SNAP Employment and Training Program Monitoring, Oversight and Reporting Measures

The interim final rule, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) Program Monitoring, Oversight and Reporting Measures, was published in the Federal Register on March 24, 2016. States are required to include reporting measures in their E&T State Plans for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2017.

The National Reporting Measures (7 CFR 273.7)

The interim rule establishes five separate reporting measures and requires state agencies to report annual outcome data to monitor the effectiveness of their SNAP E&T programs. State agencies are also required to identify appropriate reporting measures for each proposed component that will serve a threshold number of 100 participants per year. State agencies must identify reporting measures for these components in their state E&T plans.

State agencies must report the outcome data in an annual report which is due January 1 each year. The annual report must contain the following information for the federal fiscal year ending the preceding September 30. The first report will be due Jan. 1, 2018.

• The number and percentage of E&T participants and former participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after completion of participation in E&T;
• The number and percentage of E&T participants and former participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after completion of participation in E&T;
• The median quarterly earnings of all the E&T participants and former participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after completion of participation in E&T; and
• The number and percentage of participants that completed a training, educational, work experience or an on-the-job training component. 
• The number of all E&T participants who:
  1. Are voluntary vs. mandatory participants;
  2. Have received a high school degree (or GED) prior to being provided with E&T services;
  3. Are able- bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs);
  4. Speak English as a second language;
  5. Are male or female;
  6. Are within each of the following age ranges: 16-17, 18-35, 36-49, 50-59, 60 or older.
• Of the number and percentage of E&T participants to be reported in the first four measures above, a disaggregation of the number and percentage of those participants by the characteristics listed in a, b, and c. A participant may have more than one characteristic.

Individual Component Measures

State agencies must also include reporting measures for individual E&T components that are projected to have 100 or more participants throughout the year in their FY 2017 E&T plans. State agencies must report the outcome data in the first annual report which is due Jan. 1, 2018. FNS will review and approve the measures as part of the normal E&T plan review process.

Pledge States

State agencies that have committed to offering all at-risk ABAWDs participation in a qualifying activity and have received an additional allocation of funds must also provide information concerning ABAWDs in the annual report.

Next Steps

FNS is hosting a webinar for state agencies on April 13, 2016, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm EST. Additional information on this webinar is forthcoming. In addition, FNS will issue more detailed guidance and Q&As on this rule following the webinar. Regions should send any questions they would like addressed in the Q&As to Loretta Robertson at Loretta.robertson@fns.usda.gov. 

State agencies that have questions regarding this memorandum should contact their respective FNS regional office representative. 

Moira Johnston
Director
Office of Employment and Training