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The Frequently Asked Questions section is maintained and updated by IMPAQ International on behalf of the National Office of Job Corps. The purpose of this section is to aid the Job Corps community in understanding the Job Corps Follow-Up Survey. The section provides answers to questions that members of the community might have regarding the process and methodology of the Follow-Up Survey. The questions in the section are sorted by topic area to allow easy navigation.
MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JOB CORPS FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS
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When will my graduate or former enrollee be surveyed?
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Why wasn't a placement credit given for my
graduate?
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How quickly are military employment credits or
wages reflected in OMS reports and initial placement reverifications?
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My graduate or former enrollee wasn't employed
when he or she took the survey (or was a college student on summer break) but
is employed now (or the semester has begun), and the 8-week eligibility window
hasn't lapsed yet; can he or she retake the survey?
-
How can I tell when one of my terminees has
entered the survey queue and his or her 8-week eligibility window has
commenced?
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Why don't my OMS-20 and POMS-20 reports agree with
the survey results showing in CTS?
GENERAL
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JOB CORPS FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS
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Why conduct post-program surveys?
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Who is being surveyed?
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What post-program surveys are being conducted?
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What information is being collected?
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Who is collecting the data?
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Is the survey mandatory?
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How long is the survey?
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When did data collection begin?
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Are samples of students used for the surveys?
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Can survey feedback be shared with contractors to
assess and improve services provided?
QUESTIONS
ABOUT CONTACT INFORMATION AND RESPONSE RATES
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What information do survey interviewers have about former enrollees and graduates?
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What role can the Job Corps community play in the
survey process?
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What are the best types of alternate contacts?
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When can alternate contact information be
updated?
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURVEY DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
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When does interviewing staff get records for the survey?
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How are graduates and former enrollees contacted
to participate in the survey?
-
When can former participants call the toll-free
number to complete a survey?
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When calling the toll-free number, should
participants leave a message?
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Should I have former students from my center call
to volunteer for the survey?
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How many times do interviewers attempt to call
former enrollees and graduates?
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What happens if former enrollees or graduates
cannot be found to complete a 90-to-120 day interview?
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What happens when 6- and 12-month surveys of
placed graduates are not completed by the end of the 8-week eligibility window?
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May a family member answer the survey for a
former enrollee or graduate?
-
As a concerned Job Corps or CTS staff member, may
I monitor a former student's survey?
-
How are transfers and readmitted students handled
in the survey process?
QUESTIONS ABOUT INITIAL PLACEMENT VERIFICATION
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Does the follow-up survey system also play a role
in the verification process for initial placement?
-
If the initial placement is questionable, does
the rest of the interview continue?
QUESTIONS CONCERNING WHAT IS CREDITED AS PLACEMENT
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If former enrollees or graduates have changed
jobs, does that job count in the follow-up outcome measures?
-
If former enrollees or graduates are on paid
leave (for example, sick leave or vacation) at the time of the survey, does
that count as working during the survey period?
-
If former enrollees or graduates are on unpaid
leave due to a temporary work shortage, bad weather, or other reasons, does
that count as working during the survey period?
-
If former enrollees or graduates are on a school
break during the week before being contacted to complete a survey, does that
count as a school placement credit?
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What happens with military placements?
QUESTIONS ABOUT PAYMENTS FOR COMPLETING THE SURVEY
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What payments are offered to former participants
for completing the survey, and who makes the payment?
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What if one of my graduates does not receive his
or her survey payment?
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May Job Corps contractors withhold items such as
class rings and other recognition of accomplishment to graduates who do not
participate in the survey?
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May Job Corps contractors offer rewards, gifts,
or prizes for survey participation?
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What specific activities are forbidden for
Job Corps contractors attempting to encourage survey participation?
QUESTIONS ABOUT SURVEY RESULTS AND WHOM TO CONTACT
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What reports will centers, CTS providers, and
vocational training programs receive?
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What can I do if I believe the survey data are
not accurate?
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Whom should I call with questions about how the
follow-up survey data are used in the Outcome Measurement System (OMS)?
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Whom do I contact if I have questions about the
post-program surveys?
