1. DEI Benchmarks and Outcome Indicators Purpose and Use
Laura

2. Presenters Presenter: Laura Gleneck
Title: Project Manager for the DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team
Organization: NDI Consulting, Inc.
Presenter: Miranda Kennedy
Title: Director of DEI Training and TA, NDI Technical Assistance Team
Organization: NDI Consulting, Inc.
Laura

3. Learning Objective
Understanding of the purpose and relevance of the Development Framework of DEI Implementation
Ability to effectively utilize the DEI Development Framework Worksheet to:
Asses the current stage of development of the local level DEI Project across all categories at any point
Chart a course for future activities from any starting point within each strategic service delivery component
Clearly identify successful implementation outcomes to serve as ultimate outcome goals for your Project
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4. WHY Are We Introducing Yet Another Assessment Tool?
If you are questioning how useful this tool is going to be, when you probably have so many other assessment tools you are already using: You Are Not Alone!
It’s going to take using the tool over time (more than the first time!) to fully understand it and begin to buy-into its benefits.
If your local area is operating as a Disability Employment Program with the DRC functioning as the operator of that program – This tool is not going to feel like a good fit. If this is the case, we recommend one of two things:
Work with your TA Liaison and Project Lead to help get your area on board, or
Don’t use the tool and help those job seekers you can within your structure.
If your area is operating the DEI as a System Capacity Building Project with the DRC supporting the AJC and its partner programs to better serve job seekers with disabilities – You will eventually grow to like (maybe even love) this tool.
Miranda 4

5. Purpose and Use Background DEI Project Start-Up
Development Framework of DEI Implementation
Creation of DEI Benchmarks and Outcome Indicators
DEI Project Start-Up
Phases of DEI Development
DEI Development Framework Work Sheet
Example of One DEI Service Delivery Component:
Questionnaire to reflect upon assessment completion
Next Steps
Laura 5

6. Disability Employment Initiative (DEI)
States receive funds to expand the capacity of AJCs to improve education, training, and employment outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities (including individuals with significant disabilities) in the public workforce system.
DEI grantees increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in career pathways systems and programs.
DEI cooperative agreements are vehicles for driving implementation of several of the WIOA disability-related provisions, and provide effective strategies for the public workforce system/AJC network to promote competitive, integrated employment of individuals with disabilities.
Laura

7. DEI Project Focus All DEI Projects focus on:
Developing collaborative partnerships at the state and local levels across multiple service delivery systems;
Supporting job-driven approaches in career pathways to equip individuals with disabilities with the skills, competencies, and credentials necessary to help them obtain in-demand jobs, increase earnings, and advance their careers;
Promoting physical, programmatic and communication access;
Blending and braiding of funds and leveraging of resources;
Providing flexible approaches to designing and providing training, supportive services, and innovative workplace strategies;
Expanding the public workforce system’s capacity to become an EN for beneficiaries under the Ticket to Work program; and
Creating systemic change.
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8. Development Framework of DEI Implementation Creation of DEI Benchmarks & Outcomes
Miranda

9. DEI Development Framework
DEI projects implement strategic components as significant elements of their service delivery approach.
A number of these strategies are NOT mutually exclusive nor are they always distinct or separate activities.
These are practices and strategies that DOL has identified through earlier iterations of the DEI as well as previous disability and employment related grant initiatives to increase education and employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities (including individuals with significant disabilities).
The DEI Development Framework is:
Designed to provide states and local DEI workforce development areas with a developmental tool to (a) assess implementation status of the DEI and (b) identify priorities for ongoing development.
Serves as a framework to help projects develop in terms of achieving outcomes in relevant service delivery areas.
Miranda

10. Creation of DEI Benchmarks & Outcome Indicators
Developed in response to requests and feedback from both the DEI evaluation team and grantees on guidance around implementation of the DEI service delivery strategies and grantee progress.
Designed to serve as a continuum to assess implementation status of the DEI and identify priorities for development.
A framework to achieve outcomes in each of the strategic service delivery areas.
Miranda

