,i #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ajcab ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #e1 #bjbd,ms4 ,sherrill introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to authorize workforce development innovation grants for the implementation1 expansion1 and evaluation of evidence-based workforce programs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,better ,jobs through ,evidence and ,innovation ,act4 #b4 ,evaluations and research 7a7 ,in general ,section #afi of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cbbd7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7c7 as subsection 7d72 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7b7 the following3 7c7 ,workforce development innovation fund 7#a7 ,program authorized 7,a7 ,in general ,from the amount made available pursuant to section #acb7;a77#b77;,a7 for any program year to carry out this subsection1 the ,secretary may1 on a competitive basis and in accordance with subparagraph 7,b71 award workforce development innovation grants described in subparagraph 7,c7 to eligible entities to enable such entities to-- 7i7 establish1 implement1 replicate1 or take to scale evidence-based1 field-initiated innovation programs or services for improving the design and delivery of employment and training services that generate demonstrated long-term improvements in-- 7,i7 the performance or impact of the workforce development system2 7,,ii7 earnings and employment outcomes for jobseekers 7including individuals with barriers to employment7 and earnings for employers2 and 7,,iii7 the cost-effectiveness of such innovation programs or services1 particularly for participants and communities not sufficiently served by existing models such as participants and communities in rural areas2 and 7ii7 rigorously evaluate1 through a partnership with a third-party research organization or a third-party researcher1 such innovation programs or services for effectiveness in achieving any demonstrated long-term improvements in an outcome described in subclause 7,i71 7,,ii71 or 7,,iii7 of clause 7i74 7,b7 ,grant awards 7i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary-- 7,i7 shall award grants under subparagraph 7,a7 on the basis of potential achievements of the innovation program or service proposed by the eligible entity with respect to demonstrated1 long-term improvements in an outcome described in subclause 7,i71 7,,ii71 or 7,,iii7 of subparagraph 7,a77i72 and 7,,ii7 may award under subparagraph 7,a7 different types of grants described under subparagraph 7,c7 to an eligible entity for separate innovation programs or services that meet the relevant criteria for such different types of grants4 7ii7 ,duration of award ,a grant awarded under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be awarded for a period determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 7,c7 ,description of grants ,the grants described in subparagraph 7,a7 shall1 to the extent feasible1 include-- 7i7 early-phase grants for an innovation program or service supported by any level of evidence described in clause 7i71 7ii71 or 7iii7 of subparagraph 7,d71 for the purposes of funding the development1 implementation1 and evaluation of such program or service2 7ii7 mid-phase grants for an innovation program or service supported by a moderate level of evidence or a high level of evidence 7as described in clause 7ii7 or 7iii7 of subparagraph 7,d71 respectively7 for the purposes of funding the operation1 expansion1 and continued evaluation of such innovation program or service at a single site2 and 7iii7 expansion grants for an innovation program or service supported by a high level of evidence1 as described in subparagraph 7,d77iii71 for the purposes of-- 7,i7 funding the operation of such innovation program or service at a single site2 7,,ii7 expansion or such innovation program or service to another site2 and 7,,iii7 implementation of a multi-site evaluation of such innovation program or service4 7,d7 ,level of evidence standards ,the levels of evidence described in this subparagraph are the following3 7i7 ,low level of evidence ,an innovation program or service is supported by a low level of evidence if such program or service has demonstrated1 through a reasonable hypothesis and credible research findings 7such as a correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias71 descriptive research 7such as a case study71 or evidence review and needs assessment1 the-- 7,i7 ability to achieve positive effects on earnings and employment outcomes for jobseekers 7including individuals with barriers to employment7 and earnings for employers2 or 7,,ii7 potential to achieve such effect on such outcomes4 7ii7 ,moderate level of evidence ,an innovation program or service is supported by a moderate level of evidence if such program or service has demonstrated the ability to achieve sizable1 but not yet conclusive1 positive effects on earnings and employment outcomes for jobseekers 7including individuals with barriers to employment7 and earnings for employers1 through-- 