MOST
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JOB CORPS FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS
1. When will my graduate or former enrollee be surveyed?
For
graduates, the survey window commences 12 weeks (90-120 survey), 24 weeks
(6-month survey), or 50 weeks (12-month survey) after the "date reported"
which is the first day that the graduate reports to work, school,
training, or the military. For placed former enrollees, the survey window
commences 12 weeks after the separation date which is the last day they
are enrolled on-center. There is an 8-week window of eligibility where the
student will be attempted to be contacted multiple times on different days
and different times of the day. In order to reach this highly mobile
population to complete the survey, it is imperative that center and CTS
staff collect good contact information.
NOTE: Re-enrolled students ("readmits") are not
surveyed.
2. Why wasn't a placement credit
given for my graduate?
The most common reasons for credit not being given when
expected are: (a) the respondent wasn't working during the survey week--the
week immediately preceding the week in which the survey was completed (weeks
run from Sunday to Saturday); (b) the respondent didn't work enough hours
during the survey week; or (c) the respondent didn't earn enough during the
survey week. Note that students who do not complete a survey cannot be
given a placement credit except as a result of a military verification for
which there is often a lag in reporting (see next question).
3. How quickly are military
employment credits or wages reflected in OMS reports and initial placement
reverifications?
The time required to confirm military placements can vary widely:
- If the respondent
confirms that he or she is enlisted in the military by completing a
survey, credits should be reflected within 6 weeks after they complete
the survey.
- If a family member
confirms that the Job Corps participant is enlisted in the military,
credits should be reflected within 6 weeks after the 8-week survey
window closes. We continue our efforts to contact the participant
throughout the 8-week window.
- If the military
confirms that the Job Corps participant was enlisted in the military
during the twenty-sixth or fifty-second week after the "date reported,"
credits should be reflected 6 to 9 months after the 8-week survey window
closes. In rare cases, that delay can be as long as 12 months or more.
4. My graduate or former enrollee
wasn't employed when he took the survey (or was a college student on summer
break) but is employed now (or the semester has begun) and the 8-week
eligibility window hasn't lapsed yet; can he or she retake the survey?
No. Survey results are final, and surveys cannot be
"retaken."
5. How can I tell when one of my
terminees has entered the survey queue and his or her 8-week eligibility window
has commenced?
Whenever a participant is queued for a follow-up
survey, a Case Note that includes the dates of the 8-week window is
posted. For graduates, the window is calculated from the "date reported";
for former enrollees it is calculated from the "separation date." [See
FAQ#1 above.]
6. Why don't my OMS-20 and POMS-20
reports agree with the survey results showing in CTS?
The most likely reason for such discrepancies is timing of
the survey; if a survey is completed near the end of the month, the results
may not be reflected until the following month's reports.
GENERAL
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JOB CORPS FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS
7. Why conduct post-program
surveys?
Follow-up surveys are conducted to:
-
Provide annual information to Congress and the Secretary of Labor on the
employment and education outcomes of Job Corps graduates and former enrollees,
as required by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
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Reverify initial placement reports
-
Report post-program outcomes about the Center, Career Transition Services (CTS)
and Vocational Training (VES) Report Cards
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Assess graduates' and former enrollees' satisfaction with their Job Corps
experiences, identify program elements that were useful to participants, and
identify factors that contributed to decisions to withdraw before graduation
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Support continuous improvement of program quality for the Job Corps system
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Verify contact information for the respondent and for alternate contacts who
may know how to reach students after the students relocate
8. Who is being surveyed?
- Former enrollees placed in a job, school, military or qualifying training programs
- Graduates placed in a job, school, military or qualifying training programs
- The military (for enlistment verification)
- Employers and schools (when participants cannot be surveyed)
9. What post-program surveys are being
conducted?
