(a) The performance of the Job Corps program as a whole, and the performance of individual centers, outreach and admissions providers, and career transition service providers, is assessed in accordance with the regulations in this part and procedures and standards issued by the Secretary, through a national performance management system, including the Outcome Measurement System (OMS).

(b) The national performance management system will include measures that reflect the primary indicators of performance described in § 686.1010, the information needed to complete the Annual Report described in § 686.1040, and any other information the Secretary determines is necessary to manage and evaluate the effectiveness of the Job Corps program. The Secretary will issue annual guidance describing the performance management system and outcome measurement system.

(c) Annual performance assessments based on the measures described in paragraph (b) of this section are done for each center operator and other service providers, including outreach and admissions providers and career transition providers.

The primary indicators of performance for eligible youth are described in sec. 116(b)(2)(A)(ii) of WIOA. They are:

(a) The percentage of program participants who are in education or training activities, or in unsubsidized employment, during the second quarter after exit from the program;

(b) The percentage of program participants who are in education or training activities, or in unsubsidized employment, during the fourth quarter after exit from the program;

(c) The median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program;

(d) The percentage of program participants who obtain a recognized postsecondary credential, or a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent during participation in or within 1 year after exit from the program. Program participants who obtain a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent will be included in the percentage only if they also have obtained or retained employment, or are in an education or training program leading to a recognized postsecondary credential, within 1 year after exit from the program;

(e) The percentage of program participants who, during a program year, are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains toward such a credential or employment; and

(f) The percentage of participants in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program who were employed by the same employer in the second and fourth quarters after exit.

[81 FR 56428, Aug. 19, 2016, as amended at 89 FR 13613, Feb. 23, 2024]

The Secretary establishes performance indicators for outreach and admission service providers serving the Job Corps program. They include, but are not limited to:

(a) The number of enrollees recruited, compared to the established goals for such recruitment, and the number of enrollees who remain committed to the program for 90 days after enrollment;

(b) The percentage and number of former enrollees, including the number dismissed under the zero tolerance policy described in sec. 152(b) of WIOA and § 686.545;

(c) The maximum attainable percent of enrollees at the Job Corps center that reside in the State in which the center is located, and the maximum attainable percentage of enrollees at the Job Corps center that reside in the State in which the center is located and in surrounding regions, as compared to the percentage targets established by the Secretary for the center for each of those measures;

(d) The cost per enrollee, calculated by comparing the number of enrollees at the center in a program year to the total budget for such center in the same program year; and

(e) Additional indicators of performance, as necessary.

The Secretary establishes performance indicators for career transition service providers serving the Job Corps program. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) The primary indicators of performance for eligible youth in WIOA sec. 116(b)(2)(A)(ii), as listed in § 686.1010;

(b) The number of graduates who entered the Armed Forces;

(c) The number of graduates who entered registered apprenticeship programs;

(d) The number of graduates who entered unsubsidized employment related to the career technical training received through the Job Corps program;

(e) The number of graduates who entered unsubsidized employment not related to the education and training received through the Job Corps program;

(f) The percentage and number of graduates who enter postsecondary education;

(g) The average wage of graduates who entered unsubsidized employment:

(1) On the first day of such employment; and

(2) On the day that is 6 months after such first day; and

(h) Additional indicators of performance, as necessary.

The Secretary will collect and submit in the Annual Report described in sec. 159(c)(4) of WIOA, which will include the following information on each Job Corps center, and the Job Corps program as a whole:

(a) Information on the performance, based on the performance indicators described § 686.1010, as compared to the expected level of performance established under § 686.1050 for each performance indicator;

(b) Information on the performance of outreach service providers and career transition service providers on the performance indicators established under §§ 686.1020 and 686.1030, as compared to the expected levels of performance established under § 686.1050 for each of those indicators;

(c) The number of enrollees served;

(d) Demographic information on the enrollees served, including age, race, gender, and education and income level;

(e) The number of graduates of a Job Corps center;

(f) The number of graduates who entered the Armed Forces;

(g) The number of graduates who entered registered apprenticeship programs;

(h) The number of graduates who received a regular secondary school diploma;

(i) The number of graduates who received a State recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma;

(j) The number of graduates who entered unsubsidized employment related to the career technical training received through the Job Corps program and the number who entered unsubsidized employment not related to the education and training received;

