For a complete listing of RSA policy guidance, please visit Sub-Regulatory Guidance.
The following guidance documents implement the WIOA performance accountability system for the State VR Services Program, as required by section 116 of WIOA and the joint regulations in Subpart E of 34 CFR 361: Performance Accountability Under Title I of WIOA.
RSA developed several of these guidance documents jointly with its Federal partners at the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. Joint policy guidance is labeled as such and these documents also apply to the other five WIOA core programs.
Joint WIOA Performance Accountability Assessments in PY 2024
On July 17, 2025, ED and DOL issued joint policy guidance related to PY 2024 performance assessments.
Joint Guidance for Data Validation
On July 10, 2025, ED and DOL updated this joint guidance to align the technical assistance with changes made by the WIOA Effectiveness in Serving Employers Performance Indicator final rule (89 FR 13814). RSA reissued TAC 19-01: Guidance for Validating Jointly Required Performance Data Submitted under WIOA (originally published December 19, 2018).
Joint Guidance on the Use of Supplemental Wage Information
On July 10, 2025, ED and DOL updated this joint guidance to align the technical assistance with changes made by the WIOA Effectiveness in Serving Employers Performance Indicator final rule (89 FR 13814). RSA reissued TAC 17-04: Guidance on the use of Supplemental Wage Information to implement the Performance Accountability Requirements under WIOA (originally published June 1, 2017).
Joint Guidance on Negotiations and Sanctions
On January 6, 2025, DOL and ED reissued TAC 20-02: Negotiations and Sanctions Guidance for WIOA Core Programs.
Joint WIOA Performance Accountability Assessments in PY 2023
On August 14, 2024, DOL and ED issued joint policy guidance related to PY 2023 performance assessments.
Joint Guidance for the WIOA Performance Accountability System
On June 11, 2024, RSA reissued TAC 17-01: Performance Accountability Guidance for WIOA Core Programs to incorporate the regulatory definition of Effectiveness in Serving Employers (February 23, 2024). This joint policy guidance elaborates on the performance accountability requirements in section 116 of WIOA, the Joint WIOA Final Rule, and performance reporting requirements.
Joint Guidance on Implementing Retention with the Same Employer as Definition of ESE
On February 23, 2024, DOL and ED issued a final rule (89 FR 13814) that defines Effectiveness in Serving Employer as Retention with the Same Employer and requires it be reported by one WIOA core program on behalf of all six WIOA core programs within each state. The final rule is effective March 25, 2024.
On March 22, 2024, DOL and ED issued joint FAQs that outline when States must begin collecting and reporting Retention with the Same Employer data and inform States of the information collection requests and joint policy guidance the Departments will revise in accordance with the new regulatory definition.
Joint WIOA Performance Accountability Assessments in PY 2022
On August 11, 2023, DOL and ED issued joint policy guidance related to PY 2022 performance assessments.
Post-Employment Services FAQs
On March 14, 2022, RSA issued FAQ 22-03: Post-Employment Services in response to questions VR agencies have asked regarding how to provide post-employment services to individuals with disabilities who have achieved employment outcomes and how to report these services on the Case Service Report (RSA-911), particularly because of the reporting requirements in Section 116 of the WIOA and its regulations. Specifically, VR agencies have asked how to report post-employment services since, as explained in these FAQs, VR agencies cannot reopen the service records of “participants” whose “exits” from the VR program have been reported through the RSA-911 under WIOA’s performance accountability system.
Joint WIOA Performance Accountability Assessments in PYs 2020 and 2021
On October 27, 2021, RSA issued issued FAQ 22-01 announcing that ED and DOL determined it is appropriate and reasonable for the Department of Labor to begin assessing performance for two performance indicators under WIOA title I and III core programs for PYs 2020 and 2021 in accordance with the phased-in approach to performance assessments described in TAC-20-02. The Departments, as permitted under section 503(a) of WIOA, have determined it reasonable to delay assessing performance for the purpose of imposing sanctions for the remaining performance indicators to ensure an orderly transition from the requirements of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to those of WIOA.
COVID-19 FAQs related to Performance Accountability
On May 14, 2020, RSA issued this FAQ document to respond to two questions VR agencies posed related to implementation of the Case Service Report (RSA-911) outlined in PD 19-03 and the VR program's Statistical Adjustment Model for Measurable Skill Gains Rate.
On March 26, 2020, RSA issued this FAQ document to respond to two questions VR agencies posed related to the WIOA performance accountability provisions.
Joint Guidance related to WIOA Annual Performance Report Submission
On September 11, 2017, RSA issued TAC 17-05: WIOA Annual Performance Report Submission in which the ED and DOL exercised their transition authority under section 503(a) of WIOA to inform States that the Departments will consider Program Year (PY) 2016 WIOA Statewide and Local Performance Reports (form ETA-9169) submitted by October 16, 2017, as being timely. For all subsequent PYs, States must submit the WIOA Statewide and Local Performance Report by October 1 to be considered timely, pursuant to the “WIOA Performance Accountability, Information and Reporting System” information collection request.
Joint Guidance on Data Matching to Facilitate WIOA Performance Reporting and Evaluation
This joint guidance provides information to assist State agencies, educational agencies and institutions, and service providers regarding performance reporting and evaluation requirements under WIOA. Under WIOA, States are required to use education information and quarterly wage records to measure performance of the six core programs and other title I programs authorized by WIOA, which raises complex issues related to data sharing and privacy. This guidance provides States with information about applicable requirements for, and procedures and options for, matching confidential Unemployment Compensation information from wage records with personal information from VR records, and personally identifiable information from education records, and for protecting the confidentiality of information contained in such records.
RSA-911 Supporting Documentation Requirements
On March 31, 2017, RSA issued guidelines for Supporting Documentation for Case Service Report (RSA-911) to assist VR agencies with maintaining appropriate supporting documentation in service records. The examples of supporting documentation in these guidelines illustrate the types of documents RSA would consider to demonstrate the validity and accuracy of certain key data reported through the RSA-911.