Title,Citation,Topic_area,Study_type,Study_evidence_rating,Outcome_effectiveness,Findings,Intervention_program,Topics,Target_population,Firm_characteristics,Geographic_setting,Original_publication_date,Original_publication_link "Knowledge to work summative evaluation: Lord Fairfax Community College.","Voorhees, R. A. (2018). Knowledge to work summative evaluation: Lord Fairfax Community College. Voorhees, NJ: Voorhees Group LLC.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-No impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to assess the impact of the Knowledge to Work (K2W) program on education outcomes. The study used a non-experimental design to compare participants in the K2W program with participants from a comparison group. The study found no statistically significant relationships between K2W program participation and education outcomes. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the author did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the K2W program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Knowledge to Work (K2W) Program","Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Dislocated or displaced worker, Low-skilled",,"United States",2018,http://www.skillscommons.org/bitstream/handle/taaccct/17589/K2W%20Summative%20R… "University of the District of Columbia - Final annual evaluation report TAACCCT grant program, round 4 ","Hendricks, A., Mitran, A., & Ferroggiaro, E. (2018). University of the District of Columbia - Final annual evaluation report TAACCCT grant program, round 4 (Contract #: PO-GF-2015-C-0134-DJ). Fairfax, VA: ICF.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) grant-funded healthcare and hospitality programs on earnings and employment outcomes. This summary focuses on the hospitality program. The authors used a nonexperimental design to compare the earnings and employment outcomes of participants before and after they participated in the grant-funded hospitality program. The study found that program participation was significantly related to increased earnings. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is low because the authors did not observe outcomes for multiple time points before the intervention nor account for selection into the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the UDC-CC grant-funded hospitality program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) TAACCCT Hospitality program","Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Low-skilled",,"United States",2018, "University of the District of Columbia - Final annual evaluation report TAACCCT grant program, round 4","Hendricks, A., Mitran, A., & Ferroggiaro, E. (2018). University of the District of Columbia - Final annual evaluation report TAACCCT grant program, round 4 (Contract #: PO-GF-2015-C-0134-DJ). Fairfax, VA: ICF.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-No impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) grant-funded healthcare and hospitality programs on education, earnings, and employment outcomes. This summary focuses on the healthcare program. The authors used a randomized controlled trial to compare the education, employment, and earnings outcomes of participants enrolled in healthcare pathway courses and received the contextualized learning program, compared to participants enrolled in the same program, who received the traditional curriculum. The study found that program participation was significantly related to increased credential attainment. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because it was based on a randomized controlled trial with unknown attrition and the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the UDC-CC grant-funded healthcare program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) TAACCCT Healthcare program","Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Low-skilled",,"United States",2018, "SUN PATH comparison group study","Dauphinee, T., & Bishwakarma, R. (2018). SUN PATH comparison group study. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico, Career to Cradle Policy Institute.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Skill‐UP Network Pathways Acceleration in Technology and Healthcare (SUN PATH) program on education, earnings, and employment outcomes. The authors used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students who were in the SUN PATH program to a matched comparison group of students. The study found that SUN PATH students had higher rates of program completion, certificates/degree attainment, program retention, employment, and earnings than students in the comparison group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the SUN PATH program, but other factors might also have contributed.","the Skill‐UP Network Pathways Acceleration in Technology and Healthcare (SUN PATH) Program","Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Dislocated or displaced worker, Other, Low-skilled, Veteran or military",,"United States",2018,https://www.skillscommons.org/bitstream/handle/taaccct/18108/SUN%20PATH%20Compa… "Pima Community College Pathways to Healthcare Program: Implementation and early impact report (Report No. 2017-10)","Gardiner, K., Rolston, H., Fein, D., & Cho, S-W. (2017). Pima Community College Pathways to Healthcare Program: Implementation and early impact report (Report No. 2017-10). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to assess the impact of the Pathways to Healthcare program on students’ education and employment outcomes. The study used a randomized controlled trial to compare outcomes of students enrolled in the Pathways to Healthcare program with non-participants. The study found that Pathways to Healthcare program participants had significantly higher average total hours of college occupational training, higher rates of certification receipt, and higher rates of credential receipt from a college than the control group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is high because it is based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial with low attrition. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Pathways to Healthcare program and not to other factors.","the Pathways to Healthcare Program","Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Low-skilled, Low income","Health care and social assistance","United States",2017,https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/pathways_to_healthcare_impleme… "Accelerating Connections to Employment volume I final evaluation report","Modicamore, D., Lamb, Y., Taylor, J., Takyi-Laryea, A., Karageorge, K., & Ferroggiaro, E. (2017). Accelerating Connections to Employment volume I final evaluation report. Fairfax, VA: ICF.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Accelerating Connections to Employment (ACE) program on education, earnings, and employment outcomes. The authors used a randomized controlled trial. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment group, which received ACE training services, or the control group, which received business-as-usual services. The primary data sources were administrative enrollment and tracking records, one- and two-year follow-up surveys, and state unemployment insurance (UI) records. The study found that the ACE program had a significant, positive impact on employment rates, earnings, and rates of occupational credential attainment when compared to the control group. However, individuals in the control group were significantly more likely to enroll in other training or education programs than ACE participants. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high for the education outcome measure ""enrolled in additional training or education program"" because it was based on a randomized controlled trial with low attrition. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the ACE program, and not to other factors. However, the quality of causal evidence is moderate for the remaining education, earnings, and employment outcomes because sample attrition for these outcomes was high, but the authors controlled for key differences between the treatment and control groups at baseline. This means we are somewhat confident that estimated effects on these outcomes would be attributable to the ACE program, but other factors might have also contributed.","the Accelerating Connections to Employment (ACE) Program","Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Low-skilled",,"United States",2017, "Evaluation of Accelerated Training or Illinois Manufacturing (ATIM): Impact report.","Betesh, H., Kim, H., Kogan, D., Lindy, R., Paprocki, A. (2017). Evaluation of Accelerated Training for Illinois Manufacturing (ATIM): Impact report. Retrieved from https://www.spra.com/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ATIM-Impact-Report_Final.pdf","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to assess the impact of Accelerated Training for Illinois Manufacturing (ATIM) Program, a workforce training intervention, on education, employment, and earnings outcomes. The authors used a randomized controlled trial to assess the program’s impact and compared education, employment, and earnings outcomes between the treatment and control group. Data on participant characteristics and outcomes was gathered from grant data systems, the Illinois Workforce Development System, and Illinois State Unemployment Insurance. The study found that significantly higher percentages of people in the treatment group than the control group enrolled in education training, completed training, and earned a certificate. In addition, those who were in the treatment group earned a significantly higher number of certificates than participants in the control group, and had significantly higher wages in the second year after beginning study participation. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high for the education outcomes because it was based on a randomized controlled trial with low attrition. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the ATIM program, and not to other factors. The quality of causal evidence is moderate for the employment and earnings outcomes because these outcomes had high attrition but the authors included sufficient controls in their analysis. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the ATIM program, but other factors might also have contributed.","Accelerated Training for Illinois Manufacturing (ATIM) Program","Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Dislocated or displaced worker, Low-skilled",,"United States",2017,https://www.spra.com/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ATIM-Impact-Report_F… "Final evaluation Golden Triangle Modern Manufacturing Project","Harpole, S. (2017). Final evaluation Golden Triangle Modern Manufacturing Project. SHH Consulting, LLC","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Golden Triangle Modern Manufacturing Project on education, earnings, and employment outcomes. The author used a nonexperimental design to compare outcomes of Golden Triangle Modern Manufacturing Project participants to a matched comparison group. The study found that program participation was significantly associated with increases in program retention, credential attainment, and earnings. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is low because the author used a comparison group from previous enrollment years presenting a confounding factor. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to Golden Triangle Modern Manufacturing Project; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Golden Triangle Modern Manufacturing Project","Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Dislocated or displaced worker, Unemployed, Low-skilled, Veteran or military",,"United States",2017,https://www.skillscommons.org/handle/taaccct/15669 "Third-party evaluation of implementation & impact of the Southwest Missouri Public Safety and Emergency Medical Initiative TAACCCT grant.","Cosgrove & Associates. (2016). Third-party evaluation of implementation & impact of the Southwest Missouri Public Safety and Emergency Medical Initiative TAACCCT grant. St. Louis, MO: Cosgrove & Associates.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Crowder College’s enhanced Public Safety and Emergency Medical Initiative (PSP) program on education and employment outcomes. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students who were in Crowder College’s enhanced PSP program to a comparison group of students who were not enrolled in the program. The study found that participation in the PSP program was significantly associated with higher program completion and employment rates than the comparison group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to Crowder College’s enhanced PSP program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Crowder College Public Safety and Emergency Medical Initiative (PSP) Program","Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Other barriers, Unemployed, Low-skilled",,"United States",2016,https://www.skillscommons.org/bitstream/handle/taaccct/9128/Crowder%20College_P… "Third party evaluation of MoManufacturingWINS: Implementation, outcomes, and impact","Cosgrove, J. J., Cosgrove, M. S., & Bragg, D. D. (2016). Third party evaluation of MoManufacturingWINs: Implementation, outcomes, and impact. St. Louis, MO: Cosgrove & Associates and Bragg & Associates.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Missouri’s Manufacturing Workforce Innovation Networks(MMW) program on student education and employment outcomes. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students who were in MMW to a comparison group of students in other manufacturing-technology related programs. The study found that MMW participation was significantly associated with higher retention and employment rates. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention and they did not include sufficient controls. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to MMW; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Missouri’s Manufacturing Workforce Innovation Networks (MMW)","Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Unemployed, Other, Low-skilled, Veteran or military",,"United States",2016,https://www.skillscommons.org/bitstream/handle/taaccct/10116/ThirdPartyFinalEva… "Growing Regional Opportunity for the Workforce (Project GROW): Final evaluation report.","Patnaik, A., O'Shea, D., & Prince, H. (2016). Growing Regional Opportunity for the Workforce (Project GROW): Final evaluation report. The University of Texas, Austin Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study's objective was to examine the impact of Project GROW (Growing Regional Opportunities for the Workforce) on education, earnings, and employment outcomes. The study used a nonexperimental design comparing the outcomes of students in Project GROW to a matched comparison group. Using data from the Workforce Investment Boards’ Administrative System for Program Partners and administrative data from the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the authors conducted statistical models to examine differences between the groups. The study found no statistically significant differences between the treatment and the comparison group on education, earnings, or employment outcomes. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to Project GROW, but other factors might also have contributed.","Project Growing Regional Opportunities for the Workforce (GROW)","Employment and Training Services Employer Services Employer partnerships Training and Education Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Low-skilled",,"United States",2016,https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/74399 "Evaluation report of the Amplifying Montana's Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Industry (AMAMII) project: Final report","Feldman, J., Staklis, S., Hong, Y., & Elrahman, J. (2016). Evaluation report of the Amplifying Montana's Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Industry (AMAMII) project: Final report. Berkeley, CA: RTI International.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Unfavorable impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Amplifying Montana’s Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation and Industry (AMAMII) program on education outcomes. The authors used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students participating in AMAMII to a matched comparison group using institutional research data. The study found a significant negative relationship between program participation and credit accumulation, with AMAMII students accumulating fewer credits than comparison students. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not use sufficient controls in their analyses. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the AMAMII program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Amplifying Montana’s Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation and Industry (AMAMII) Program","Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Low-skilled",,"United States",2016,http://www.skillscommons.org/bitstream/handle/taaccct/15588/Flathead%20Valley%2… "Retraining the Gulf Coast through Information Technology Pathways: Final impact evaluation report","Patnaik, A., & Prince, A. (2016). Retraining the Gulf Coast through Information Technology Pathways: Final Impact evaluation report. Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Retraining the Gulf Coast Workforce through Information Technology Pathways Consortium (Gulf Coast IT Pathways) grant program on education outcomes. Using a nonexperimental design with institutional data from the college systems, the study authors compared students in the program to a matched historical cohort comparison group. The study found that the Gulf Coast IT Pathways program was significantly related to higher credential, certificate, or a degree attainment and higher credit hour accumulation. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Gulf Coast IT Pathways TAACCCT; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Gulf Coast IT Pathways Program","Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Adult, Dislocated or displaced worker, Low-skilled, Veteran or military",,"United States",2016,https://raymarshallcenter.org/files/2016/11/Retraining-the-Gulf-Coast-through-I… "Evaluation of MoHealthWINS outcomes and impact","Cosgrove, J. J., Cosgrove, M. S., & Bragg, D. D. (2015). Evaluation of MoHealthWINS outcomes and impact. Retrieved from https://www.skillscommons.org/bitstream/handle/taaccct/5125/SEPTEMBER%202015%20FINAL%20VERSION%20OF%20MHW%20OUTCOME%20IMPACT%20EVALUATION%20REPORT.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to assess the relationship between the MoHealthWINS program and education and employment outcomes. The study used a nonexperimental design, where the program participants were compared to a matched comparison group. Using college administrative data, state employment data, and employer data, the authors compared the program completion and employment rates between the treatment and comparison group. The study found a significant relationship between program participation and the likelihood to complete the program and be employed post-program completion. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention or include sufficient control variables. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to MoHealthWINS program; other factors are likely to have contributed.",MoHealthWINS,"Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Unemployed, Low-skilled, Veteran or military",,"United States",2015,https://www.skillscommons.org/bitstream/handle/taaccct/5125/SEPTEMBER%202015%20… "Third-party evaluation of the outcomes and impact of the National Information, Security, & Geospatial Technologies Consortium (NISGTC)","Bridges, K., Bishop, C., & Giani, M. (2015). Third-party evaluation of the outcomes and impact of the National Information, Security & Geospatial Technologies Consortium (NISGTC). Champaign, IL: Office of Community College Research and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to assess the impact of TAACCCT-funded programming offered at National Information Security & Geospatial Technology Consortium (NISGTC) colleges on educational and employment outcomes. Using student-level data collected by the colleges’ Institutional Research offices and states’ Unemployment Insurance data systems, the study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students enrolled in NISGTC programs with students enrolled in similar programs of study prior to the grant. The study found that students in the NISGTC-affected programs were significantly more likely to attain credentials and have higher average quarterly earnings than students in the comparison group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not use sufficient controls in their analysis for the education outcomes. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the NISGTC-affected programs; other factors are likely to have contributed.","National Information Security & Geospatial Technology Consortium (NISGTC) Programs","Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Adult, Other, Low-skilled",,"United States",2015,https://occrl.illinois.edu/docs/librariesprovider4/nisgtc/nisgtc-impact.pdf "Net impact and benefit-cost estimates of the workforce development system in Washington State. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 13-029). [WIA Youth]","Hollenbeck, K., & Huang, W-J. (2014). Net impact and benefit-cost estimates of the workforce development system in Washington State. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 13-029). Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Retrieved from W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research website: http://dx.doi.org/10.17848/tr13-029. [WIA Youth]","Apprenticeship and Work-Based Training","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Program, held on community and technical college campuses, on the employment rate and earnings of low-income youth in Washington State. The authors used a nonexperimental method to compare the short-term (3 quarters after program exit) and long-term (9 to 12 quarters after program exit) employment and earnings between those who took part in the WIA Youth program relative to those who registered for services at the Labor Exchange (Employment Services). The study found that, compared with those who registered for services at the Labor Exchange, WIA Youth participants had higher employment and earnings. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the WIA Youth Program; other factors are likely to have contributed. This study also examined the effectiveness of other workforce development programs. Please click here to find CLEAR profiles of those studies.","the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Program","Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth programs Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) training programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2014,http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=up_technica… "The impact of ABS program participation on long-term economic outcomes","Reder, S. (2014). The impact of ABS program participation on long-term economic outcomes. Washington, DC: United States Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education.",Literacy,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Adult Basic Skills (ABS) training on earnings and wages. The author used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of adults who participated in various levels of ABS training to a matched comparison group who did not, over a ten-year time period. The study found a significant relationship between participating in ABS training and higher income, with a greater increase in income for those with at least 100 hours of ABS training. The study also found that wages were significantly associated with the length of time since training and intensity of training, with higher wages among participants who had attained 100 hours of ABS training in earlier years. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the author did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to Adult Basic Skills training; other factors are likely to have contributed.",,"Basic skills","Adult, Other barriers, Low-skilled",,"United States",2014,https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/ABS_EconomicOutcomes.pdf "The (surprising) efficacy of academic and behavioral intervention with disadvantaged youth: Results from a randomized experiment in Chicago","Cook, P., Dodge, K., Farkas, G., Fryer, R., Guryan, J., Ludwig, J. Mayer, S., Pollack, H., & Steinberg, L. (2014). The (surprising) efficacy of academic and behavioral intervention with disadvantaged youth: Results from a randomized experiment in Chicago. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Becoming a Man (BAM) program on youths’ academic outcomes, including grade point averages (GPAs), course failures, and achievement test scores. BAM provided mentoring and socialization activities to enhance cognitive, decision-making, and social skills. The study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in one high school on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, in 2012–2013. Eligible youth were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) a treatment group receiving BAM only, in which individuals could participate in the BAM program; (2) a treatment group receiving BAM plus tutoring, in which individuals could participate in the BAM program and received daily tutoring in math; or (3) the control group, which could not participate in BAM but could access existing services at their school. The authors estimated regressions to measure the impact of the BAM program on academic achievement using administrative data from Chicago Public Schools. The study found that youth offered the opportunity to participate in BAM—either with or without supplemental tutoring—had significantly higher math achievement test scores than youth in the control group. In addition, youth in the BAM program group and the BAM plus tutoring program group had significantly higher math GPAs than members of the control group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high for the GPA and course failures outcomes because it was based on a randomized controlled trial with low attrition. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to BAM and/or the tutoring sessions, and not to other factors. The quality of causal evidence is moderate for the math and reading achievement outcomes because these outcomes had high attrition but the authors included sufficient controls in their analysis. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to BAM and/or tutoring sessions, but other factors might also have contributed.","Becoming a Man","Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Male, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States, Urban",2014,http://www.nber.org/papers/w19862.pdf "Sustained gains: Year Up’s continued impacts on young adults’ earnings","Roder, A., & Elliott, M. (2014). Sustained gains: Year Up’s continued impacts on young adults’ earnings. New York: Economic Mobility Corporation.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the effect of the Year Up program on employment, earnings, and education outcomes. Year Up is an intensive, yearlong program that provides training and internships in financial operations and information technology for young adults from low-income urban communities. About 200 students in three cities were randomly assigned to the treatment group, which was eligible to participate in Year Up beginning in September 2007, or the control group, which was not eligible to participate in Year Up in 2007. Members of the control group were eligible to reapply to the program after 10 months, and many did. The authors compared the outcomes of the treatment and control groups using data collected through telephone interviews with participants four years after random assignment. The authors reported a positive, statistically significant impact of Year Up on earnings measured three years after random assignment, but these impacts did not extend to the fourth year after random assignment. Cumulatively, treatment group members earned $13,645 more than the control group over years 2 through 4 after random assignment, and they were more likely to have been employed in a field targeted by the program. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is moderate because, although it was based on a randomized controlled trial with high attrition, the authors demonstrated that the treatment and control groups were similar before the intervention. This means we have confidence that the estimated effects are attributable at least in part to Year Up, although other factors could also have contributed.","Year Up","Basic skills Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Black or African American, Hispanic of any race, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States, Urban",2014,http://economicmobilitycorp.org/uploads/sustained-gains-economic-mobility-corp… "Net impact and benefit-cost estimates of the workforce development system in Washington state. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 13-029). [WIA Adult]","Hollenbeck, K., & Huang, W.-J. (2014). Net impact and benefit-cost estimates of the workforce development system in Washington state. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 13-029). Retrieved from W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research website: http://dx.doi.org/10.17848/tr13-029 [WIA Adult]","Apprenticeship and Work-Based Training","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Low-Favorable impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Program on the employment rate, earnings, and benefit receipt of low-income adults in Washington State. The authors used a nonexperimental method to compare short-term (3 quarters after program exit) and long-term (9 to 12 quarters after program exit) employment, earnings, and Unemployment Insurance benefits between those who took part in the WIA Adult Program with those who registered for services at the Labor Exchange Employment Services. The study found that, compared with those who registered for services at the Labor Exchange, participants in the WIA Adult Program had higher employment rates and average quarterly earnings and lower receipt of unemployment insurance benefits. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the WIA Adult Program; other factors are likely to have contributed. This study also examined the effectiveness of other workforce development programs. Please click here to find CLEAR profiles of those studies.","the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Program","Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) training programs","Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2014,http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=up_technica… "The impact of ABS program participation on long-term GED attainment","Reder, S. (2014). The impact of ABS program participation on long-term GED attainment. Washington, DC: United States Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education.",Literacy,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Adult Basic Skills (ABS) training on GED attainment. The author used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of adults who participated in various levels of ABS training to a matched comparison group who did not, over a ten-year time period. The study found that ABS participants had significantly higher rates of GED attainment than adults who did not participate in ABS training. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it is based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to Adult Basic Skills training, but other factors might also have contributed.",,"Basic skills","Adult, Other barriers, Low-skilled",,"United States",2014,https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/ABS_GED.pdf "Case study of East Mississippi Community College's plan to assist the Sara Lee Corporation employees due to plant closing (Unpublished doctoral dissertation)","Hanson, B. J. (2012). Case study of East Mississippi Community College's plan to assist the Sara Lee Corporation employees due to plant closing (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Mississippi State University.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-No impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study's objective was to examine the impact of Eastern Mississippi Community College's (EMCC) workforce services training on earnings and employment. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of individuals receiving manufacturing training, non-manufacturing training, or no training. Using data from the Statewide Longitudinal Integrated Workforce Management System, the author conducted statistical models to examine the differences between groups. The study found a positive statistically significant relationship between manufacturing training and employment. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the author did not include sufficient control variables. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to EMCC's workforce services training; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Eastern Mississippi Community College's Workforce Services Training","Employment and Training Services Training and Education Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Dislocated or displaced worker, Low-skilled",,"United States",2012,https://ir.library.msstate.edu/handle/11668/20149 "After-school programs for high school students: An evaluation of after-school matters.","Hirsch, B., Hedges, L., Stawicki, J., & Mekinda, M. (2011). After-school programs for high school students: An evaluation of after-school matters. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment","Summary: The report’s objective was to evaluate the impact of the After School Matters (ASM) apprenticeship program on academic outcomes in high school and on the likelihood of being hired for a summer or permanent entry-level position in the labor market. For this evaluation, 535 students from 10 high schools in Chicago were randomly assigned to the treatment group, which could enroll in ASM, or the control group, which could not. Outcome data were derived from high school records from both semesters of the academic year of study participation and a mock job interview at the end of the spring semester of the same year. The study reported no statistically significant impacts of participation in ASM on high school grade point average (GPA), number of classes failed, school absences, or likelihood of being hired for a permanent or summer entry-level position. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this report is high for all academic outcomes. This means we are confident that estimated impacts for these outcomes would be solely attributable to ASM, and not other factors. For the likelihood of employment outcomes, the quality of evidence is moderate. This means we have confidence that the effects estimated in this study would be attributable at least in part to the ASM program, though other factors could also have contributed.","After School Matters","Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States, Urban",2011, "Analysis of Associations between Contemporaneous Job Corps Performance Measures and Impact Estimates from National Corps Study.","Fortson, J., & Schochet, P. (2011). Analysis of Associations between Contemporaneous Job Corps Performance Measures and Impact Estimates from National Corps Study. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: An analysis for the National Job Corps Study found no relationship between estimated impacts on participants and Job Corps center aggregate performance measures. This study sought to determine whether adjusting the performance measures to account for characteristics of students attending the centers would yield performance measures that predict estimated impacts. Job Corps is a national vocationally focused education and training program for disadvantaged youth between ages 16 and 24. The authors used data from multiple sources, particularly the National Job Corps study. They conducted quantitative analysis of survey data to compute center-level impacts and regression analysis to compute adjusted center-level performance measures. The analysis found that, although the performance measures adjusted for individual and local area characteristics had a modest impact on the relative performance rankings of the centers, they did not predict participant impacts more accurately than the unadjusted performance measures.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2011,http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/labor/jobcorps_performance.pdf "Adolescent perspectives of the ecological impact of a summer youth employment program.","Grant, N. (2011). Adolescent perspectives of the ecological impact of a summer youth employment program. Doctoral dissertation. Wichita, KS: Wichita State University. Available at http://soar.wichita.edu/handle/10057/5056.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: Using personal stories of youth who participated in the Area IV Kansas Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), the author sought to describe the ecosystems of urban youth, their relationships with adults, and the impacts of their participation in SYEP. SYEP was a summer program funded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It provided disadvantaged youth with summer employment and job skills training over two summers. The author interviewed 10 participating youth and analyzed their personal stories using ecological systems theory and a social capital framework. The author also analyzed documents containing the youths’ demographic and employment records. The author concluded that programs such as SYEP helped disadvantaged youth to make networking connections, learn ways of interacting in the workplace, and open doors to job opportunities that historically have not been available to those with lower socioeconomic status.","Summer Youth Employment Programs (Area IV Kansas)","Basic skills Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2011,http://www.workforce-ks.com/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=2206 "Youth Corps emerging practices for education and employment. Prepared for the Corporation for National and Community Service","Gan, K., Jastrzab, J., Jefferson, A., Schneider, G., & Schlager, C. (2011). Youth Corps emerging practices for education and employment. Prepared for the Corporation for National and Community Service. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This study examined emerging practices used by Youth Corps sites to enhance their participants’ educational and employment opportunities. Youth Corps is a program that engages youth ages 16 to 25 in a combination of community service, workforce development, and education. It is designed to have a positive impact on both its participants and their communities. The authors gathered and analyzed data from interviews with the executive directors of four Youth Corps sites, along with site visits to those sites. Although the studied sites varied, the authors found that all shared a set of common principles that led to increased educational and employment opportunities for its members. These included an understanding of the local labor market in which the corps operated, in order to enhance employment opportunities, and building partnerships with outside community resources. The authors provided a tool kit for youth education and employment service providers that highlights lessons learned; other practitioners can use this information, as can those interested in developing similar initiatives.","Youth Corps Programs","Community college education and other classroom training Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2011,http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/emerging_practices_youthcorps.pdf "Beyond a summer work experience: The Recovery Act 2009 Post-Summer Youth Employment Initiative.","Holcomb, P., Ziegler, J., & Laird, E. (2011). Beyond a summer work experience: The Recovery Act 2009 Post-Summer Youth Employment Initiative. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI) aimed to reverse the steep decline in youth employment during the recession by providing employment opportunities for youth in the summer of 2009. The 2009 Post-SYEI allowed states and local workforce investment areas to provide extended work experiences to older disconnected youth ages 18 to 24 from October 2009 through March 2010. The authors conducted in-depth site visits to eight selected study sites and analyzed the data using qualitative methods. The authors reported that the study sites effectively built upon the implementation of the SYEI by using the same service delivery structure and extending the work experiences of those youth who had already participated in the summer program. The longer time frame for the work experiences was seen as a benefit by participants and employers. Post-SYEI programs also focused on ensuring the alignment between participants’ interests and their work experiences. The authors recommended three considerations for the design of similar policies targeting older out-of-school youth in the future: allowing sufficient time to design such programs, because the needs of older out-of-school youth differ from those of younger youth who are traditionally served by these types of programs; supporting a year-round, not only summer, work experience; and incorporating a transition strategy from the work experience into future opportunities.","Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI)","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2011,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/ETAOP_201_03.pdf "Reinvesting in America’s youth: Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative.","Bellotti, J., Rosenberg, L., Sattar, S., Esposito, A., & Ziegler, J. (2010). Reinvesting in America’s youth: Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: The research examines the implementation of the Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI). Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, SYEI aimed to reverse the steep decline in youth employment during the recession by providing employment opportunities for youth in the summer of 2009. Through the initiative, youth were placed in summer work experiences with local employers and their wages were paid with Recovery Act funds. The work experiences were fairly flexible, but had to be age appropriate and lead to youth meeting work readiness goals. The authors analyzed state performance data through December 31, 2009, and data from in-depth site visits to 20 selected sites during July and August 2009. The authors reported that it took a large effort to get the program up and running in such a short amount of time (about four months). Some sites reported having to make compromises along the way, given the quick time frame, but all reported satisfaction with their accomplishments. The initiative was implemented successfully in all the studied sites, with all sites able to recruit a sufficient number of participants and place them in employment. Youth participants and the employers interviewed were very positive about the initative. Although the implementation of SYEI was considered a success, it was not without some initial challenges, including handling the large volume of applicants and determining their eligibility, reaching older youth ages 22 to 24 and veterans and their spouses, and appropriately matching youth to employers.","Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI)","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2010,http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED510398.pdf "Washington State’s Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program (I-BEST): New evidence of effectiveness","Zeidenberg, M., Cho, S., & Jenkins, D. (2010). Washington State’s Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program (I-BEST): New evidence of effectiveness. New York: Community College Research Center, Columbia University.","Apprenticeship and Work-Based Training","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impacts of the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program on educational attainment and wage outcomes. The authors used statistical methods to compare students in the treatment group with students in the comparison group who had attended basic skills courses other than I-BEST, using data from the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 school years. The study found that I-BEST students were more likely to earn an educational award (that is, a certificate or degree). The authors noted that most awards earned by basic skills students are certificates. The study found no statistically significant differences between I-BEST students and the comparison students on wages earned. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report for educational attainment is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that any estimated effects are attributable to I-BEST, but other factors might also have contributed. For wage outcomes, the quality of casual evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to I-BEST; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST)","Community college education and other classroom training",Low-skilled,,"United States",2010,https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/publications/i-best-new-evidence.html "Rapid employment model evaluation: Update #2","Smith, T. C., King, C. T., & Schroeder, D. G. (2010). Rapid employment model evaluation: Update #2. Austin, TX: Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources.",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Unfavorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Mod/high-Unfavorable impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Rapid Employment Model (REM) program on participants’ employment, earnings, and Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit claims. (See the CLEAR review of the 2008 report here.) Using program data and state UI records, the authors matched treatment to comparison group cases and conducted regression analyses to estimate the effect of the intervention. The study found that participation in the REM program was associated with an increase in the likelihood that jobseekers were employed in the 10 quarters following program participation among the 2006 cohort. Participation in the REM program was also associated with an increase in the likelihood that jobseekers were employed, a decrease in quarterly earnings, and an increase in the likelihood jobseekers filed UI claims in the six quarters following program participation among the 2007 cohort. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate for earnings outcomes in both cohorts and for employment outcomes for the 2006 cohort because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects on employment and earnings are attributable to the REM program, but other factors might also have contributed. The quality of causal evidence presented for the UI benefit claiming outcome for both cohorts and the employment outcome for the 2007 cohort is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects on UI benefit claiming outcome are attributable to the REM program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Rapid Employment Model (REM) Program","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Unemployment Insurance","Justice-involved, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2010,http://raymarshallcenter.org/files/2006/01/REM_eval_update_Jan2010.pdf "Return on investment analysis of a selected set of workforce system programs in Indiana. [WIA Adult]","Hollenbeck, K. (2009). Return on investment analysis of a selected set of workforce system programs in Indiana. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation. [WIA Adult]",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Program on the employment, earnings, and benefit receipt of low-income adults in Indiana. The author used a nonexperimental method to compare the short-term (three quarters after program exit) and long-term (seven quarters after program exit) employment, earnings, and Unemployment Insurance benefits between those who took part in the WIA Adult Program and those who participated in the WorkOne program. The study found that, compared with those who participated in the WorkOne program, WIA Adult Program participants had higher employment and earnings. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the author did not ensure that the groups compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the WIA Adult Program; other factors are likely to have contributed. This study also examined the effectiveness of other workforce development programs. Please click here to find CLEAR profiles of those studies.","the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Program","Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) training programs","Adult, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2009,http://www.indianachamber.com/images/media/studies/ROIanalysisWorkforceDevelopm… "Evaluation of the YouthBuild Youth Offender Grants","Abrazaldo, W., Adefuin, J., Henderson-Frakes, J., Lea, C., Leufgen, J., Lewis-Charp, H., … Wiegand, A. (2009). Evaluation of the YouthBuild Youth Offender Grants. Oakland, CA: SPR Associates.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report summarizes the findings of an implementation and outcomes analysis of Young Offender grants. These grants, which were awarded to 30 YouthBuild USA sites in 2004 and 2005, were to provide academic instruction, vocational training, leadership opportunities, and counseling and other support services to young offenders. The objective was to understand how YouthBuild programming for young offenders was designed and implemented; identify the strategies and approaches associated with positive outcomes; and gain insight into the contextual factors influencing program implementation and participant performance. The authors collected and analyzed qualitative information gathered during two rounds of site visits—which included interviews with program staff, instructors and trainers, grantee partners, employers, and program participants—and quantitative management information systems data.  The implementation analysis found that the extent to which Young Offender grantees implemented the YouthBuild model varied, though all attempted to adhere to the model. In general, grantees had mature organizational structures and were able to form partnerships with workforce development agencies and the juvenile justice system. Young offenders tended to have better educational, employment, and social outcomes in grantee sites where teachers invested time in getting to know them on a personal level, the teacher-to-student ratio was low, academic work and vocational training were linked, and leadership opportunities were available.",Youthbuild,"Youth programs Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Justice-involved, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2009,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Evaluation%20of%20the%20Youth… "Rapid employment model evaluation: Update","Smith, T. C., King, C. T., & Schroeder, D. G. (2008). Rapid employment model evaluation: Update. Austin, TX: Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources.",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Rapid Employment Model (REM) program on participants’ employment, earnings, and Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit claims. (See the CLEAR review of the 2010 report here.) Using program data and state UI records, the authors matched treatment group cases to comparison group cases and conducted regression analyses to estimate the effect of the intervention. The study found that participation in the REM program was associated with an increase in the likelihood that jobseekers were employed in quarters following program participation. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate for employment and earnings outcomes because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects on employment and earnings are attributable to the REM program, but other factors might also have contributed. The quality of causal evidence presented for the UI benefit claiming outcome is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects on UI benefit claiming outcome are attributable to REM program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Rapid Employment Model (REM) Program","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Unemployment Insurance","Justice-involved, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2008,http://sites.utexas.edu/raymarshallcenter/files/2008/12/REM_eval_update_01-28-0… "Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). [TAA]","Hollenbeck, K., & Huang, W.-J. (2008). Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. [TAA]",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Unfavorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Training Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program on employment and credential completion. The study used administrative records to compare outcomes of low-income adults who took part in the TAA program with outcomes of a nonexperimental matched group of adults who did not take part in the program. The study found that TAA participants had a lower employment rate but were more likely to have obtained a training certificate compared with those who did not participate in the program. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to TAA; other factors are likely to have contributed. This study also examined the effectiveness of other workforce development programs. Please click here to find CLEAR profiles of those studies.","the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education","Low-skilled, Low income, Dislocated or displaced worker",,"United States",2008,http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=up_technica… "Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). [CTE]","Hollenbeck, K., & Huang, W-J. (2008). Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. [CTE]",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Carl Perkins Postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) program on employment and credential completion. The authors used administrative records to compare the outcomes of low-income adults who took part in the CTE program with the outcomes of a nonexperimental matched group of adults who did not take part in the program. The study found that CTE participants had higher employment and credential completion rates compared with those of people who did not participate in the program. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to CTE; other factors are likely to have contributed. This study also examined the effectiveness of other workforce development programs. Please click here to find CLEAR profiles of those studies.","the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Carl Perkins Postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program","Other training and education Job search assistance and supportive services","Low income, Low-skilled",,"United States",2008,http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=up_technica… "Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). [DRS]","Hollenbeck, K., & Huang, W-J. (2008). Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. [DRS]",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Vocational Rehabilitation program administered by Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) on participants’ employment and credential completion. The study used administrative records to compare the outcomes of low-income adults who took part in the DRS program with outcomes of a nonexperimental matched group of adults who did not take part in the program. The study found that DRS participants had higher employment and credential completion rates compared with those of people who did not participate in the program. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to DRS; other factors are likely to have contributed. This study also examined the effectiveness of other workforce development programs. Please click here to find CLEAR profiles of those studies","the Vocational Rehabilitation (VOC) Programs","Job search assistance and supportive services Vocational rehabilitation","Disability, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2008,http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=up_technica… "Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). [AEL]","Hollenbeck, K., & Huang, W-J. (2008). Workforce program performance indicators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Upjohn Institute Technical Report No. 08-024). Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. [AEL]",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Unfavorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program on participants’ employment and credential completion. The study used administrative records to compare outcomes of low-income adults who took part in the AEL program with outcomes of a nonexperimental matched group of adults who did not take part in the program. The study found that AEL participants had a lower employment rate but were more likely to have earned a GED compared with those of people who did not participate in the program. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the author did not ensure that the groups compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to AEL; other factors are likely to have contributed. This study also examined the effectiveness of other workforce development programs. Please click here to find CLEAR profiles of those studies.","the Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) Program","Other training and education","Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2008,http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=up_technica… "Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative: Impact and synthesis report","Jackson, R., Dixon, R., McCoy, A., Pistorino, C., Zador, P., Thomas, C., … Bruno, L. (2007). Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative: Impact and synthesis report. Houston, TX: Decision Information Resources, Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: This report’s objective was to examine the effectiveness of the Youth Opportunity (YO) Grant Initiative, which sought to improve job prospects and education outcomes for youth in high-poverty areas by providing them with a mix of 15 youth development activities. Companion reports describe the initiative’s implementation. The initiative’s effectiveness was evaluated using two separate comparison group designs. In general, the study found positive and statistically significant relationships between the YO initiative and educational enrollment outcomes. However, there were few statistically significant effects on employment-related outcomes and educational attainment. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the estimated impacts were caused by the YO Grant Initiative, and not other factors.","Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative","Basic skills Community college education and other classroom training Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2007,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/YO%20Impact%20and%20Synthesis… "Evaluating multi-treatment programs: Theory and evidence from the U.S. Job Training Partnership Act experiment.","Plesca, M., & Smith, J. (2007). Evaluating multi-treatment programs: Theory and evidence from the U.S. Job Training Partnership Act experiment. Empirical Economics, 32, 491-528.",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) on earnings and employment for disadvantaged adults. The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial. They analyzed data from one baseline survey, two follow-up surveys, and earnings and employment records. The study found that men in the treatment group had earned more at the 30-month follow-up than men in the control group, and that women in the treatment group experienced significantly better earnings and employment outcomes at several points compared to the control group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to JTPA, and not to other factors.","Job Training Partnership Act","Other training and education Supported employment or other employment supports Job search assistance and supportive services","Adult, Female, Male, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2007, "Youth Opportunity grant initiative: process evaluation final report","Bruno, L., & Pistorino, C. (2007). Youth Opportunity grant initiative: process evaluation final report. Washington, DC: Decision Information Resources, Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report summarized the results of the final round of the process evaluation of the Youth Opportunity (YO) grant initiative. The YO program offered educational, employment, leadership enhancement, and other support services to all youth ages 14 to 21 in targeted high-poverty areas across the country in order to boost their high school graduation, college enrollment, and employment rates. The study assessed program implementation and examined strengths and weaknesses of the YO model by gathering information on services provided, program outcomes, and implementation challenges and best practices at 25 sites. It drew on management information systems (MIS) data; group interviews with program administrators, line staff, and youth participants; and past process evaluation reports. Projects were successful in enrolling a large number of participants and nearly 40 percent of those enrolled received a long-term placement. Projects eventually succeeded in establishing YO centers but faced challenges in launching and running the centers, delivering comprehensive and integrated youth development services, sustaining long-term youth engagement, and developing partnerships for sustainability.","Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2007, "Learning from the Youth Opportunity experience: Building delivery capacity in distressed communities","Harris, L. (2006). Learning from the Youth Opportunity experience: Building delivery capacity in distressed communities. Washington, DC: Center for Law and Social Policy.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This study explored the successes and challenges of implementing Youth Opportunity grants, which were awarded to 36 low-income communities in May 2000 to address high unemployment, low graduation rates, and endemic violence and crime among youth ages 14 to 21. The authors administered to 22 Youth Opportunity grantees a survey that gathered information on how the program engaged community leaders, connected different systems providing youth services, rolled out comprehensive programming, and collaborated with businesses. The researchers also conducted focus groups at several sites. The study found that Youth Opportunity grants had a high level of success in recruiting disadvantaged and out-of-school youth, boosting their enrollment in educational support programs, and placing participants in jobs and internships. The grants also improved the long-term capacity of these communities to serve low-income youth by enhancing youth workers’ skills and expertise and encouraging collaboration across different systems involved in youth development. Grantees faced challenges in setting up large-scale, complex initiatives in the allotted time, locating local funding, and ensuring that employers had reasonable expectations of program participants. The study recommended a lengthier planning phase and more closely engaging local and state officials and business representatives in the program.","Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative","Youth programs Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2006,http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED490191.pdf "Evaluating the effectiveness of the Massachusetts workforce development system using no-shows as a nonexperimental comparison group.","Raphael, S., & Stoll, M. A. (2006). Evaluating the effectiveness of the Massachusetts workforce development system using no-shows as a nonexperimental comparison group. Evaluation Review, 30(4), 379-429.",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Unfavorable impacts Earnings and wages","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) workforce development program in Massachusetts on the earnings of disadvantaged adults. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the earnings of program participants before and after the intervention, relative to the earnings of nonparticipants who were eligible and offered services but chose not to participate in a training program. The authors used administrative records from the Commonwealth Corporation of Massachusetts for their analysis. The study found that, although the participants in the Massachusetts JTPA program earned significantly less than nonparticipants during the year of the program, participants earned significantly more one year ($1,876) and two years ($2,285) after the program, compared with nonparticipants. