4. Timeliness
Effective SEA reports provide SEA performance information to users before it loses its value for assessing accountability and information decisions. In doing so, the following attributes of the reported information need to be considered:
- Is the SEA report issued soon enough after the reported events to affect user’s decisions or assessments of accountabilit?
Timely SEA performance information is provided to users soon enough after the reported events to have the ability to affect their decisions or assessments of accountability. While timeliness alone does not make information useful, the passage of time generally diminishes its usefulness.
- Does the SEA report include information on the period covered by the report and the period covered for each program, service, or performance measure presented?
Timely SEA performance information communicates the period covered by the report, each program or service, and the individuals performance measures. The period covered for a particular program (grants), service, or individual performance measure may differ from the period covered by the SEA report as a whole. If these reporting periods differ, the reasons need to be clearly identified, and the reasons need to be discussed.
- Does the SEA performance information include the reason for choosing a less frequent period than annual, if applicable?
Timely SEA performance information communicates which programs or services are not reported annually and explain the reasons why they are not being reported annually, if applicable.