PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Require the Secretary of Education, working with the Commissioner, to evaluate all programs covered by this chapter to make them work better. The evaluations must check how well programs work compared to their cost, how they affect other programs, and how services are delivered. The Secretary must set standards and use proper research methods. Someone who is not directly running a program must do each evaluation. The Secretary must ask program participants for their opinions. Studies, evaluations, proposals, and data paid for with federal money become the property of the United States, and other federal agencies must provide information the Secretary needs when asked. Keep a long-term study that follows a national sample of applicants to see how services affect economic and other outcomes. The study must look at who drops out or completes programs, factors inside and outside the program that affect results, and compare similar people who did not get services. It must follow people from application through services and for at least 2 years after services end. The Commissioner must find and share model practices in vocational rehabilitation (covering things like choice, satisfaction, job placement and retention, supported employment, services for specific disabilities, financing personal assistance, assistive technology, partner agreements, standards for community programs, moving to integrated employment, and caseload management). The Department of Health and Human Services can carry out the Secretary’s evaluation duties, and the Administration for Community Living can carry out the Commissioner’s role for independent living services. Congress may provide the money needed.

Title 29, §711

Labor, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Statement of purpose; standards; persons eligible to conduct evaluations

For the purpose of improving program management and effectiveness, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner, shall evaluate all the programs authorized by this chapter, their general effectiveness in relation to their cost, their impact on related programs, and their structure and mechanisms for delivery of services, using appropriate methodology and evaluative research designs. The Secretary of Education shall establish and use standards for the evaluations required by this subsection. Such an evaluation shall be conducted by a person not immediately involved in the administration of the program evaluated.

(b)Opinions of participants; data as property of United States; availability of information

(1)In carrying out evaluations under this section, the Secretary of Education shall obtain the opinions of program and project participants about the strengths and weaknesses of the programs and projects.

(2)The Secretary of Education shall take the necessary action to assure that all studies, evaluations, proposals, and data produced or developed with Federal funds under this chapter shall become the property of the United States.

(3)Such information as the Secretary of Education may determine to be necessary for purposes of the evaluations conducted under this section shall be made available upon request of the Secretary of Education, by the departments and agencies of the executive branch.

(c)Longitudinal study

(1)To assess the linkages between vocational rehabilitation services and economic and noneconomic outcomes, the Secretary of Education shall continue to conduct a longitudinal study of a national sample of applicants for the services.

(2)The study shall address factors related to attrition and completion of the program through which the services are provided and factors within and outside the program affecting results. Appropriate comparisons shall be used to contrast the experiences of similar persons who do not obtain the services.

(3)The study shall be planned to cover the period beginning on the application of individuals with disabilities for the services, through the eligibility determination and provision of services for the individuals, and a further period of not less than 2 years after the termination of services.

(d)Information on exemplary practices

(1)The Commissioner shall identify and disseminate information on exemplary practices concerning vocational rehabilitation.

(2)To facilitate compliance with paragraph (1), the Commissioner shall conduct studies and analyses that identify exemplary practices concerning vocational rehabilitation, including studies in areas relating to providing informed choice in the rehabilitation process, promoting consumer satisfaction, promoting job placement and retention, providing supported employment, providing services to particular disability populations, financing personal assistance services, providing assistive technology devices and assistive technology services, entering into cooperative agreements, establishing standards and certification for community rehabilitation programs, converting from nonintegrated to competitive integrated employment, and providing caseload management.

(e)Authorities and responsibilities of Secretary of Education and Commissioner

(1)The Secretary of Health and Human Services may carry out the authorities and shall carry out the responsibilities of the Secretary of Education described in subsections (a) and (b).

(2)The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living may carry out the authorities and shall carry out the responsibilities of the Commissioner described in subsections (a) and (d)(1), except that, for purposes of applying those subsections, a reference in those subsections to exemplary practices shall be considered to be a reference to exemplary practices concerning independent living services and centers for independent living.

(f)References to “this chapter”

(1)In subsections (a) through (d), a reference to “this chapter” means a provision of this chapter that the Secretary of Education has authority to carry out; and

(2)In subsection (e), for purposes of applying subsections (a), (b), and (d), a reference in those subsections to “this chapter” means a provision of this chapter that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has authority to carry out.

(g)Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to this section were contained in section 713 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–220. A prior section 711, Pub. L. 93–112, § 12, as added Pub. L. 95–602, title I, § 122(a)(10), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2985; amended Pub. L. 99–506, title I, § 104, title X, § 1001(a)(4), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1811, 1841; Pub. L. 100–630, title II, § 201(e), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3304; Pub. L. 102–569, title I, § 105, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4361, related to administration of this chapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–220, title IV, § 403, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1093. See section 709 of this title. A prior section 14 of Pub. L. 93–112 was renumbered section 16 and is classified to section 713 of this title. Another prior section 14 of Pub. L. 93–112 was classified to section 713 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–220.

Amendments

2014—Pub. L. 113–128, § 407(a)(1), inserted “of Education” after “Secretary” wherever appearing. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 113–128, § 407(a)(3)(A)–(C), designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated subsec. (c) as par. (2), and redesignated subsec. (d) as par. (3). Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 113–128, § 407(a)(3)(D), redesignated subsecs. (e) and (f) as (c) and (d), respectively. Former subsecs. (c) and (d) redesignated pars. (2) and (3), respectively, of subsec. (b). Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 113–128, § 407(a)(4), added subsecs. (e) and (f). Former subsecs. (e) and (f) redesignated (c) and (d), respectively. Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 113–128, § 407(a)(2), inserted “competitive” after “nonintegrated to”.

§711 Evaluation