TWC delays vote after questions over distribution of ESEA performance outcome payments

At a Texas Workforce Commission meeting, staff presented a plan to distribute ESEA performance outcome payments to local workforce development boards, and commissioners questioned the rationale behind some reallocations.

Staff outlined three decision points: reallocate $125,202 to three boards (Panhandle, Concho Valley, Deep East) from a prior incentive, allocate roughly $1,600,000 across all 28 boards as performance and training incentives, and allocate approximately $1,300,000 to boards experiencing higher-than-normal profile pools to allow for additional staffing. Staff also said a remaining balance of $8,293 would fund TWC’s RESEA administration. "Staff recommends the commission approval of the performance outcome distribution consistent with the decision points," the staff presenter said.

Commissioners pressed staff on apparent contradictions in the plan. "It looks like 16 of 28 boards did not get to at least 70% less than half the time. Is that correct, what I'm seeing?" one commissioner asked. The commissioner later noted, "57% of the boards did not get at least 70% of their work done more than half the time," and asked why boards that struggled to meet performance thresholds were receiving additional funds.

Staff explained that the boards receiving additional funds under decision 0.3 had experienced a more-than-10% increase in customers in their profile pools and needed funding to staff up to serve that influx; staff also said it has worked with low-performing boards one-on-one to improve reporting rates.

A motion to approve the reemployment services and eligibility assessment program performance outcome payment distribution plan was made, but it failed for lack of a second and the commission agreed to revisit the issue at a later meeting. The transcript records the motion and the lack of a second; it does not show a final allocation vote.