(k) The percentage and number of former enrollees, including the number dismissed under the zero tolerance policy described in § 686.545;

(l) The percentage and number of graduates who enter postsecondary education;

(m) The average wage of graduates who enter unsubsidized employment:

(1) On the first day of such employment; and

(2) On the day that is 6 months after such first day;

(n) The maximum attainable percent of enrollees at a Job Corps center that reside in the State in which the center is located, and the maximum attainable percentage of enrollees at a Job Corps center that reside in the State in which the center is located and in surrounding regions, as compared to the percentage targets established by the Secretary for the center for each of those measures;

(o) The cost per enrollee, which is calculated by comparing the number of enrollees at the center in a program year to the total budget for such center in the same program year;

(p) The cost per graduate, which is calculated by comparing the number of graduates of the center in a program year compared to the total budget for such center in the same program year;

(q) Information regarding the state of Job Corps buildings and facilities, including a review of requested construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition projects, by each Job Corps center, and a review of new facilities under construction;

(r) Available information regarding the national and community service activities of enrollees, particularly those enrollees at Civilian Conservation Centers; and

(s) Any additional information required by the Secretary.

(a) The Secretary establishes expected levels of performance for Job Corps centers, outreach and admissions providers and career transition service providers and the Job Corps program relating to each of the primary indicators of performance described in §§ 686.1010, 686.1020, and 686.1030.

(b) As described in § 686.1000, the Secretary will issue annual guidance describing the national performance management system and outcomes measurement system, which will communicate the expected levels of performance for each primary indicator of performance for each center, and each indicator of performance for each outreach and admission provider, and for each career transition service provider. Such guidance also will describe how the expected levels of performance were calculated.

(a) The Secretary calculates annual rankings of center performance based on the performance management system described in § 686.1000 as part of the annual performance assessment described in § 686.1000(c).

(b) The Secretary will issue annual guidance that communicates the methodology for calculating the performance rankings for the year.

(a) The Secretary establishes standards and procedures for developing and implementing performance improvement plans.

(1) The Secretary will develop and implement a performance improvement plan for a center when that center fails to meet the expected levels of performance described in § 686.1050.

(i) The Secretary will consider a center to have failed to meet the expected level of performance if the center:

(A) Is ranked among the lowest 10 percent of Job Corps centers for the most recent preceding program year according to the rankings calculated under § 686.1060; and

(B) The center fails to achieve an average of 90 percent of the expected level of performance for all of the primary indicators.

(ii) For any program year that precedes the implementation of the establishment of the expected levels of performance under § 686.1050 and the application of the primary indicators of performance for Job Corps centers identified in § 686.1010, the Secretary will consider a center to have failed to meet the expected levels of performance if the center:

(A) Is ranked among the lowest 10 percent of Job Corps centers for the most recent preceding program year according to the rankings calculated under § 686.1060; and

(B) The center's composite OMS score for the program year is 88 percent or less of the year's OMS national average.

(2) The Secretary also may develop and implement additional performance improvement plans, which will require improvements for a Job Corps center that fails to meet criteria established by the Secretary other than the expected levels of performance.

(b) A performance improvement plan will require action be taken to correct identified performance issues within 1 year of the implementation of the plan, and it will identify criteria that must be met for the center to complete the performance improvement plan.

(1) The center operator must implement the actions outlined in the performance improvement plan.

(2) If the center fails to take the steps outlined in the performance improvement plan or fails to meet the criteria established to complete the performance improvement plan after 1 year, the center will be considered to have failed to improve performance under a performance improvement plan detailed in paragraph (a) of this section.

(i) Such a center will remain on a performance improvement plan and the Secretary will take action as described in paragraph (c) of this section.

(ii) If a Civilian Conservation Center fails to meet expected levels of performance relating to the primary indicators of performance specified in § 686.1010, or fails to improve performance under a performance improvement plan detailed in paragraph (a) of this section after 3 program years, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, must select an entity to operate the Civilian Conservation Center on a competitive basis, in accordance with the requirements of § 686.310.

(c) Under a performance improvement plan, the Secretary may take the following actions, as necessary:

(1) Providing technical assistance to the center;

(2) Changing the management staff of a center;

(3) Changing the career technical training offered at the center;

(4) Replacing the operator of the center;

(5) Reducing the capacity of the center;

(6) Relocating the center; or

(7) Closing the center in accordance with the criteria established under § 686.200(b).