11. DEI Project Start-Up
Miranda

12. Miranda
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain

13. Prior to DEI Development DEI Project Start-Up
During project start-up and initial implementation, grantees have been focused on three core areas:
Development of DEI service delivery components, including identifying existing and potential partnerships and resources, workforce staff training and education, and integrating job seekers with disabilities into existing career pathways systems and programs.
The State workforce agency or LWDB(s): 1) already operate as an Employment Network under the Ticket to Work; or 2) stipulate their commitment to apply for EN status within 60 days.
Determine the process for hiring and supervising local level full-time Disability Resource Coordinator positions to implement the DEI project strategic approach OR assisting the designated LWDBs.
Laura
Development of DEI service delivery components, including identifying existing and potential partnerships and resources, workforce staff training and education, and integrating job seekers with disabilities (including individuals with significant disabilities) into existing career pathways systems and programs (see Career Pathways Readiness Assessment Tool).
The State workforce agency or LWDB(s): 1) already operate as an Employment Network under the Ticket to Work; or 2) stipulate their commitment to apply for EN status within 60 days.
Determine the process for hiring and supervising local level full-time Disability Resource Coordinator positions to implement the DEI project strategic approach OR assisting the designated LWDBs.

14. Phases of DEI Development
Laura

15. Framework
A framework that isolates the attributes of development along a continuum and describes more fully the implementation cycle can help determine the progress of any state’s initiative at a given time.
It can help states plan the progression for growing and expanding their state DEI project beyond grant funds.
It can help evaluators assess the effectiveness of various implementation efforts.
Laura

16. Phases of DEI Development
The following three pivotal factors can be used to gauge the development of DEI implementation of the strategic service delivery components of a grantee’s service delivery approach to serve the youth or adult population:
The degree and distribution of disability expertise related to employment = Beginner;
The level of problem solving in which the DRC and/or the DEI implementing site staff and DEI Project state level leadership is primarily engaged = Intermediate; and
The sustainability of promising practices into state policies and procedures = Advanced.
This framework is NOT meant to be used to formally
evaluate staff or program performance.
Miranda

17. DEI Framework Tool
For each service delivery component, the tool includes:
Set of Instructions and Key Code followed by a narrative introducing that component and providing some explanation around its purpose and role within the DEI.
The Three Phases of Development (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) are separated and include information around self-contained activities that correspond to that phase. For each activity, you will use the key code to designate your current level of effort, knowledge and/or need by placing an “X” in the key code box that best indicates your progress.
Each activity indicates the key Career Pathways Elements that best align with the activity. Identifying the career pathways elements will assist in clarifying the correlation between the specific activity and your career pathways strategy. This can be used in conjunction with the Career Pathways Readiness Assessment Tool.
Laura

18. Career Pathway Elements in the DEI Benchmarks Tool
Build cross-agency partnerships -- A cross-agency leadership team clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each partner and gains high level support from political leaders for an integrated Career Pathways system.
Identify sector or industry and engage business -- Sectors and industries are selected and are partners and co-investors in the development of Career Pathways systems.
Design education and training programs -- Career Pathways programs provide a clear sequence of education courses and credentials that meet the skills needs of high-demand industries.
Identify funding needs and sources -- Necessary resources are raised and/or leveraged to develop, operate, and sustain the Career Pathways system and programs.
Align policies and programs -- State and local policies and administrative reforms have been revised to align with implementation of Career Pathways system.
Measure systems change and performance -- Appropriate measures and evaluation methods are in place to support continuous improvement of the Career Pathways system.
Laura

19. DEI Development Framework Worksheet
Miranda

20. Work Sheet
This exercise will help state and local project staff, the training and technical assistance provider and the national DEI program office to better understand the progress that has been made to date and identify areas where additional support, training, and guidance may be required.
Completed tools are also useful for areas that undergo staff turnover.
The next slide shows the key code (found on page 6 of the document) with four categories that can be used to establish the status of the activity
It includes an additional code (h = Help) in the event that the staff member will need additional assistance in initiating and/or completing that activity.
DEI Project staff will use this key code to designate their current level of effort, knowledge and/or need for each activity/key indicator within the DEI Development Framework.
Miranda

21. DEI Development Framework Work Sheet KEY CODE
Key Code Description D
Done: This activity has been completed and requires no further action at this time. C
Current/In-Progress: This activity has been initiated and is ongoing at this time. F
Future: Plans are in place to initiate and/or implement this activity in the near future. N
None and/or N/A:
No action has taken place related to this activity. No plan is in place for the future, or
This activity is not one that I and/or my level (e.g. DRC & LWDA, or State Level DEI & State workforce system and state level partners) are responsible for implementing. h
HELP = Choose one of the following:
Ch = Assistance is required to complete this activity.
Fh = Assistance is required to initiate this activity.
Nh = Assistance is required to begin to understand how to plan for this activity.
Miranda