The
following post-program surveys are being conducted:
- 90-120 day survey of placed former
enrollees--Former Enrollee Survey (FES)
- 90-120 day checkpoint of placed
graduates--Interim Checkpoint For Eligibility (ICFE)
- 6-month survey of placed graduates
- 12-month survey of placed graduates
- Employer or school reverification (when placed
graduates and placed former enrollees cannot be reached to complete the
90-120-day checkpoint or the 90-day former enrollee survey)
10. What information is being collected?
The surveys collect:
- Data to reverify the initial job, school, or
other training program placements of placed graduates and former
enrollees (only in the 90-Day Former Enrollee and the 90-120-day Interim
Checkpoint for Eligibility surveys)
- Information about employment experiences last
week
- Information about educational experiences last
week
- Summary information about the work, school, and
job search activities of those who were neither working nor in school
last week
- Information about satisfaction with Job Corps
services
- Updated contact information
Modules Included in Each Survey Instrument Based on Student Type and Timing of Interview
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Placed Former Enrollees at 90 Days
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Placed Graduates at 90-120 Days
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Placed Graduates at 6 and 12 Months
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Modules Included in Each Survey Instrument
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1. Placement Reverification
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1. Placement Reverification
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2. Employment Last Week
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2. Employment Last Week
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2. Employment Last Week
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3. Education Last Week
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3. Education Last Week
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3. Education Last Week
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4. Neither Working Nor in School Last Week: Search Activities
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4. Neither Working Nor in School Last Week: Search Activities
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4. Neither Working Nor in School Last Week: Search Activities
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5. Satisfaction with Job Corps
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5. Satisfaction with Job Corps
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5. Satisfaction with Job Corps (Subset of Questions)
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6. Contact Information
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6. Contact Information (6-Month Survey Only)
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11. Who is collecting the data?
Interviewers employed by IMPAQ International, LLC
and Battelle Memorial Institute
are conducting the post-program surveys. If you are a student who needs to
determine who is collecting your data, contact your Job Corps Center. If
you are a Job Corps Operator, Center Staff, or CTS provider, please review
the case notes to determine which survey center is conducting a particular
student's survey.
12. Is the survey mandatory?
No. All former participants selected for the survey
have the right to refuse to participate in the survey and the right to be free
of coercion or undue influence to participate. Former enrollees and graduates
are informed of these rights before the start of the questionnaire.
Specifically, interviewers are required to read the following informed consent
statement to all potential survey participants:
"Before we begin the survey, we must be sure that you clearly understand a few
points. Your participation in the survey is completely voluntary. Job Corps has
obtained approval to conduct the survey from the federal government's Office of
Management and Budget. All the information that you provide will be held in the
strictest confidence and used only to assess how young people are doing since
they left Job Corps. Your answers will not be shared with anyone outside of Job
Corps in any manner that would enable someone to identify you. You may refuse
to answer any questions that you do not want to answer. However, we hope that
you will choose to answer as many questions as you can."
13. How long is the survey?
On average, the survey takes 10-15 minutes.
14. When did data collection begin?
The
6- and 12-month surveys of placed graduates began on September 14, 2001.
The data collection started with graduates who were initially placed
approximately 6 months and 12 months before September 14, 2001. The 90-120
day Interim Checkpoint for Eligibility surveys also began on September 14,
2001. The 90-120 day Former Enrollee Surveys began on September 21, 2001.
15. Are samples of students used for the surveys?
No.
Surveyors attempt to interview every placed graduate and former enrollee,
multiple times during various times of the day and evening.
16. Can survey feedback be shared with contractors to
assess and improve services provided?
IMPAQ is working to make this information available to contractors
in the future.
QUESTIONS
ABOUT CONTACT INFORMATION AND RESPONSE RATES
17. What information do survey interviewers have about former enrollees and graduates?
Interviewers use the SPAMIS database and the Survey
Support System (S3) to access participant names, addresses, telephone
numbers, placement information, and alternate contacts. Interviewers also
have the name of the Job Corps center attended, date separated, and
initial placement information.
18. What role can the Job Corps community play in the
survey process?
Admissions counselors, center personnel, records
department personnel, CTS providers, National Training Contractors, and others
can play a key role in helping Job Corps achieve high response rates to the
post-program surveys, and thus improve the overall quality of the data. Response
rates can be improved by:
- Ensuring that contact information is accurate
and up-to-date.
- Providing accurate information about the survey
process and payments for completing the survey, and encouraging
graduates and former enrollees to complete the survey when survey
interviewers contact them.
- Encouraging students to provide information for
several alternate contacts.
- Adding a casenote in the student's record with the Subject: "Email Address" and entering the student's email address.