7,i7 a well-designed and well-implemented experimental study of such program or service1 such as a randomized controlled trial2 or 7,,ii7 a rigorous quasi-experimental study of such program or service capable of drawing causal conclusions about the effectiveness of such program or service4 7iii7 ,high level of evidence ,an innovation program or service is supported by a high level of evidence if such program or service has demonstrated1 through replication of studies1 the ability to achieve a substantial and statistically significant1 positive impact on earnings and employment outcomes for jobseekers 7including individuals with barriers to employment7 and earnings for employers1 through #b or more well-designed and well-implemented experimental studies of such program or service conducted-- 7,i7 at different implementation sites2 or 7,,ii7 through large1 multi-site1 randomized controlled trials4 7#b7 ,technical assistance and evaluation research ,of the funds made available to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall reserve not more than #aj percent of the funds to-- 7,a7 provide technical assistance to eligible entities1 which may include preapplication workshops1 web-based seminars1 support for conducting feasibility studies and other planning activities1 assistance with methods and requirements for purposes of evaluation research under subparagraph 7,d71 and support for improving grant implementation and the quality and effectiveness of activities and services funded by grants awarded under subparagraph 7,a71 including the use of administrative data and information to improve outcomes for participants2 7,b7 disseminate information on low-1 moderate-1 and high-evidence-based practices2 7,c7 fund staffing and other costs related to such activities2 and 7,d7 conduct evaluation research regarding activities or services funded by grants awarded under subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means an entity that is any of the following3 7i7 ,a ,state workforce development board established under section #aja 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caaa74 7ii7 ,a local workforce development board established under section #ajg 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cabb74 7iii7 ,an ,indian tribe1 tribal organization1 ,alaska ,native entity1 ,indian-controlled organization serving ,indians1 or ,native ,hawaiian organization that is eligible to receive an award under section #aff 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cbba74 7iv7 ,an institution of higher education 7as defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja774 7v7 ,a ,state workforce agency4 7vi7 ,an organization-- 7,i7 that-- 7aa7 is a community-based organization1 a nonprofit organization1 or a nongovernment organization2 and 7bb7 serves an underserved population2 or 7,,ii7 that is a national or regional organization that intends to use funds awarded under this ,act to make direct grants to an organization described in subclause 7,i74 7vii7 ,a consortium of any entities described in clause 7i7 through 7vi74 7,b7 ,field-initiated ,the term field-initiated1 with respect to a program or service1 means a program or service in which the elements of the program or service have been developed by practitioners or researchers in the policy area4 7,c7 ,innovation program or service ,the term innovation program or service means a program or service designed to demonstrate innovative and cost-effective ways to augment and improve employment and training services4 7,d7 ,well-designed and well-implemented experimental study ,the term well-designed and well-implemented experimental study means a study that-- 7i7 is replicable2 7ii7 uses programmatic and control groups that are representative of the type of population served by the program or service that is subject to the study1 including by avoiding over-selection of participants who are highly skilled prior to participation for such programmatic group2 7iii7 uses controls for aggregate shifts that might affect baseline numbers2 7iv7 does not have problems with attrition of participants from the study2 and 7v7 is conducted in a manner that is consistent with applicable evaluation1 data1 and privacy standards and practices described in-- 7,i7 the guidelines of the ,office of ,management and ,budget entitled ,guidelines for ,ensuring and ,maximizing the ,quality1 ,objectivity1 ,utility1 and ,integrity of ,information ,disseminated by ,federal ,agencies 7#fg ,fed4 ,reg4 #hdeb 7,february #bb1 #bjjb77 7or successor guidelines72 and 7,,ii7 the ,foundations for ,evidence-,based ,policymaking ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-dce2 #acb ,stat4 #eebi7 and the amendments made by that ,act4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #acb7;a77#b77;,a7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cagb7;a77#b77;,a77 is amended by striking #afi7;c7 7relating to dislocated worker projects71 and inserting #afi7;c7 7relating to the workforce development innovation fund71 #afi7;d7 7relating to dislocated worker projects71 and4