Date in History : May 07, 1997
The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) administers
programs and activities designed to help veterans obtain
employment and training assistance. Recently, policymakers have
focused increasing attention on VETS and its programs, advocating
changes to the structure and administration of the program and in
the way it assesses program performance. This testimony discusses
VETs’ efforts to improve its performance measurement system. VETS
has proposed changes to its performance measurement system that
will move it closer to implementing an effective accountability
system. However, additional changes are needed so that VETS can
effectively determine whether its programs and services are
fulfilling its mission. VETS continues to send a mixed message to
states about what services to provide and to whom. In addition,
two of the proposed measures may provide nearly identical
results, and neither helps VETS to monitor whether more intensive
services are being provided to veterans or whether these services
are successful. Furthermore, through its planning documents and
proposed performance measures, VETS continues to inconsistently
identify the groups of veterans that it wants states to help.