South Dakota

South Dakota

Programs and People: 

John Anderson
Division of Workforce Training Director
South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulations
701 Governors Drive,
Pierre, South Dakota 57501
Phone: (605) 367-5300 x 1801239
John.Anderson@state.sd.us

Assessments: 

ABE: TABE 11 & 12
ESL: BEST Plus; BEST Literacy

Data Systems: 

Literacy, Adult and Community Education System (LACES) by LiteracyPro Systems, Inc.

Followup Methods: 

GED/High School Equivalency Diploma: Data Match
Employment: Data Match
Transition to Postsecondary Education or Training: Data Match

Data Tools for Monitoring and Program Improvement: 

Processes of data collection, entry, reporting, and security are verified for compliance during site visits, through continuous desk monitors, and via sub-recipients' quarterly reports.

  • Generally during onsite visits, the required student-file documentation (including intake form, program of study, assessments, and release-of-information signature) is randomly verified. Furthermore, the MIS has functionality which allows the agency and the providers to generate detailed reports for analyzing participants, dates, FY hours, hours-between-assessment, test-instruments, levels, forms, scale scores, measurable skills gains, periods of participation, completions, and more.
  • Desk monitoring typically provides the agency ample opportunity to identify data-related issues and to correct policy-related procedures. Because of the state's program-size, consistent and constant contact with the local providers' data specialists is commonplace.
  • Quarterly reports from each provider are reviewed for accuracy by reconciling aggregate information, data sets, and individual records within the MIS. The state agency also uses customized queries, student diagnostics, dashboards, and fiscal-year searches to verify the accuracy of local reports.

In addition to the regular [plenary] webinar trainings, PY2018 marked the seventh year the state has delivered provider-specific webinar reviews; each sub-recipient has the opportunity to schedule 45-minute sessions with the state and the vendor to explore local data-quality issues (without their statewide colleagues in attendance).

This approach has afforded the state, the MIS vendor-trainers, and the respective local providers the means to scrutinize topics in highly specific context, while often building rapport and eliciting more effective communication.

State Tools and Resources: 

South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation’s WIOA Title II Program
https://dlr.sd.gov/workforce_services/wioa/default.aspx

South Dakota Association for Lifelong Learning
http://sdall.org/

FEATURED RESOURCES

Explore featured resources related to WIOA and the NRS including: state guidance, reporting, and external WIOA resources.

Reporting Measurable Skill Gains (MSG) Types 3, 4, and 5

NRS Technical Assistance (TA) Guide—Revised March 2021

WIOA and NRS Resources

Distance Education Tips

NRS Reporting Tables