- Assisting IMPAQ and Battelle when they
request contact information for participants.
19. What are the best types of alternate contacts?
Relatives and close friends generally are the best
alternate contacts. Female relatives tend to be better informed than male
relatives. Good alternate contacts include persons who do not live with
the participant, but who are likely to know where the participant is
living at all times. Names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses
can greatly assist our interviewers. In general, the more alternate
contacts, the better.
NOTE: Center personnel should
not be listed as alternate contacts.
20. When can alternate contact information be updated?
Updates and additions to the alternate contacts table
in OASIS, CIS, and CTS can be made as students proceed through the Job
Corps system.
- Outreach and Admissions (OA) contractors may
update the alternate contact data until students arrive on center.
- Centers may update this information
indefinitely, unless students transfer to another center, at which time
the ability to update alternate contact information shifts to the new
center.
- CTS providers and those authorized with CTS
access may update alternate contacts indefinitely, unless students'
records are transferred to another CTS provider.
QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE SURVEY DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
21. When do interviewers receive records for the survey?
New
records are added to the survey databases once a week and remain in the
databases up to eight weeks ("the 8-week window") while the interviewers
attempt to complete surveys. Records are added to the survey databases
according to the following schedule:
|
Name of Survey
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When Records Added to Survey
Database
|
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90-Day Placed Former Enrollees
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12 Weeks After Separation
|
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90-120 Day Interim Checkpoint for Placed Graduates
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12 Weeks After Initial Placement
|
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6-Month Placed Graduates
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24 Weeks After Initial Placement
|
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12-Month Placed Graduates
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50 Weeks After Initial Placement
|
Records are added to the survey databases so
that survey results can be measured on average for the desired
period. For example, records for 6-month placed graduates are added
24 weeks after the “date reported” so that the survey responses will
correspond to about 6 months (26 weeks) after the initial placement.
Therefore, participants can be interviewed as early as 24 weeks (5.5
months) and as late as 32 weeks (7.5 months) after placement.
Similarly, the 8-week window schedules the ICFE survey between 12
and 20 weeks after initial placement, and the 12-month placed
graduate survey between 11.5 and 13.5 months after initial
placement.
|
22. How are graduates and former enrollees contacted
to participate in the survey?
Interviewers attempt to contact all eligible
graduates and former enrollees by telephone. As needed, interviewers make
multiple call attempts at different times of the day and on weekends, to
complete a survey or schedule an appointment for survey completion. If
interviewers do not reach participants directly, they leave messages for
students to call a toll-free number to complete the survey.
Postcards are sent to
graduates and former enrollees by the Survey Center responsible for their
interview two weeks after they are added to the survey database. The
postcard informs them of the survey and invites them to call the toll-free
number at their earliest convenience.
23. When can former participants call the toll-free
number to complete a survey?
IMPAQ's call center is in the Eastern time zone and
conducts surveys seven days a week. No calls are made after 9 p.m.
participant's local time unless the participant has scheduled a late
appointment
The IMPAQ toll-free number is 866.554.6727 (866.55IMPAQ). Their call center is open
for call-ins as follows:
- Monday and Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Tuesday and Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time
- Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Saturday: 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Sunday: 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Battelle's
call center is in the Pacific time zone and conducts surveys seven days a
week. No calls are made after 9 p.m. participant's local time unless the
participant has scheduled a late appointment.
The Battelle toll-free number is 800.438.5862. Their
call center is open for call-ins as follows:
- Monday through Thursday: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time
- Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time
24. When calling the toll-free number, should
participants leave a message?
Yes. Participants
who have been previously contacted by survey interviewers and who
call the toll-free survey number at a time the call centers are
closed should leave a message stating that they are calling about
the Job Corps survey and leave their name, telephone number
(including the area code), and a best time to call back. It is
important that participants speak clearly, and helpful if they spell
their last name.
25. Should I have former students from my center call
to volunteer to do the survey?
To minimize confusion and to avoid overloading
the data collection process, it is important that former students not call the
toll-free numbers before they have entered the survey
window. Receipt of a Case Note for each student will verify that he
or she is in the survey window. If you receive a Case Note
announcing that a student has entered the queue and the 8-week
survey window has commenced, you may encourage the student to call
the appropriate toll-free number. But be sure that the student has
not already completed the survey, and remind the student that there
is a limited time to complete the survey before the 8-week window
lapses.
