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May 30, 2019
Job Corps Program: Plans to Close and Restructure Civilian
Conservation Centers (CCCs)
Background
Plans for Civilian Conservation Centers
Job Corps is administered by the Office of Job Corps in the
DOL announced plans to close 9 CCCs and restructure the
U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Employment and
remaining 15 CCCs (see Table 1) via a May 24, 2019,
Training Administration (ETA). The program consists
press release and a May 30, 2019, Federal Register notice.
primarily of 123 residential centers throughout the country
Under this plan, DOL intends to discontinue the role of the
that provide academic and employment training to
Forest Service in operating the CCCs and for DOL to
disadvantaged youth ages 16 to 24. The program’s purpose
operate these centers under contracts or via partnerships.
is to provide these youth with the skills needed to obtain
The notice specified that—as articulated by USDA—
and hold jobs in in-demand industries or the Armed Forces,
terminating the role of CCCs would “allow the Forest
or enroll in postsecondary education. In addition to
Service to prioritize its core natural resource mission to
receiving academic supports and workforce training, the
improve the condition and resilience of the nation’s
program engages youth in other services to promote their
forests.” The notice indicates that each CCC would
overall well-being. The program was originally authorized
“transition out, or be on an established plan to transition
under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-452)
out,” of the Job Corps program by September 30, 2019. The
and was most recently reauthorized by the Workforce
notice also stated that DOL relies on the closure criteria of
Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, P.L. 113-128).
“program reform and streamlining operations” as the basis
Job Corps operates on a program year (PY) basis, from July
for the closure (see subsequent discussion in the next
1 through the following June 30. In PY2017, approximately
section). News outlets report that more than 4,000 students
28,000 students were enrolled in the program.
will be affected and that approximately 1,100 Forest
Service employees may lose their jobs.
WIOA directs DOL to select on a competitive basis an
Table 1. Status of CCCs
entity—“Federal, State, or local agency, an area career and
technical education school, a residential career and
CCCs to be
technical education school, or a private organization”—to
Closed
CCCs to be Restructured
operate Job Corps centers (Section 147(a)). DOL may enter
into agreements with Indian tribes to operate Job Corps
Anaconda (MT),
Angell (OR), Boxelder (SD),
centers for Indian youth (Section 147(e)).
Blackwell (WI),
Collbran (CO),
Cass (AR),
Columbia Basin (WA), Curlew (WA),
Section 147(d) authorizes the DOL Secretary to enter into
Flatwoods (VA),
Great Onyx (KY), Harpers Ferry
an agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture to operate
Fort Simcoe (WA),
(WV), Lyndon B. Johnson (NC),
Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs) that are primarily in
Frenchburg (KY),
Jacobs Creek (TN), Mingo (MO), Pine
rural areas. The law specifies that such centers are to
Oconaluftee (NC),
Ridge (NE), Schenck (NC), Trapper
provide (in addition to academics and career and technical
Pine Knot (KY),
Creek (MT), Weber Basin (UT)
education training) “programs of work experience to
Timber Lake (OR)
Wolf Creek (OR)
conserve, develop, or manage public natural resources or
Source: DOL, press release, May 24, 2019.
public recreational areas or to develop community projects
in the public interest.” Further, enrollees in CCCs may
Note: DOL has recently entered into a grant agreement with the
Idaho Department of Labor to operate the Centennial CCC (ID).
provide assistance in addressing national, state, and local
disasters, consistent with child labor laws and regulations.
Job Corps Closure Provisions
In such instances, USDA must ensure that “enrollees are
properly trained, equipped, supervised, and dispatched
Two sections in WIOA address closures of Job Corps
consistent with standards for the conservation and
centers. Section 159(j) specifies that prior to the closure of
rehabilitation of wildlife established under the Fish and
any Job Corps center, DOL must ensure (1) that the
Wildlife Coordination Act.”
proposed decision to close the center is publicly announced
in the Federal Register or other appropriate means; (2) that
Job Corps centers are currently operated by a variety of
a reasonable comment period, not to exceed 30 days, is
entities. Of the 123 centers, 24 are CCCs that are operated
established for interested individuals to submit written
by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within USDA. DOL
comments to the DOL Secretary; and (3) that the Member
transfers funding for these centers to USDA under an
of Congress who represents the district in which a center is
interagency agreement that has been in place since 2008.
located is notified within a reasonable period of time in
The remaining 99 centers are operated by private entities,
advance of any final decision to close the center.
most of which are for-profit organizations.
