Program performance measures constitute an integral part of the Governor’s annual budgeting program.  The performance measures presented in the FY 2008 Budget represent an ongoing process of developing and tracking program performance measures for state decision-makers to evaluate annually.  Working proactively with 44 departments and agencies, the budget document now includes 225 program performance measures.  All executive branch agencies and most other government offices update program performance measures annually.  These measures are included on the agency and program financing pages in the budget document and are described in further detail here.

Program performance measures are used as internal management tools, and as a means to publicly communicate progress being made toward achieving the goals of government. The Governor, departments and agencies develop program performance measures in a continuing process that begins with agreement on strategic roles and missions. In the majority of cases, departments and agencies are now past this initial stage and annually refine and update performance measures as part of each year's budget submission.

The process remains iterative as missions, goals and objectives evolve and measures of performance are clarified and refined.  Some agencies have submitted performance measures that are not yet implemented and for which data has not yet been collected.  The Budget Office will include these measures as the data becomes available.  The Budget Office uses agency performance measures as tools to evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and considers the projected outcomes as minimum goals to be achieved in the current and ensuing fiscal year.  The end result is to achieve “performance informed” budgeting whenever possible.

In accordance with guidance provided by the General Assembly, most program performance measures provided herein are “outcome” measures.  Outcome measures are designed to monitor results, not activity.  Outcome measures define quantitative objectives and show the extent to which those objectives are achieved.  Essentially, they measure the “value added” by the program.

With the exception of the General Treasurer and the Attorney General, no performance measures are presented in the FY 2008 Budget for General Officers. Development of program performance measures for General Officers presents a special challenge due to the unique roles, duties and responsibilities of these constitutionally separate offices. 

Agencies and departments are not required to submit measures of Central Management Programs, which consist of internal administrative activities that support the department’s primary programs.  They exist as separate programs because there is no practical way to distribute the day-to-day costs of these administrative activities across all other programs.  It is neither practical nor cost-effective to develop discrete program performance measures for each administrative activity. 

The impact of a central management program on departmental or agency outcomes is properly reflected and measured in the performance of the other programs of the department or agency.  Some agencies have produced performance measures of these programs, and these are included where appropriate.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The state's goal is to have its workforce representative of the general workforce population. The State Equal Opportunity Office has determined that the state government employment standard should be 14.5 percent for minorities and 48.4 percent for females.  These figures are based on the Department of Labor's "available workforce" statistics.  State agencies are required to produce an annual Affirmative Action Plan and, therefore, data was generally available for standard setting.  The benchmark used for persons with disabilities as a percentage of the Rhode Island workforce is from the Rhode Island Disability Statistics table from the 2003 American Community Survey.

Statutory Requirements: Section 16, Article 1 of the FY 1997 Appropriations Act requires that:

            (a) Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997, the governor shall submit, as part of each budget submitted to the general assembly pursuant to section 35-3-7 of the general laws, performance objectives for each program in the budget for the ensuing fiscal year, estimated performance data for the fiscal year in which the budget is submitted and actual performance data for the preceding two completed fiscal years.  Performance data shall include efforts at achieving equal opportunity hiring goals as defined in the department's actual affirmative action plan.  The Governor shall, in addition, recommend appropriate standards against which to measure program performance.  Performance in prior years may be used as a standard where appropriate.  These performance standards shall be stated in terms of results obtained.

            (b) The Governor may submit, in lieu of any part of the information required to be submitted pursuant to subsection (a) an explanation of why such information cannot, as a practical matter be submitted.

Additionally, Section 35-3-24.1 of the General Laws provides for the following guidance:

35-3-24.1 Program performance measurement. – The governor should recommend to the general assembly methods for measuring the performance of state programs.  For purposes of this section, "program" would mean a program whose objective(s) are described in the program supplement for the governor's budget.  These performance measures should be stated in terms of results rather than effort and be quantifiable whenever possible and shall include, but not be limited to efforts at achieving equal opportunity hiring goals as defined in the department's annual affirmative action plan.  To the extent possible, the results should be contained in and made a part of the Program Supplement for the Governor's FY 1995 Budget.