Performance accountability reporting has been mandated for all federal agencies under Public Law 103-62 by the year 2000, and will require significant changes in the way agencies gather and report data. The focus is on outcomes and results as the way to determine program effectiveness. At the state level, there is a need for new program management structures which take advantage of modern business practices and technology. The Solution In Tennessee, a collaborative performance measurement and reporting system has been built from the bottom up over the last two years. In addition, front-line workers have participated in identifying data that needs to be shared.
Work continues on agreement on a set of common data definitions.
All major components of the current information systems in Tennessee have been identified. A performance accountability system needs good data in order to work. We need to know who is being served by adult education and employment training programs, what their other needs are, what services that are receiving, and what outcomes they are achieving. Several existing databases include information about participants in adult education and employment programs. Each agency collects information about the people they serve.