Separately, Section 161(c) of WIOA required DOL to
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Job Corps Program: Plans to Close and Restructure Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs)
submit, by December 31, 2014, to four congressional
Golconda Job Corps center (FL) in 2017, citing several
committees written criteria that the DOL Secretary will use
factors related to safety and design challenges at it.
to determine when a Job Corps center is to be closed and
Program Performance
how to carry out such closure. In December 2014, DOL
submitted a report to the committees that described the
The May 30, 2019, Federal Register notice does not
steps it had taken to date to establish a closure methodology
describe any data collection efforts that informed the
via the Federal Register. With regard to CCCs, the report
closure criteria of “program reform and streamlining
additionally stated that low-performing CCCs could be
operations.” However, the press release noted that DOL
closed as a result of the closure methodology process or
“reviewed the CCCs performance and outcome
based on decisions made jointly by the DOL and USDA
measurements, internal controls, capacity and proximity,
Secretaries.
costs, and ongoing needs of each CCC” relative to the
Closure Criteria
overall program. The press release also stated that
discontinuing USDA’s role would serve a greater number
DOL has published notice about the closure criteria, and
of students at higher-performing centers at a lower cost.
changes to those criteria, in multiple Federal Register
WIOA, its accompanying regulations, and the Job Corps
notices between January 2013 and May 2019. The four
Policy and Requirements Handbook (PRH) outline how
main closure criteria are outlined below. As specified in the
DOL is to evaluate program performance.
May 30, 2019, Federal Register notice, a closure may be
based on any one of the four criteria, even if a center
Section 159(c) of WIOA directs DOL to establish expected
qualifies for closure under more than one criterion.
levels of performance for the program and individual
centers that are related to the six primary indicators of
Program Reform and Streamlining Operations: This
performance under Section 116 of the law. These indicators
refers to efforts to close a center or group of centers to
address entry into education; training or unsubsidized
advance the overall management and operation of Job
employment; median earnings; obtaining a recognized
Corps. This criterion closes centers for the purpose of
postsecondary credential or secondary school diploma;
focusing program resources on higher performing
participating in an education or training program that leads
centers and improving student access to these centers,
to a credential or employment; and program effectiveness in
increasing cost efficiency, and enhancing the geographic
serving employers. According to the most recent version of
match between student demand for the program and
the PRH, DOL has not fully implemented these
availability of centers. DOL is using this criteria as the
performance indicators for Job Corps. DOL instead uses
basis for closing the nine CCCs.
what is known as the OMS Center Report Card to evaluate
Performance Over Time: This criterion relies on three
performance of each center across multiple indicators
factors to determine whether to close a center: (1) the
(related to school and employment) and to rank the centers.
overall performance of the center, based on the Outcome
Section 159(f) of WIOA specifies that DOL must conduct
Measurement System (OMS) Center Report Card (as
an annual assessment of the performance of each center.
described in the next section); (2) on-board strength
Further, if a center fails to meet the six primary indicators
(OBS), or a rating that demonstrates the extent to which
of performance (or other expected levels of performance),
a center operates at full capacity in terms of student
the DOL Secretary must develop and implement a
enrollment; and (3) the facility condition index (FCI),
performance improvement plan (PIP) or similar plan over a
which refers to the condition of residential and learning
one-year period to improve center performance. If a CCC
facilities at these centers. DOL is to give centers a rating
fails to improve on measures of performance within three
based on data over five program years. DOL used this
years, DOL, in consultation with USDA, shall select an
rating system as the justification for closing the Treasure
entity to operate the CCC on a competitive basis.
Lake CCC (OK) in 2014, Ouachita CCC (AR) in 2016,
and the Golconda CCC (IL) in 2018.
The regulations (20 C.F.R. §686.1070) further expand on
when DOL will use PIPs. A center is considered as failing,
Joint Decision of the DOL and USDA Secretaries to
and therefore eligible for a PIP, based on whether DOL has
Close a CCC: A joint decision by the Secretaries to
implemented the WIOA performance measures. If these
close a CCC must take into account past efforts to
measures have not been implemented, a center is
improve the center’s deficiencies, the prospect for
considered failing if it is ranked in the lowest 10% of
improving those deficiencies, the impact on the mission
centers for the most recent program year and it has a report
and workforce of both departments, and the purpose and
card score of 88% or less of the national average of all
goals of the Job Corps program. This criterion does not
scores. If the WIOA performance indicators have been
limit the DOL’s authority to propose closing a CCC
implemented, the center is considered failing if it is ranked
based on other closure criteria, regardless of whether the
in the lowest 10% of centers for the most recent program
Secretaries jointly agree to close it.
year and it fails to achieve an average of 90% on the
expected level of performance for all of the primary
Evaluation of Effort: This refers to closure based on an
indicators.
evaluation of the effort required to provide a high-
quality education and training at the center, and not for
Adrienne L. Fernandes-Alcantara, Specialist in Social
reasons related to chronic low performance or
Policy
agreement of the Secretaries. Other reasons could
include the condition of the facility and the impact of
IF11236
one-time events. DOL used this rationale to close the
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Job Corps Program: Plans to Close and Restructure Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs)
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