26. How many times do interviewers attempt to call
former enrollees and graduates?
When former enrollees and placed graduates
become eligible for a survey, records are active for eight weeks.
Interviewers make repeated attempts to contact survey respondents
during the eight weeks. Interviewers make a minimum of two attempts
in the first week. If interviewers do not reach participants during
this period, they make additional attempts throughout the remaining
weeks of the "survey window." Interviewers ask respondents to
complete the survey on the first call, explaining that the survey is
short and will take only a few minutes. They also leave the
toll-free number on answering machines or with other members of the
household. Interviewers schedule appointments with respondents if
necessary.
When a
phone number is unreliable, interviewers use alternate contact
information. If that information does not lead to the respondent,
interviewers make further efforts to locate respondents before the
8-week period ends. Generally, problems in reaching a participant
result from poor contact information, not from the number of calls
attempted.
27. What happens if former enrollees/graduates cannot
be found to complete a 90-to-120 day FES/ICFE interview?
For placed graduates who cannot be contacted for the
90-120-day checkpoint and for placed former enrollees who cannot be
contacted for the 90-day former enrollee survey, interviewers attempt to
conduct a brief placement reverification survey with their employer or school.
This process begins at the end of the 8-week window. At that point, records are
scheduled for employer or school reverification surveys. Interviewers have four
additional weeks to complete surveys with employers and educational
institutions. Surveys conducted with employers or school officials include only
questions that are designed to reverify initial placements.
Note: Graduates and former enrollees whose initial placement was in the
military may have their placement reverified by family members; however,
family members may furnish only contact data and not respond to any other
portion of the FES/ICFE survey.
Note: Placed graduates not contacted for the 90-120-day survey (or the
6-month survey) are still attempted to be
contacted for subsequent surveys. The Job Corps community should
continue to update OASIS, CIS, and CTS records with recent contact
data for the survey interviewers to use.
28. What happens when 6- and 12-month surveys of
placed graduates are not completed by the end of the 8-week eligibility window?
Surveys not completed by the end of the eight weeks are
coded as "not completed before expiration date," and those records are not
included in the pool for calculating the 6- and 12-month post-placement
measures. Once the eligibility window is closed, interviewers can no longer
access the record. This limitation demonstrates the importance of having the
best contact (and alternate contact) information available early in the data
collection process.
29. May a family member complete the survey for a
former enrollee or graduate?
No. All surveys
must be conducted with former enrollees or graduates, with two exceptions for family members:
(1) Family members may
complete the survey for respondents who are deaf or mute or both.
(2) Family members may
confirm military placement
reverification in the FES/ICFE surveys and may confirm employment in
the military for purposes of the 6- and 12-month surveys. Note,
however, that they may not actually complete the survey but may only
confirm employment and the implicit wage level as defined by the
National Office of Job Corps.
When family members offer to complete the
survey, interviewers stress the need to speak with respondents
directly.
NOTE: The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) MilPay is used to
verify initial placements in the military, and the U.S. Military
Processing Entrance Command (USMPEC) is used to verify employment
within the military for the 6- and 12-month surveys.
30. As a concerned Job Corps or CTS staff member, may
I monitor a former student's survey?
No. The survey is
confidential, and the interviewer will conduct the survey only if
the participant is the only person on the telephone line. If Job
Corps or CTS staff arrange for a participant to come into a Job
Corps center or CTS office to call the survey line, arrangements
must be made to allow the participant to answer the survey in
private without Job Corps or CTS personnel in the room.
31. How are transfers and readmitted students handled
in the survey process?
Transfers should be surveyed normally.
Readmitted
students--former enrollees or graduates who previously attended
another Job Corps center or the same Job Corps center more than
once--are only surveyed following their first participation in Job
Corps.
QUESTIONS
ABOUT INITIAL PLACEMENT VERIFICATION
32. Does the follow-up survey system also play a role
in the initial placement verification process?
