Appendix B: Glossary of Acronyms and Terms
ACC Austin Community College
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
AISD Austin Independent School District
CACI CACI is an international information systems and high-technology services corporation. The scope of the Marketing Systems division includes demographics and market research.
CAN Community Action Network
CAWDB Capital Area Workforce Development Board
DOL Department of Labor
DOT Department of Transportation
ESL English as a Second Language
GACC Greater Austin Area Chamber of Commerce
GED General Educational Development certificate
JTPA Job Training and Partnership Act
MHI Medium Household Income
MSA Metropolitan Statistical Area
RC Resource Council
TANF Temporary Aid to Needy Families
TAB Texas Association of Builders
TEA Texas Education Agency
TEA-21 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
TWC Texas Workforce Commission
UW /CA United Way / Capital Area
WIA Workforce Investment Act of 1998
Adult Basic Education For people whose skills are less than ninth-grade-level or who have limited English proficiency. These programs offer help with reading, writing, math, ESL, and other skills that can be used in the workforce, as a consumer, with government, law and health agencies, and community services.
Adult Education Program Provide assistance to people 18 years old or older, whose skills are lower than high school-level skills. These programs provide help with basic literacy, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), and preparing for the General Educational Development (GED) certificate or high school diploma.
Adult Secondary Education Helps prepare people for the General Educational Development (GED) certificate or high school diploma.
Average Household Size The number of persons in households by the number of households using. A household is an occupied housing unit.
Basic Skills Deficient With respect to an individual, that the individual has English reading, writing, or computing skills at or below the 8th grade level on a generally accepted standardized test or a comparable score on a criterion-referenced test.
Best Practice Programs, services, or processes that research or expert opinion has shown to be effective through measurable, demonstrated results.
Case Management The provision of a client-centered approach in the delivery of services, designed-- (A) to prepare and coordinate comprehensive employment plans, such as service strategies, for participants to ensure access to necessary workforce investment activities and supportive services, using, where feasible, computer-based technologies; and (B) to provide job and career counseling during program participation and after job placement.
CHOICES A TWC program that assists TANF applicants and recipients to obtain long-term employment and self-sufficiency. This is administered by the CAWDB.
Civilian Labor Force That portion of the population age 16 and older employed or actively seeking employment.
Community-based Organization A private nonprofit organization that is representative of a community or a significant segment of a community and that has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in the field of workforce investment.
Comparative Advantage Traditional economic development advantage of one city or region relative to another, e.g., Austins comparative advantage historically has included relatively low cost land; a well-skilled workforce available at competitive wages; and a desirable quality of life.
Competitive Advantage A regions economic development advantage that enables its industries to be competitive and add value relative to industries and sectors in other regions.
Developmental Disability A severe, chronic disability of an individual 5 years of age or older that is: a) attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination thereof; 2) manifested before the individual attains age 22; c) likely to continue indefinitely; d) results in substantial functional limitations in major life activities; and e) reflects the individuals need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, supports, or other assistance
Disability A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual
Dropout A student is identified as a dropout if the individual is absent without an approved excuse or documented transfer and does not return to school by the fall of the following year, or if he or she completes the school year but fails to re-enroll the following school year.
Economically Disadvantaged Students are considered economically disadvantaged when they qualify for reduced price or free meals. According to the USDA, the eligibility for reduced price meals is 185% of poverty and for free meals, 130% of poverty.
Eligibility The meeting of specific qualifications to receive certain benefits; the criteria used by public assistance programs to determine which people may receive help.
Job Training Partnership Act Provides funding for programs to help people prepare and train for jobs. Offers programs for the economically disadvantaged, older individuals, and dislocated and laid off workers.
Job-seeker Anyone who needs/seeks job employment, training and/or information services. These individuals can be seeking first, new, or better jobs.
Living Wage An earning level that supports self-sufficiency without reliance on public and private subsidies.
Medium Household Income The value that divides the distribution of household income into two equal parts. Pareto interpolation is used if the median falls in any income intervals with a width of $5,000 or more, except for the lowest income interval. For income intervals with a width of $2,500 and the lowest interval, <$5,000, linear interpolation is used.
Metropolitan Statistical Area A large population nucleus (a county or group of counties with a total population of at least 75,000 and a central city or urbanized area of at least 50,000) together with adjacent communities that have a high degree of social and economic integration within that nucleus.
Offender Any adult or juvenile (A) who is or has been subject to any stage of the criminal justice process, for whom services under this Act may be beneficial; or (B) who requires assistance in overcoming artificial barriers to employment resulting from a record of arrest or conviction.
Outcomes Specific, measurable desired changes in conditions resulting from strategies.
Population Growth Rate Average annual compound rate of change from 1990 to 1998. For example: Rate = 100*[((P98 / P90)^(1/8.25))-1].
SCANS Secretarys Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills; a Labor Department initiative to study employer needs in the marketplace. It categorizes specific employee skills required by employers.
Supportive Services A variety of services provided to a client or household to promote well-being and enable them to live as independently as possible; e.g. transportation, child care, housing
Sustainable Advantage A unique set of regional advantages that provides the economic foundations and conditions to achieve long-term economic growth, increased economic opportunities for residents, and other regional community objectives, including social, environmental, and quality of life objectives.
Texas Rehabilitation Commission Provides assessments, evaluations, counseling & guidance, medical treatment/therapy, assistive devices, training to learn job skills in a trade school, college, university, or on-the-job, and job placement services to people with disabilities and their families.
Texas Workforce Commission Services Texas through 28 employment programs and services. Provides assistance with unemployment insurance, employment listings, job placement, skill and aptitude testing, employment counseling, support services, and referrals to education and training programs.
Underemployed Having less than full-time, regular, or adequate employment
Unemployed individual An individual who is without a job and who wants and is available for work. The Department of Labor bases their unemployment rate on those receiving unemployment benefits.
Veteran An individual who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable
Work First Texas welfare reform program design that stresses employment for able-bodied adults
Wraparound Services see Supportive Services
Return to Top of Page
