Summary of Texas Performance Review Recommendations

Breaking the Mold, the first Texas Performance Review (TPR) report, published in 1991, contained only two workforce issues. Against the Grain, published in 1993, contained ten workforce development recommendations, all but one of which as included in the Education chapter. At the time, the TPR report still did not even have its own separate chapter devoted to workforce development issues.

Gaining Ground, released for the 1995 Legislative session, however, contained the most intensive focus on workforce issues of any of the TPR reports. An entire chapter, published as the first chapter in the report, was dedicated to recommendations for reforming the state's workforce system. In Gaining Ground, TPR recommended consolidating the state's workforce programs into a single agency, in the wake of the Texas Commission on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness' failure to do so in 1993-4.

The Legislature enacted the measure in 1995, creating the Texas Workforce Commission. Disturbing the Peace, published for the 1997 session, also devoted an entire chapter to workforce issues. In 1999, Challenging the Status Quo contained no recommendations on the state's workforce development system.

Challenging the Status Quo (1999)

The 1999 TPR report contained no recommendations concerning the state's workforce development system.

Disturbing the Peace (1997)

This 1997 TPR report contained seven recommendations that offered ways to refine workforce reforms enacted in 1995. All were adopted either through legislation or memoranda of understanding and are listed below.

• Clearly communicate local workforce board performance expectations.

• Improve training and technical assistance for local workforce boards.

• Maximize adult literacy education funds by transferring the program from the Texas Education Agency to TWC.

• Improve the state tax refund for businesses that employ recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children by modifying the insurance coverage requirements for businesses.

• Establish a Texans Work program to provide full time on-the-job training with a minimal stipend from businesses.

• Establish child-care training centers for recipients of public assistance.

• Increase supported employment at state agencies.

Gaining Ground (1995)

This TPR report focused intensely on workforce issues. Gaining Ground recommended consolidating the state's workforce programs into a single agency as TPR had recommended in 1993.

The idea was to move toward a voucher system to give clients the ability to select the providers and programs best suited to their needs. Local boards would design a service delivery method for their area, and the new state workforce agency would be responsible for developing the information management system needed by government, business and individuals seeking education, training, and jobs.

TPR also recommended the new agency develop and update industry-based skill standards for all vocational education and workforce development programs. TPR's recommendations resulted in the passage of HB 1863, which created the Texas Workforce Commission and the Skills Standards Board.

HB 1863 also included TPR's recommendations to use Job Opportunity and Basic Skills funds for teen parents, to create a statewide system of adult learning labs for public assistance recipients, to improve literacy levels by encouraging cable companies to broadcast the best literacy programs and distribute the best literacy videos to school districts, and provide supported employment to Texans with disabilities.

Gaining Ground also recommended and the Legislature agreed to create the Skills Development Fund to serve as a source of startup and emergency funds for community and technical colleges that offer customized training programs.

Gaining Ground also recommended establishing a permanent "rainy day"; account for the Smart Jobs programs (which adopted two sessions later),making post-secondary technical education more responsive to state labor market demands (not adopted), and improving the state's collection of follow-up data for vocational education programs (not adopted).

Against the Grain (1993)

This TPR report contained ten workforce development recommendations. Of these ten, five recommended strengthening secondary and post-secondary vocational education, and three recommended targeting children and youth. One recommended creating a fund to assist dislocated workers, and, most importantly, TPR recommended consolidating economic and workforce development programs into a new agency.

Only one of the vocational education recommendations was adopted, making the Texas State Technical College eligible for funding from the Higher Education Assistance Fund, a fund for colleges and universities that are ineligible for Permanent University Fund proceeds.

The recommendation to create a fund to assist dislocated workers also was adopted and became the Smart Jobs program at the Texas Department of Economic Development. The Legislature established a youth apprenticeship grants program and directed the Department of Human Services to use certain school district funds as a match for federal at-risk child care funds. The Legislature decided against creating a Texas Youth Corps.

While the Legislature decided against consolidating workforce development programs into a single agency, it did pass SB 642 creating the Texas Commission on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness(TCWEC). TCWEC was charged with developing a plan on how to consolidate the state's workforce programs and set the stage for the next legislative session when HB 1863, reforming the state's workforce development system, was passed.

Breaking the Mold (1991)

The first Texas Performance Review (TPR) report contained only two workforce recommendations. However, these were substantial. One recommended consolidating the governance and administration of vocational education programs with adult education. The second recommended integrating workforce development programs by transferring the Job Training partnership Act program (JTPA) and the Senior Texas Employment Program (STEP) to the Texas Employment Commission.

At the time, JTPA was housed at the Texas Department of Commerce and STEP was housed at the Department on Aging. Both recommendations recognized the failure of workforce programs with similar clients and missions to integrate and coordinate for greater effectiveness; however, neither recommendation was adopted.