As outlined in our statute, the biennial work plan is developed by the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee and the Division Director, with input from staff. Requests for program evaluations must come from a member of the General Assembly. The Division Director will review the requests in light of staff capacity and the current work plan and will make a recommendation to the Oversight Committee as to alterations of the work plan. Any project required by state law automatically amends the work plan.

 

2013–15 Approved Work Plan (Updated August 23, 2013)

Projects Currently Underway:

UNC System Administration. This project will examine how recent budget cuts to the UNC System have affected spending on administration, compare administration costs across institutions, and examine the span of control of UNC administrators.

Feasibility of a Local Governance Model of K–12 Education. This project will review the potential costs and benefits of implementing a local education governance model similar to the Douglas County, Colorado system.

Department of Public Instruction Operations. This project will examine the effectiveness and efficiency of the Department of Public Instruction's management and operations including: business and finance functions; technology services; curriculum, instruction, and accountability services; and academic services and instructional support.

Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management Services Funds. This project will review state-administered funds related to fire, rescue, and emergency management services (EMS) departments, including the eligibility criteria for these funds, benefits received, and oversight of funds.

Local Child Support Enforcement Programs. This project will evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of county child support enforcement programs, including compliance with federal requirements.

Review of Adult Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs, Prescription Drug Abuse, and Programs for Veterans. Session Law 2013-360, Section 12F.7.(b) requires the Program Evaluation Division to evaluate Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Programs. PED will also review State programs to prevent abuse of prescription drugs. Because prescription drug abuse is a growing problem among injured veterans, PED will inventory and describe all drug and other State programs for Veterans and their families.

 

Projects Pending:

Return on Investment from Pre-Kindergarten Programs in NC. This project will examine the costs and benefits of pre-kindergarten programs in North Carolina and compare the return on investment of different programs in order to inform funding decisions, taking as an example the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) cost-benefit analysis model and how its results informed that state's policy and budget decisions.

Pilot Program for Overnight Respite Services Provided by Adult Day Care Facilities. Session Law 2011-104 requires the Program Evaluation Division to evaluate the provision of overnight respite services in adult day care programs through the experiences of the pilot program authorized by this legislation including measuring the success of the pilot. Mandated due date: October 1, 2014.

Review of State Agency Supplemental Post-Tax Benefits. This project will examine the supplemental post-tax benefits that North Carolina state agencies offer beyond NCFlex pre-tax options and compare the supplemental options available to North Carolina state employees compared to other states' public employees, and will subsequently determine if the process for selecting supplemental benefits results in the best coverage for the cost.

Review of the Retiree Health Benefit Fund. This project will compare North Carolina's state employee health plan to national standards and to other state retiree health plans.

Privatization Potential of State Government Programs. This project will develop a process for identifying and evaluating feasible opportunities for privatizing state government programs and services and identify government activities that may be most appropriate for privatization.

Passenger Rail in North Carolina. This project will review existing State programs providing or promoting passenger rail transport and potential for its expansion in North Carolina.

Unused, Underutilized, and Surplus Property. This project will examine the efficiency and effectiveness of the legal and administrative process for identifying and disposing of underutilized or surplus real property owned and maintained by state agencies and universities.

State IT Life Cycle Process. This project will determine if state processes for developing information technology systems meet standards and industry best practices and examine statewide oversight of these processes.

Analysis of Sales, Proceeds, and Expenses of the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. This project will evaluate whether the North Carolina State Lottery Commission is providing the maximum benefit to the State by examining the Commission's existing revenue-generating strategies and efforts to reduce costs.

Feasibility of a Single Occupational Licensing Agency. This project is required by Session Law 2013-413, Section 10.(a). This project will evaluate the structure, organization, and operation of the various independent occupational licensing boards and consider the feasibility of establishing a single State agency to oversee the administration of all or some of the occupational licensing boards.

Non-Insurance Activities of the Department of Insurance.This project is required by Session Law 2013-360, Section 22.6.(a). This project will examine the licensure fees for occupations regulated by the Department of Insurance that are not directly related to the insurance industry (bail bondsmen, motor clubs, and collection agencies).

Duplicative IT Projects.The Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee will review results of a study of IT project duplication by the State CIO required by the appropriations act. After review, the Committee may direct PED to evaluate duplication and overlap in information technology (IT) initiatives throughout all state agencies and review the Office of Information Technology Services' (ITS) oversight and management to prevent future duplication of IT initiatives.

Community Care of North Carolina Review.The Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee will review results of a study of CCNC by the State Department of Health and Human Services required by the appropriations act. After review, the Committee may direct PED to examine previous cost-savings estimates and provide a reanalysis of savings.