22. Example of a Completed Section of the Work Sheet
The example shown on the following slide (page 7 of the document) demonstrates how to use the key code when filling out the work sheet.
DEI Project staff will see at a glance the activities they have addressed (D), activities they are engaged in (C), and activities they have plans to address in the future (F). They will also be able to identify areas where they would benefit from additional support (Ch, Fh), and activities that they either will not be responsible for addressing OR do not have plans in place to address (N). \
State Level DEI Project staff, the NDI-DEI TA team, and the national DEI Program office can use the information to understand what has been addressed and what is being addressed. Additionally, the information from the work sheet can be used to identify topic areas that require additional support, training, and/or guidance.
Miranda

23. Directions: Designate your current level of effort, knowledge and/or need for each activity/key indicator within the DEI Development Framework by placing an “X” in the key code box that best indicates your progress.
Phases of DEI Development / Activity and Outcome Key Code D
Done C
Current F
Future N
None
Help-Ch
Help--Fh
Help-Nh CP
Element(s)
The Integrated Resource Team (IRT) approach is a promising practice identified by the Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative whereby a team comprised of representatives from different agencies and service systems (both general workforce and disability-specific) coordinate services and leverage funding to meet the employment needs of an individual job seeker with a disability. The job seeker is the key member of the IRT and works with providers (e.g., WIOA Case Manager, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, interpreter service, community college) to identify and strategize how their combined services and resources can benefit and support the individual’s education, training, or employment goals. IRTs are organized around an individual job seeker with a disability who experiences multiple challenges to employment and who has been enrolled in WIOA Title I services (or is attempting to attain enrollment in these services).
Integrated Resource Team: Beginner (Disability Expertise) Phase
Work Plan is developed with priorities that describe how job seekers who experience disabilities and/or challenges to employment including Ticket Holders will be engaged in the state’s WIOA Title I services enrollment process emphasizing career exploration and resource planning. X Ch Fh Nh
1,3
B Integrated Resource Team: Intermediate (Problem Solving) Phase
DRC conducts in service training for Job Center front-line staff on providing active resource coordination to job seekers who experience disabilities and/or multiple challenges to employment, including Ticket eligible customers, who require a more intensive level of support in order to access services with the purpose of enrolling those who are eligible into WIOA Title I services.
C Integrated Resource Team: Advanced (Policies and Practices) Phase
A policy is in place to provide active resource coordination that allows the coordination of program services to the job seeker with disabilities and multiple challenges to employment, including Social Security beneficiaries (i.e., SSI and SSDI). 5
Miranda

24. Questionnaire
Once you have completed the DEI Benchmarks and Outcome Indicators Worksheet, you will be asked to reflect back upon the answers and the assessment that your local area has completed.
Your local site’s consolidated, short responses to the following questions will assist your state level project leadership and national technical assistance provider in better understanding the progress and current status of your project and identify priorities in order to provide targeted support for moving forward.
Once we receive your answers, we will review and schedule time to walk through the worksheet and questionnaire responses together.
DEI Footer Logo
Miranda

25. 1st Question
Identify the top DEI strategic service delivery components (e.g. IRT or Guideposts) and specific activities within those components (e.g. Mapping Resources or Building Partnerships) where your local pilot site is furthest along in implementing the DEI.
For each of these, please include in your response:
What factor(s) contributed to the focus on this area?
What factor(s) contributed to successful implementation?
Miranda

26. 2nd Question
Identify DEI strategic service delivery components and specific activities within those components where your local pilot site is currently experiencing difficulty implementing the DEI.
For each of these, please include in your response:
What steps have been taken to address these challenges?
What factor(s) are contributing to the difficulty in this area and to challenges in implementation?
Miranda

27. 3rd Question
Identify the top DEI priorities for your local pilot site in the immediate future that you would like technical assistance support on.
For each of these, please include in your response:
What factor(s) make this a priority?
What technical assistance support would you like to receive?
Miranda

28. Role of the DRC and Next Steps
The DRC’s role is to facilitate completion of the tool, tapping into key AJC staff and partners to get buy-in and input from the local area to make responses more meaningful and comprehensive.
DRC can apply active resource coordination and mapping
DRC can use PowerPoint presentation to introduce tool
Return completed tool and questionnaire to Project Lead and TA
The tool/questionnaire will be revisited (e.g. bi-annually or annually) to continue to assess progress during the grant. The first completion determines the baseline, each successive iteration provides our benchmarks.
Laura

29. Contact Information
Miranda Kennedy, Director of DEI Training and Technical Assistance
NDI Technical Assistance Team P: E:
Laura