§711 — Title 29 Labor | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires the Secretary of Education to evaluate all programs under the chapter to see if they work well, are worth the cost, and connect with other programs. The Secretary must work with the Commissioner, use proper evaluation methods and standards, and make sure someone who is not directly running a program does the evaluation. The Secretary must ask program participants what they think are the strengths and weaknesses. Any studies, evaluations, proposals, or data paid for with federal money belong to the United States. Other executive branch agencies must give the Secretary any information needed for the evaluations when asked. Requires a continued long-term study of a national group of applicants to see how services affect economic and non-economic outcomes. The study must follow people from application through eligibility and services, and for not less than 2 years after services stop. It must look at why people leave or finish programs and compare similar people who did not get services. The Commissioner must find and share excellent practices and study many areas of vocational rehabilitation (for example, choice, job placement and retention, supported employment, assistive technology, and managing caseloads). The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Administration for Community Living may carry out some of these duties for parts of the chapter they oversee. Money needed to do this may be appropriated.

Title 29, §711

Labor — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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)(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)(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)(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)(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)(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)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