Yes. Responses to the questions in the Employment
and School Reverification sections of the Former Enrollee Survey (FES) and the
Interim Checkpoint for Eligibility (ICFE) are used to determine whether the
initial placements are reverified or found questionable. Specifically, for
former participants placed in jobs, school, or college, the questions first
confirm that the respondents worked for the employer or were enrolled in the
educational institution. If so, then questions verify the number of hours spent
working (or attending classes) as reported on the form ETA 678. Respondents
placed in jobs must earn at least the federal minimum wage to be considered as
having a valid job placement.
If placed former participants do not complete the FES or the ICFE within the
8-week window for data collection, interviewers shift their efforts and attempt
to contact employers or educational institutions to reverify former
participants' initial placements. Interviewers have four additional weeks to
complete surveys with employers and educational institutions.
33. If the initial placement is questionable, does the
rest of the interview continue?
Yes. Even when
initial placements are found to be questionable, the entire
interview is completed. If the regional office later determines that
initial placements are invalid, data from these surveys are
subsequently excluded from Center, CTS, and Vocational Training
(VES) Report Card reports.
QUESTIONS
CONCERNING WHAT IS CREDITED AS PLACEMENT
34. If former enrollees or graduates have changed
jobs, does that job count in the follow-up outcome measures?
Yes. If former enrollees or graduates were working
or were on paid leave the week before being contacted by interviewers, were
paid for enough hours in that week for their jobs to qualify as Job Corps
placements (minimum of 20 hours for part time, and 32 hours for full time), and
earned at least the federal minimum wage, they will be considered as placed in
a job for that particular survey (6- or 12-month).
35. If former enrollees or graduates are on paid leave
(for example, sick leave or vacation) at the time of the survey, does that
count as working during the survey period?
Yes. Former enrollees or graduates who were on paid
leave are counted as working.
36. If former enrollees or graduates are on unpaid
leave due to a temporary work shortage, bad weather, or other reasons, does
that count as working during the survey period?
No. If former
enrollees or graduates were not working for pay or were not on paid
leave during the week before completing the survey, they are not
considered as having a job that meets the Job Corps definition of
placement.
37. If former enrollees or graduates are on a school
break during the week before being contacted to complete a survey, does that
count as a school placement credit?
Yes. If former
enrollees or graduates are on a short school break of up to four
weeks (for example, spring or winter break) and intend to continue
when school resumes, they are counted as enrolled or attending
school. However, former enrollees or graduates on summer vacation
during the time of the survey are not counted as enrolled in a
school program.
38. What happens with military placements?
All military placements are entered into the
survey database.
Participants who complete the survey and
indicate that they are in the military are considered to be placed
in a job during the survey week at the standard weekly earnings rate
established for all Job Corps military placements. If the participant
is not available, the survey interviewers will attempt to verify that the
participant is in the military by conducting a military verification with an
alternate contact.
If the
participant reports a job but does not indicate that it is in the
military, then the weekly earnings are determined by the
participant's answers to the survey questions.
Military placements
are verified through interviews with respondents or family members,
through the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) MilPay,
and through the U.S. Military Processing Entrance Command (USMPEC).
Job Corps
graduates in the military who complete a follow-up survey are paid
the same incentive as other graduate respondents. Persons for whom
only a military verification is completed are not eligible to
receive the incentive payments, because the full survey has not been
completed.
QUESTIONS
ABOUT PAYMENTS FOR COMPLETING THE SURVEY
39. What payments are offered to former participants
for completing the survey, and who makes the payment?
Placed graduates receive $10 for the 90-120-day
checkpoint, $15 for the 6-month survey, and $20 for the 12-month
survey. The Job Corps Data Center (JCDC) distributes payments
approximately four to six weeks after former participants complete
the survey. Former enrollees are not paid for completing the survey.
40. What if one of my graduates does not receive his
or her survey payment?
It typically takes four to six weeks after the
survey is completed before the incentive payment is sent to the
student. Students who have completed a survey and not received the
payment within six weeks should notify their Job Corps Center or CTS
Agency that they haven't received payment. Center or CTS staff
should verify the student's address, and contact the Data Center for
assistance. It is critical to determine that the system has the
correct address for the student.
Please do not have students contact the JCDC Help
Desk directly.
