State participation in the evaluation of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Washington, D.C. 20210
CLASSIFICATION: TAA Evaluation
CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL: PROTECH
DATE: November 10, 2004

TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 8-04

TO: ALL STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES; ALL STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS; ALL STATE TAA COORDINATORS

FROM: EMILY STOVER DeROCCO, Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training

SUBJECT: State Participation in the Evaluation of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program

1. Purpose. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has contracted with Social Policy Research Associates (SPRA) and its subcontractor, Mathematica Policy Research, to conduct an evaluation of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. This Training and Employment Guidance Letter is to inform state agencies that SPRA will be contacting 25 randomly selected states to solicit their participation in the study.

2. Reference. Training and Employment Notice No. 21-03, dated May 26, 2004.

3. Background. The TAA evaluation seeks to provide data on the impact of TAA benefits and services on eligible workers and document the nature and quality of services provided to these workers under TAA and in the One-Stop Career Center System. This letter serves to provide guidance on the information that will be collected from states.

4. Evaluation Goals. The goals of the impact evaluation of the TAA program are to: (a) understand the context within which the TAA program operates; (b) provide in-depth information on the administrative functions associated with TAA, the institutional arrangements for delivering services, and the services available to dislocated workers; (c) document program outcomes and estimate net impacts using a comparison group design; and (d) examine how the net benefits of the program relate to the program’s cost.

The study will include an in-depth analysis of the TAA program’s operations, analysis of impacts using a comparison group methodology based on administrative records, and assessment of the program’s benefits relative to its costs. The data for this study are being derived from: (a) existing administrative records from states (i.e., rosters of TAA-eligible workers, Unemployment Insurance data, and TAA and Workforce Investment Act participant files); (b) individual surveys administered to TAA-eligible workers and comparison group members; (c) six rounds of multi-day site visits; and (d) surveys of local TAA offices nationwide.

RESCISSIONS: [none listed]
EXPIRATION DATE: Continuing

5. Request for State Participation. ETA’s contractors, SPRA and Mathematica, will be contacting selected state workforce agencies in the near future to describe the information they are interested in obtaining and to seek states’ participation and use of various sources of administrative records. All information will be obtained in accordance with state and Federal confidentiality requirements.

6. Research Time Frame. The evaluation began in January 2004 with the Initial Implementation Study culminating in a draft report of findings in early August 2004. Data collection for the net impact study is expected to begin in late 2004. SPRA and Mathematica will provide Occasional Papers on a flow basis during the course of the evaluation. The project is expected to conclude with an overall final report by the end of 2008.

7. Action Requested. States are requested to: (a) review and transmit the information contained in this issuance to state and local workforce partners and (b) upon request, assist SPRA in the attainment of state administrative records collection and survey activities for this research.

8. Inquiries. States seeking to participate or to obtain more information about this study may contact Mr. Daniel Ryan in ETA’s Office of Performance and Technology at (202) 693-3649 or [email protected].