What's New in RSA

On March 28, 2023 at 2:00PM Eastern, please join RSA and its Federal partners for a technical assistance webinar: Co-Enrollment Across WIOA Core Programs: Requirements, Promising Practices, and Resources.

WIOA requires States to report the number of participants who are enrolled in more than one core program in their annual performance reports. This webinar will review the data collection and performance reporting requirements under WIOA and share best practices to collect and report co-enrollment of participants across the six core programs. Register for the webinar on WorkforceGPS. 

On February 27, 2023, RSA issued Technical Assistance Circular (TAC) 23-01 titled Allowable Sources of Non-Federal Share for the State VR Services Program. This guidance promotes a better understanding of the various allowable sources of non-Federal match available under the VR program. With this improved knowledge and understanding of available sources of match, VR agencies should be able to maximize the expenditure of available Federal funds to increase competitive integrated employment and supported employment outcomes and self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities participating in the VR program, thereby minimizing the amount of Federal VR funds left unspent each year.

On January 17, 2023, RSA published the FFY 2023 Monitoring and Technical Assistance Guide (MTAG). The MTAG is also available at FFY 2023 VR Program Monitoring. RSA updated the MTAG in collaboration with six VR agency directors and leaders representing CSAVR and NCSAB. The MTAG is intended to serve as a resource and planning guide for VR agencies and RSA State Teams to assist in the preparation for and conduct of monitoring and technical assistance activities in both program and fiscal performance focus areas. The goal of monitoring and technical assistance is to support VR agencies in maximizing the use of VR program funds and fostering continuous improvement in competitive integrated employment outcomes achieved by individuals with disabilities, taking into account the unique circumstances and needs of each VR agency.

In FFY 2023, RSA will monitor the following 12 agencies through the conduct of on-site and off-site reviews: Arkansas-G, Florida-B, Georgia-C, Indiana-C, Louisiana-C, Nevada-C, North Carolina-G, Ohio-C, Oklahoma-C, Puerto Rico-C, Tennessee-C, and Texas-C. 

Since PY 2017, RSA has shared Case Service Report (RSA-911) data dashboards with State VR agencies to support quality assurance, improve data quality, and foster data-driven decision making in the VR program. RSA is pleased to announce that we have partnered with the VRTAC-QM and RehabData Workgroup to redesign the data dashboards for PY 2022. The new tools include not only more data, but historical data and enhanced metrics for all State VR agencies in a single accessible Excel workbook that RSA will update each quarter. 

On December 19, 2022, RSA and the VRTAC-QM provided a demonstration of the data dashboards during a live webinar. A recording of the webinar is available at the VRTAC-QM. 

The theme of NCSAB's Fall 2022 Conference is "The Power of Connection and Collaboration." On November 2, 2022, OSERS Acting Assistant Secretary Katy Neas delivered a keynote and RSA leaders presented fiscal and performance data along with updates related to RSA programs, including the State VR Services Program. Please view RSA's presentation titled, RSA Financial Update & WIOA Performance Accountability and VR Program Data Collection and Reporting. Performance data is available in this Accessible Excel file. 

The theme of CSAVR's Fall 2022 Conference is the "Future is Now." During the conference, OSERS Acting Assistant Secretary Katy Neas delivered a keynote and RSA leaders presented fiscal and performance data along with other information related to the programs RSA administers. Below are slide decks of two presentations RSA delivered: 

• 7th General Session: Customer Engagement
• 10th General Session: The Data Reality: Setting the Stage for Change and Success
• Accessible Excel file including performance data

On October 28, 2022, RSA published the PY 2021 WIOA Annual Reports for the VR program. In addition to information related to the characteristics and barriers to employment of the participants served the VR program, the national summary and State-level reports include performance results across the five WIOA performance indicators for the third consecutive year:

1. Measurable Skill Gains Rate (participants during PY 2021);
2. Employment Rate in the Second Quarter after Exit (participants who exited during PY 2020);
3. Median Earnings in the Second Quarter after Exit (participants who exited during PY 2020);
4. Employment Rate in the Fourth Quarter after Exit (participants who exited during CY 2020); and
5. Credential Attainment Rate (participants who exited during CY 2020)

The sixth indicator, Effectiveness in Serving Employers, remained in pilot during PY 2021. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration will publish the ESE results in the title I and III program reports.

On September 21, 2022, RSA announced new five-year grant awards for the Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) demonstration project to 14 VR agencies through the Disability Innovation Fund. The purpose of these discretionary grants is to decrease the use of subminimum wages and increase access to competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. Learn more about the 14 SWTCIE  projects and read the U.S. Department of Education's press release. 

On September 15, 2022, ED and DOL updated the joint policy guidance related to the WIOA Performance Accountability system and RSA reissued TAC-17-01 titled Performance Accountability Guidance for WIOA Core Programs. This joint policy guidance rescinds and replaces TAC 17-01, published on August 23, 2017.

This update reflects changes made to the information collection request (OMB Control No. 1205-0526), after August 23, 2017, and incorporates other changes to improve clarity of the guidance. On page 66, Attachment X summarizes substantive and technical revisions in the order in which they appear. The remainder of the joint policy guidance remains unchanged.

On September 15, 2022, ED and DOL announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to incorporate a standard definition for the Effectiveness in Serving Employers performance indicator in the WIOA joint regulations. RSA encourages State VR agencies and stakeholders to provide feedback during the 60-day public comment period that closes on November 14, 2022. The proposed rule is published in the Federal Register.