Sample Data Sources for Monitoring a Job-Training Program

I. Visitation of job sites to assess the following areas:

A. Compliance with the regulations, labor laws, and contract

1. Nonprofit organization status

2. Nonhazardous working conditions and duties

3. Number of hours worked

B. Supervision

1. Adequacy (What is a supervisor's role in relation to enrollee? How much of working time is supervised? How meaningful is supervision? How are supervisors' evaluation forms utilized?)

2. Handling of problems between an enrollee and a supervisor (How are they handled? How are they documented? Who is involved?)

C. Enrollees

1. Questions about or problems with job, supervisor, or counselor

2. Verified age

D. Work habits: promptness, interoffice relationships, absenteeism—who instructs the enrollee regarding these habits?

II. Discussion with counselors to assess functions: intake; supportive services; certification, testing, and other evaluation; placement at job sites; counseling services; placement in unsubsidized employment where pertinent (and documentation of such); follow-up and documentation; documentation of all other functions; coordination among agency, community, job station, and other available services needed by enrollee

III. Discussions with other staff members (job developers, remedial education teachers, and others) where pertinent

IV. Reports: written summaries of all contacts with subgrantees, counselors, supervisors, enrollees, and others will be submitted to the director of the office and to the Department of Labor

The next list presents a sample of the types of data that might typically be requested and examined during one of many monitoring visits by either internal or external (that is, the sponsor's) monitors.

Sample Data Types for Monitoring a Job-Training Program

I. Contract compliance

A. Simple review of contract

B. Review of census information for the area serviced

C. Review of invoices to date and comparison of actual monthly expenditures to what the average calculated monthly expenditures should be

D. On-site review of contract specifications

1. Enrollment figures, including client characteristics and residences, compared to contract figures

2. Staff (interview) and facilities

3. Outreach and recruitment

4. Enrollee and staff files and time sheets and intake

5. Quality of job stations and descriptions; supervisors' evaluations of enrollees

6. Job development (including placement in unsubsidized employment)

7. Termination or placement, exit interview, follow-up

8. Employability plan for enrollees; quality and relevance of training to job market

9. Assessment and orientation of staff, enrollees, and supervisors

10. Services to clients: testing, counseling, transportation, and supportive services

II. Compliance with laws, regulations, guidelines

A. Recruitment and processing of enrollees

B. Enrollee eligibility (those deemed ineligible are checked also)

C. Guidelines and regulations for economically disadvantaged people (unemployed, underemployed, or disadvantaged)

D. Enrollee civil rights and affirmative action

1. Signed statement

2. Recruitment

3. Placement

E. Enrollee time and attendance records

F. Review of waiting list and length of time for enrollees pending placement versus duration of employment possible for active enrollees

G. Department of Labor laws (federal and state), with particular attention paid to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938

1. Work permits

2. W-4 or W-4E

3. Safety conditions and working conditions

III. Exit interview: to discuss findings, obtain clarifications, feedback

IV. Reporting: findings (including documentation), corrective action necessary, follow-up visit to review implementation of corrective action

V. Availability of technical assistance: All staff are available at all times to subgrantees' clients who require or request assistance, information, and so forth. Monitors are constantly involved in technical assistance by virtue of the frequency of subgrantee visits and constant contact, either by phone or in person with program operators and staff.

As you can see, although some monitoring functions may be useful to an evaluator, much of the data they collect may be useful only to the monitors.