| SWTCIE Demonstration Project |
| Staff Records Collection Guide |
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| Introduction and Instructions |
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| Please scroll down to read all instructions. |
| The Disability Innovation Fund: Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) Innovative Model Demonstration implementation study aims to assess the operations of each project. The analysis will inform how projects deliver core components of services to participants; engage organizations such as 14(c) certificate holders, other employers, and service providers; and advance systems change. For the implementation analysis, we will examine project structure, including partners, staff, and design. |
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| What is this staff records collection guide? |
| The staff records collection guide is designed to gather information about staff characateristics and qualifications and to document staff roles and retention. We ask that you include vendors and subcontractors who are critical to offering SWTCIE services (front line or direct line staff). |
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| How is the staff records collection guide organized? |
| The staff records collection guide is divided into two sections: (1) staff hiring, retention, and turnover; and (2) staff characteristics. The two sections are combined in the "Data requested" tab in this Excel workbook. You can complete each section in the tab either row by row, or complete each section for everyone and then move to the next section. |
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| What time period does the staff records collection guide cover? |
| Please report staff who delivered services between September 2023 and August 2024 (in project year 3); between September 2024 and August 2025 (in project year 4); and between September 2025 and August 2026 (in project year 5). We expect that later years will include many of the same staff as previous years. Please provide updates on new staff and current staff to ensure all information is accurate each time you submit the records. |
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| What information or records will I need to complete the staff records collection guide? |
| You will need to provide information about vocational rehabilitation agency staff, and depending on your staffing model may also need to provide information about vendors' or subcontractors' staff. Please complete the information to the best of your ability. If you need additional information from external partners, please plan to collect that information from them in a secure manner. It may be helpful to review the entire staff records collection guide before starting to gather the required information. (To print the entire guide, click Print and select the Entire workbook option under Print settings.) |
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| Who should complete the staff records collection guide? |
| A person who is familiar with vocational rehabilitation agency staffing information, including job titles and hire dates, should have primary responsibility for completing the guide. This person may need to consult with other people in the agency or external organizations to gather information required to address some questions such as staff characteristics. They may need to share a blank copy of the spreadsheet with external organizations or send out a poll to collect the appropriate information. |
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| How do I move through the staff records collection guide? |
| Both sections of the staff records collection guide appear in the same tab in this workbook. Click on the "Data requested" tab below to view and complete each section of the guide. In each section, enter information or select answers in the appropriate fields. Some fields contain drop-down lists to select responses (indicated by the entry "Click here and select from list"). You can use the tab key or mouse button to move between answer fields. You can view definitions of the fileds in the "Definitions" tab. Please save your work frequently to ensure your answers are recorded. |
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| What should I do when I have completed entering information into the staff records collection guide? |
| When you have completed entering information into the guide, please upload the workbook to the file transfer site. |
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| How will staff records be used? |
| The study team will use the staff records to document staff roles and retention, and calculcate full-time equivalent counts, retention, and turnover statistics between project years.The personally identifiable information (PII) requested on this form is collected as authorized by Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, P.L. 117-103 Rehabilitation Services, March 15, 2022. The researchers conducting this study follow the confidentiality and data protection requirements, as required by law. Your responses will be kept private and used only for research purposes. Your responses will be combined with the responses of other respondents and no individual names will be reported. While there are no direct benefits to participants and participation is voluntary, your participation will help us learn how states can help increase employment for people with disabilities. While your information will not be disclosed outside of the Department, there may be circumstances where information may be shared with a third party, such as a Freedom of Information Act request, court orders or subpoena, or if a breach or security incident would occur affecting the system, etc. |
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| Thank you for your participation in this important activity. If you have questions about how to complete the staff records collection guide or the study methods, please contact the Mathematica staff member who sent you the guide. |
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| This guide was prepared by Mathematica with support from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. |
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| Public Burden Statement |
| According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1820-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this individual collection, or if you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form, application, or survey, please contact Diandrea Bailey, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue Washington, DC 20202 directly. |
| Purpose for collecting data |
Data element |
Definition and purpose |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Staff name |
Report staff name for each front line/direct line staff delivering SWTCIE services as of the reporting date if possible, or initials. Include one row per staff. The purpose of collecting this information is to track hiring, retention, and turnover between project years 3 and 5. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Employer |
Report the name of the employer. The purpose of collecting this information is to understand whether staff delivering services are employed by the state VR agency, 14(c) certificate holder, or other entity. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Job title (Role supporting SWTCIE project) |
Report the job title of the staff. If they have multiple job titles, include the title relevant to the SWTCIE project. If they have multiple titles relevant to the SWTCIE project, include them all. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Hire date |
Report the date staff was hired at the agency (or into their current job title). The purpose of collecting this information is to track hiring, retention, and turnover between project years 3 and 5. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Start date in role on SWTCIE project |
Report the start date in the staff person's current role on the SWTCIE project (corresponding to their job title). This might be the same as the hire date or it might be later than the hire date if the staff shifted into working on the SWTCIE project after they were hired. The purpose of collecting this information is to track hiring, retention, and turnover between project years 3 and 5. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Position end date |
Report termination date, if applicable. Leave blank in project year 3 (only include people currently working on the project). Leave blank if not applicable. The purpose of collecting this information is to track hiring, retention, and turnover between project years 3 and 5. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Reason for staff departure |
Report the reason for staff departure, if applicable. Leave blank in project year 3 (only include people currently working on the project). Leave blank if not applicable. If applicable, select reason: (1) termination, (2) medical leave, (3) staff vacated position, (4) other. The purpose of collecting this information is to track hiring, retention, and turnover between project years 3 and 5. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Percent of time dedicated to SWTCIE project (out of 100% FTE) |
Report percentage of full time equivalent (FTE) time dedicated to the SWTCIE project. For example, if a staff works part-time for 30 hours a week, and typically works 16 hours a week on the SWTCIE project, please respond 40% (16/40 hours). The purpose of this information is to understand the amount of staff time dedicated to the project. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
Currently serving non-SWTCIE participants? (Y/N) |
Indicate whether staff currently provide services to people other than SWTCIE participants, such as other VR clients. Report Yes or No only in this element. The purpose of this information is to understand staff workload. |
| Staff hiring, retention, and turnover |
If Yes, specify other participant population |
Specify population of people that staff serve, if staff currently provide services to people other than SWTCIE participants. This might include non-SWTCIE VR clients or other people with disabilities. The purpose of this information is to understand staff workload. |
| Staff characteristics |
Highest degree obtained |
Include highest educational degree obtained: (1) high school diploma or equivalent, (2) associate degree or some college, (3) bachelor's degree, (4) master's degree, (5) other |
| Staff characteristics |
Certifications completed relevant for the SWTCIE project to date |
Include certifications completed to support their work on the SWTCIE project, such as Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) training on customized employment or on supported employment or Communinity Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) certification, since Fall 2022.
In later years, we will ask for certifications completed in the past year. |
| Staff characteristics |
Trainings completed relevant for the SWTCIE project to date |
Include trainings completed to support their work on the SWTCIE project since Fall 2022.
In later years, we will ask for trainings completed in the past year. |
| Staff characteristics |
Months/years of experience providing services to people with disabilities prior to SWTCIE |
Report years (or months if less than one year) of work experience providing services to people with disabilities in whole numbers as of the reporting date/year. For example, if staff began their career in the field in 2010 and began on the SWTCIE project in 2025, please respond 15 years. |