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Evaluation of LWDA Board Capacity to Oversee and Manage Local
Funds and the Delivery of Local Workforce Services

Overview - The breadth of Local Workforce Development Area Board (Board) responsibilities in the Texas Workforce System requires strong financial management and service delivery practices. The Texas Legislature has charged the Texas Workforce Commission (Commission) with evaluating Board capacity to oversee and manage local funds and the delivery of local workforce services and make the results of that evaluation available.

Specifically, the Legislature charged the Commission with evaluating Board fulfillment of its responsibilities related to:

1. Developing, maintaining, and upgrading comprehensive fiscal management and accountability systems;
2. Hiring, training, and retraining qualified staff to carry out the Board's oversight function;
3. Selection and oversight of local contractors to improve delivery of workforce services;
4. Oversight and improvement of operation of local career development centers in the area served by the Board;
5. Managing contractors' performance across multiple Board programs and achieving required performance standards; and,
6. Identifying and resolving long-standing oversight problems of the Board and performance problems of contract providers.

Reference: Texas Labor Code §302.048 Assessment of Local Workforce Development Board's Capacity to Oversee and Manage Local Funds and Delivery of Services.

Evaluation Methodology - The Commission adopted Commission Rule 800.309 to address the evaluation of Board oversight capacity.

The rule provides that the Commission shall evaluate Board performance and compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and other governing provisions and make findings as appropriate with respect to six areas of responsibility listed above. As nothing demonstrates a Board's capacity to succeed as much as success itself, the Commission's evaluations focus on performance and financial outcomes rather than administrative processes.

Board capacity is rated as either "Above Standards," "Within Standards," or "Below Standards." The ratings are based on performance outcomes, disallowed costs, and findings of noncompliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and other governing provisions.

A Board is rated as Above Standards if:

• The Board's performance on 90% of contracted measures is at or above 95% of target with no single measure at less than 90% target;
• There are no disallowed costs since the prior evaluation; and
• There are no repeat findings.

A Board is rated as Within Standards if:

• The Board's performance on 80% of contracted measures is at or above 95% of target with no single measure at less than 85% of target;
• Disallowed costs do not exceed 1% of allocation;
• There are no repeat findings.

A Board is rated Below Standards if the Board is found to not be Above or Within Standards or if there are significant findings.

New Areas of Responsibility - The Commission has over the years challenged Boards to take on new responsibilities relating to workforce and business service delivery in their Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs). The Commission included a provision in the rule whereby measures related to new areas of Board responsibility may be omitted from consideration in a given year.

Reference: TAC §800.309 Commission Evaluation of Board Oversight Capacity.

Retrieve Current Board Ratings (PDF)

Retrieve BCY 08 Year-end Board Performance Reports (PDF)

Retrieve BCY 07 Year-end Board Performance Reports (PDF)

Retrieve BCY 06 Year-end Board Performance Reports (PDF)

Map of Texas showing Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs) and associated counties.