41. May Job Corps contractors withhold items such as
class rings and other recognition of accomplishment to graduates who do not
participate in the survey?
No. Ethical treatment of all participants is
required for all survey research conducted with federal funding. A fundamental
element in the ethical treatment of survey participants is that their agreement
to participate is valid only if they give it voluntarily and free of coercion
or undue influence. Withholding earned items from participants until they
complete the survey constitutes coercion and violates the principle of
voluntary participation.
42. May Job Corps contractors offer rewards, gifts, or
prizes for survey participation?
It is not
recommended. Job Corps pays graduates $10 - $20 for completing
each survey. [See FAQ #39] Incentives may constitute undue
influence, which is defined as excessive, unwarranted,
inappropriate, or improper rewards or inducements. If, however,
contractors offer small additional incentives, it is important that
survey participants understand that the incentive is from the contractor, to avoid participants phoning the
Call Centers to inquire about additional incentives.
43. What specific activities are forbidden for
Job Corps contractors attempting to encourage survey participation?
Job Corps staff should observe the following restrictions:
(1) Do not link the receipt of any payments,
awards, or benefits to the conduct or result of the survey. Students
must not be denied any payments, awards, or benefits for which they
are otherwise eligible through actions by others intended to
dissuade them from completing the survey.
(2) Do not inform students that they should not
participate in the survey unless they are employed or in school.
This is professionally unethical, and leads to invalid measures of
program performance.
(3) Do not coach
students how they should respond or tell students what to say so
that they will be considered to have a qualified job placement or
educational placement.
(4) Do not listen
in on the phone while the student takes a confidential survey. If
participants call the survey line from an office of a Job Corps
service provider (e.g., Center, CTS contractor), all staff should
leave the room so that the participant can answer the survey in
private.
(5) Do not ask or otherwise encourage students
whose responses to the survey result in no credit to call the survey
line to take the survey again. Once a student has completed the
survey, the Interviewer will not administer it again. If a student's
survey results in no credit, and the center or agency believes that
the student was in a qualified placement during the week preceding
the survey, the appropriate step is to file an appeal.
(6) Do not withhold known contact information for
students who do not currently have a valid job or school placement
according to Job Corps standards. This also leads to invalid outcome
measures.
QUESTIONS
ABOUT SURVEY RESULTS AND WHOM TO CONTACT
44. What reports will centers, CTS providers, and
vocational training programs receive?
Summary information will be reported in the
Center Report Card (OMS-10), CTS Report Card (POMS-10), and
Vocational Training Report Card (VES-10) for 6- and 12-month
outcomes. Supporting details (at the student level) will be provided
in the OMS-20, POMS-20, and VES-20 reports. Other specialized
reports are being designed to provide information to the field.
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Reports Available on 6- and 12-Month
Outcomes
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Centers
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CTS Agencies
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Vocational
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Summary information |
OMS-10
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POMS-10
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VES-10
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Student-level Details
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OMS-20
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POMS-20
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VES-20
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45. What can I do if I believe the survey data are not
accurate?
If you believe that the data for a student from the
6-month and 12-month surveys are incorrect and you can provide supporting
documentation, you may file an appeal with the Job Corps National Office. See
the Policy and Requirements Handbook (PRH) Chapter 5, Appendix 501,
which provides guidelines for filing appeals. And, if you have any additional
questions concerning the appeal process, please contact Aquila Branch at branch.aquila@dol.gov.
46. Whom should I call with questions about how the
follow-up survey data are used in the Outcome Measurement System (OMS)?
Questions about how the follow-up survey data
are used in various Job Corps Outcome Measurement System Report
Cards can be directed to Terry Johnson at Battelle (Johnsont@Battelle.org
or 206-528-3113), Lisa Lin at IMPAQ (llin@impaqint.com
or 443-539-1396), or Aquila Branch at the National Office of Job
Corps (branch.aquila@dol.gov
or 202-693-3211).
47. Whom do I contact if I have questions about the
post-program surveys?
If you have additional questions about the surveys or the
data collection process, please contact Lisa Lin at IMPAQ International (llin@impaqint.com
or 443-539-1396).
Note: When following up on a particular student, please never leave a student's social security number on a voicemail box.
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