' s caseload, e.g . the S1gn1f1cance of d1sab11ity of md1v1duals served, a change in the numbe r of co unse lor s and others discussed i n indicator 

### 1.2. ' Performance Targets

Fiscal Year Go a l to pa ss indicator Performance target Actual performance 

### 2013 0 - 

### -177 2014 0 2,582 2015 0 2,700 Strategies To e nabl e to ac hieve the esta blish ed p erfo rman ce targ ets for Indicator 

### 1.1 during FYs 

### 2014 and 

### 2015, it will engage in the following strategies. Standard 

### 1.1, which m easu re s the number of su ccessful closures ach ieved compare d to th e prior year's successful closures, was not met in FY 

### 2013. ; was at 

### 93% of this goal by the end of FY 

### 2013, ach ievi ng 

### 1,232 successful closures. To meet this target and the targets for indi cato rs 

### 1.2 and 

### 1.5, DBS an a ly sis shows a need for he ig htened focus on expanding consumer employment opportunities t h rough strengthened partnerships with businesses, maximizing cons u mer potential and ca pabilities based on their job readiness, an d increasin g the effectiv eness of job p l acement vendors' effectiveness in matching consumers ' abil it ies with emp l oyment opportunities. • Work Matters -- : be gan a new empl oym e nt in itiative in 

### 2013 ca ll ed Work Matters. A key goa l of the Work Matters project is to impact consumer sa l aries by increasi n g weekly wages. A program specialist is assigned t o foc us on leading Work Matters. This initiative assists staff in preparing con s umers t o compete and ob ta in high e r wa ge jobs by fo cus ing business development on areas of the labor market wi t h higher wage jobs , primarily technology and sk illed trades. In addition, DBS will more closely co lla borate with community colleges and trade schools to develop additional

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**,,~ f('**  **\:OI"'rtto nrint&**  ntfl o = 1 Q / 1 R /?0 14Page 4 of9 train in g opportunities for consumers . The Work Matters initiative is designed to: • expand co n sumer employment opportunities by building and stre ngthening strategic bus i ness and partner relationships; • align the counseling critical thinking process around employment opportunities and data to engage consumers in defining their optimal vocational opportunities; • maximize consumer potential and capabilities based on their job readiness; • increase job placement vendors' effectiveness in matching consumers' abilities with employment opportunities and; • align internal DBS metrics and performance indicators. • Continued outreach to veterans and other underserved populations - ; wi ll increase staff knowledge and skills with effective rehabilitation strategies for serving veterans and other underserved populations (for example individuals with mental health iss ue s, development disabilities, autism and deafblindness). This will ensure that appropriate services from other entities are used when avai l a bl e. • Continuous Quality Improvement - ; will review and if necessary up date train in g for existing and new VR counselors and VR support staff. The review will ensu re courses focus on training new counselors and support staff in the core knowledge and ski lls necessary for all consumers to perform jobs su cces sfully, including those consumers with multiple disabilities. Update for Current Quarter RSA Note s Only RSA Staff may view or edit these notes.

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### Modification and Approval Modifi cat i on of P l an Pu rsua nt to reg ul ati o n s at 34 CFR 361.89(c), RSA will review the progress of I ; toward meeting the goals established in th i s Plan. Should 3 fail to s ustain a satisfactory level of performance on Standa rd 1 ove r the n ext t wo consecutive f i sca l years (FYs 2014 and 2015), it w ill request that J modify this Plan to achieve the required level of performance. Approval of Plan Approved on 09/10/2014 Approved by Ed w a rd Wes t

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