In 2002, the Office of Management and Budget established common performance measures for the 48 federally-funded employment and training programs operated by ten different agencies. Achievement of these outcome measures must be documented using state Unemployment Insurance (UI) wage records. While the common measure requirements will change the way that both employment and training programs and state UI agencies operate, the use of common measures in general - and UI wage records in particular - may not be feasible for some specific federal programs without modifications.

With Heitech Services, Inc. as a subcontractor, BPA assessed the feasibility of the use of, and access to, Unemployment Insurance (UI) wage records by Indian and Native American (INA) workforce investment programs. This project also examined the compatibility of wage records as a data source for information on participants in both adult and youth INA programs; and developed a model estimating the costs involved in acquiring and using UI data, particularly at the local INA grantee level. In addition to conducting key informant interviews, the project team conducted a test match of INA grantee program data with relevant state UI wage records. The project team worked closely with a Technical Advisory Committee composed of INA grantees, members of the Native American Employment and Training Council, and other stakeholders.