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to JTPA, but other factors might also have contributed.","the Massachusetts JTPA Workforce Development Program","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education","Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2006, "National Job Corps study and longer-term follow-up study: Impact and benefit-cost findings using survey and summary earnings records data","Schochet, P., Burghardt, J., & McConnell, S. (2006). National Job Corps study and longer-term follow-up study: Impact and benefit-cost findings using survey and summary earnings records data. Washington, DC: Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-No impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The National Job Corps Study included several reports, including this longer-term impact report. The report’s objective was to examine the impact of the Job Corps program on participants’ long-term earnings, employment, and other outcomes. Job Corps offered intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training to economically disadvantaged youth. Its effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial conducted in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The study found a number of statistically significant, positive impacts of Job Corps on earnings and employment in the first four follow-up years. However, there were no significant differences between the youth who were offered Job Corps and the control group on employment rate or earnings in the fifth through ninth follow-up years, as measured by administrative data. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-conducted randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the effects estimated in the study are solely attributable to Job Corps, and not to other factors.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2006,https://www.mathematica-mpr.com/-/media/publications/pdfs/jobcorpimpactbenefit… "An examination of the delivery of literacy services at Job Corps Centers.","KPMG (2006). An examination of the delivery of literacy services at Job Corps Centers. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Job Corps.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: The purpose of the study was to identify areas in which Job Corps can improve its delivery of literacy services. Job Corps is a national program that provides youth with job training skills while they pursue a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED). It also provides career counseling and job placement services following completion of the job training component. The authors primarily analyzed qualitative data collected from site visits to six Job Corps sites across the United States. The visits included interviews with key staff and observations of Job Corps classes. The authors also conducted descriptive quantitative analyses of administrative participant and survey data. The authors made recommendations for improvements in the delivery of literacy services in the following areas: employing certified teaching staff on government pay scales so that they can compete with public school teachers in terms of compensation and benefits; providing additional resources, such as special education instructors, psychologists, and counselors, to allow instructors to devote more time to their classes; and building partnerships and relationships with other educational institutions and the community.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2006,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Job%20Corps%20Literacy%20Repo… "Effects of housing vouchers on welfare families: Final report","Mills, G., Gubits, D., Orr, L., Long, D., Feins, J., Kaul, B., Wood, M., Jones, A., Cloudburst Consulting Associates, & the QED Group. (2006). Effects of housing vouchers on welfare families: Final report. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates Inc.",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Mod/high-Unfavorable impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of providing low-income families with private market housing vouchers on employment, earnings, receipt of public assistance, and receipt of education and training. It also examined impacts on several measures of housing security, which are not included in this review. The authors implemented a randomized controlled trial and estimated regression models to compare outcomes of treatment and comparison families. The study found that treatment group members received more Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash benefits and food stamps than control group members. There were no statistically significant effects of the program on employment, earnings, or receiving education or training. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the housing voucher, and not to other factors.","the Welfare-to-Work Voucher Program","Other wages and benefits","Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2006,http://www.huduser.gov/publications/pdf/hsgvouchers_1_2011.pdf "Net impact estimates for services provided through the Workforce Investment Act. ETA Occasional Paper 2005-06. [WIA Adult]","Hollenbeck, K., Schroeder, D., King, C., & Huang, W. (2005). Net impact estimates for services provided through the Workforce Investment Act. ETA Occasional Paper 2005-06. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. [WIA Adult]","Apprenticeship and Work-Based Training","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Low-Favorable impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Program’s core, intensive, and training services on the employment rate, earnings, and benefits receipt of low-income adults ages 22 to 64. The authors established three treatment groups based on the level of WIA services used and matched them to three comparison groups that participated in Employment Services (ES) and/or the core WIA services. The study found that the employment rate and average quarterly earnings were significantly higher for those in each of the treatment groups compared with their matched comparison groups. Benefits receipt was also significantly lower for those in the treatment groups than in their comparison groups. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before program participation. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the WIA Adult Program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Program","Job search assistance and supportive services Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) training programs","Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2005,https://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Net%20Impact%20Estimates%20f… "Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative: Ethnographic evaluation final report.","Lewis-Charp, H., Soukamneuth, S. & Goger, A.(2005). Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative: Ethnographic evaluation final report. Houston, TX: Decision Information Resources, Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The study aimed to understand the characteristics of communities participating in the Youth Opportunity (YO) grant initiative. It also sought to examine perceptions of whether the YO program had been implemented well and had enhanced the communities. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2000, the YO initiative looked to transform distressed neighborhoods by engaging youth in positive and productive activities and relationships. Programs were to provide education, employment, support, and leadership development services to youth ages 14 to 21 in high-poverty urban, rural, and Native American communities. The authors performed an ethnographic analysis based on site profiles for 35 YO communites. They also used U.S. Census data to further understand the characteristics of the communities. The authors described the social and economic trends of the 35 sites at length, focusing on the persistent and systemic obstacles facing the communities, including population decline, housing stress, and high rates of teen pregnancy. Participating communities had high rates of poverty and few quality jobs available.  The authors did not find a consensus about how well the YO initiative had been implemented in the communities. However, most community members, including participating youth, did strongly agree that YO programming benefited youth.","Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2005, "Barriers to employment for out-of-school youth: Evidence from a sample of recent CET applicants.","Miller, C., & Porter, K. (2005). Barriers to employment for out-of-school youth: Evidence from a sample of recent CET applicants. MDRC working paper. New York: MDRC.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report describes the associations between barriers to employment and employment outcomes of a sample of applicants in the Center for Employment Training (CET) replication sites. The CET program provided an intensive, short-term job training program for economically disadvantaged out-of-school youth that was designed to mirror the workplace. The overall impact of CET on youths’ employment outcomes is described in a different report (see CLEAR profile of Miller et al. 2005). This report described whether three barriers to employment—(1) lack of a high school diploma or general education development (GED) certificate, (2) childbearing, and (3) arrests—were associated with lower employment rates, and whether lower employment rates stemmed from employment instability or a longer length of time needed to find a job. The authors used data from the 54-month survey of CET applicants from the impact evaluation. For that evaluation, eligible youth were randomly assigned to receive CET services or to the control group, which was ineligible for CET services. The authors found that youth who did not finish high school or obtain a GED were less successful in the labor market than those who received a high school credential. Wages for dropouts were lower on average and dropouts worked less than high school graduates and GED recipients. Among male dropouts, job instability contributed to low average employment rates; for female dropouts, both job instability and longer spells of unemployment contributed to low employment rates. Having children at study entry was not associated with poorer employment outcomes for males or females. However, young men who had arrest records faced substantial challenges in finding jobs and were more likely to work in lower quality jobs in the retail or service industries than those without arrest records.","the Center for Employment Training (CET) Replication","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2005,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_24.pdf "Youth Opportunity grants: Lessons can be learned from program, but Labor needs to make data available.","Bellis, D. D., & General, A. O. (2005). Youth Opportunity grants: Lessons can be learned from program, but Labor needs to make data available. Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) summarizes the findings of a descriptive study of Youth Opportunity Grants. The 36 grants issued under this program, which began in 2000 and continued for five years, aimed to expand opportunities for at-risk youth in low-income areas by providing a variety of support services. The study explored how the grants were implemented, key barriers faced during implementation, and perceptions of the outcomes of the program and its impact on participating youth and their communities. To answer its research questions, the GAO conducted a survey with 36 Youth Opportunity Grant program directors and seven site visits. The site visits included interviews with program managers and staff, youth participants, and community members; facilities tours; observations of program activities; and collection of management information systems data. The study found that grantees adopted a variety of approaches to recruiting and serving at-risk youth, often responding to conditions in their local labor markets. However, many faced challenges in rolling out the program within the set time frames; addressing drug use, violence and unemployment in their communities; and adapting their services for youth struggling at school or with problems at home. Many program participants graduated from high school, enrolled in college, or joined the workforce after receiving Youth Opportunity Grant services. The GAO recommended that the Department of Labor complete the impact analysis of the Youth Opportunity Grant program and release all related reports and data.","Youth Opportunity Grant Initiative","Youth programs Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2005, "Study of Hispanics in Job Corps: 2004-2005","Garcia, Y. Study of Hispanics in Job Corps: 2004–2005. Washington, DC: HMA Associates, 2007.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report aimed to explore in greater detail the findings of the National Job Corps Study, an impact study whose final report was published in 2001. Specifically, the authors sought to understand why Hispanic youth did not experience positive impacts on employment outcomes similar to the rest of the study population. Job Corps offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training, along with support services, to economically disadvantaged youth. The authors reviewed data on Hispanic youth from the National Job Corps Study, program data, and data from a survey administered in 2004 to Hispanic youth in Job Corps centers. They also conducted site visits to four Job Corps centers, where they interviewed program staff and current and former participants. The study found that Hispanic youth performed well in the Job Corps program, but did not fully leverage the training they received. Many took the first job they were offered in order to start supporting their family immediately instead of expanding their employment search to include more lucrative long-term options. They also limited their search to places of employment where they felt poor English language skills would not constrain them.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Hispanic of any race, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2005,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Hispanic%20Job%20Corps%202004… "The challenge of repeating success in a changing world: Final report on the Center for Employment Training replication sites","Miller, C., Bos, J., Porter, K., Tseng, F., & Abe, Y. (2005). The challenge of repeating success in a changing world: Final report on the Center for Employment Training replication sites. New York: MDRC.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Employment Training-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Training","Summary: This report’s objective was to examine the effectiveness of the Center for Employment Training (CET) model. Under this model, local employers help design training programs and provide them in a work-like environment to economically disadvantaged youth who are not in school or employed. A separate report examined CET implementation. The effectiveness of the CET model in improving employment, earnings, and participation in education and training programs was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in 12 sites in seven states. The study found few statistically significant impacts on outcomes measured over a 54-month follow-up period. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is moderate. This means we have confidence that the effects estimated in this study are attributable at least in part to the CET program. However, other factors not accounted for in the study might also have contributed to the estimated effect.","the Center for Employment Training (CET) Replication","Basic skills Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2005,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_530.pdf "Enriching summer work: An evaluation of the Summer Career Exploration Program.","McClanahan, W., Sipe, C., & Smith, T. (2004). Enriching summer work: An evaluation of the Summer Career Exploration Program. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The evaluation’s objective was to examine the effects of the Summer Career Exploration Program (SCEP) on short-term earnings, employment, and other outcomes. SCEP offers youth job-related counseling, places them in career-related jobs, and supports them through mentoring. The report also describes program implementation and ways of improving SCEP. The program’s effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized control ed trial.  The study found statistically significant, positive impacts of SCEP on participants’ employment and earnings over the summer that the evaluation occurred; however, these were not sustained over the one-year follow-up period.  The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is high for most outcomes and moderate for the remaining outcomes examined. For the outcomes with high causal evidence, this means we are confident that the estimated impacts are attributable to SCEP, and not other factors. For those with moderate causal evidence, other factors besides SCEP might have contributed to the estimated effects.","Summer Career Exploration Program","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2004,http://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/communitydevelopment/funding/documents/AreaI… "National Job Corps Study: Findings using administrative earnings records data","Schochet, P., McConnell, S., & Burghardt, J. (2003). National Job Corps Study: Findings using administrative earnings records data. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment Training-Mod/high-No impacts Training","Summary: The study’s objective was to estimate the impact on long-term earnings and employment of the Job Corps program, which offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training to economically disadvantaged youth. The program’s effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial conducted in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The study found statistically significant, positive impacts of Job Corps on participants’ earnings within the first three years and employment within the first four years of follow-up, but no impacts of Job Corps on these outcomes in the fifth and sixth years. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is high. This means we are confident that the Job Corps program—not other factors—caused the estimated impacts. ","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2003,http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/jobcorpsadmin.pdf "Working with disadvantaged youth: Thirty-month findings from the evaluation of the Center for Employment Training replication sites","Miller, C., Bos, J., Porter, K., Tseng, M., Doolittle, F., Tanguage, D., & Vencill, M. (2003). Working with disadvantaged youth: Thirty-month findings from the evaluation of the Center for Employment Training replication sites. New York: MDRC.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Mod/high-No impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: This report’s objective was to examine the effectiveness of the Center for Employment Training (CET) model. Under this model, local employers helped to design training programs and provide them in a work-like environment to economically disadvantaged youth who were not in school or employed. The effectiveness of the CET model in improving employment, earnings, and participation in education and training programs was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in 12 sites in seven states. The study found few statistically significant impacts on outcomes measured over a 30-month follow-up period. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented RCT. This means we are confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to the CET program and not to other factors. However, the study did not generally find statistically significant effects.","the Center for Employment Training (CET) Replication","Other employment and reemployment Other training and education Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2003,https://www.doleta.gov/reports/searcheta/occ/papers/cet_full_report.pdf "Evaluation of the Youthbuild Program.","Mitchell, M., Jenkins, D., Nguyen, D., Lerman, A., & DeBerry, M. (2003). Evaluation of the Youthbuild Program. Report submitted to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Research and Development Division. Chicago: The Counselors of Real Estate.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report presents an implementation analysis of the Youthbuild program. The program provided hands-on construction training, educational experiences, leadership training, and counseling and other support to youth ages 16 to 24 who had very low incomes (or resided in very low-income households) and had dropped out of high school. The study examined Youthbuild programs in 20 sites, focusing on program design, grantees’ characteristics, changes in program participants’ outcomes, and costs of operation. The study used program documentation, staff interviews, site visits, participant interviews, and a literature review of other workforce development programs targeting at-risk youth. The program was successful in enrolling and graduating more participants, and working on more housing units, than planned. More participants held jobs and a high school diploma or general equivalency degree (GED) at program exit than entry. However, many grantees faced implementation challenges. The authors noted that study results should not be interpreted as generalizable to all Youthbuild program sites because studied sites were only those that received a second round of funding.",Youthbuild,"Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2003,http://www.huduser.org/Publications/PDF/YouthBuild.pdf "National Job Corps Study: Impacts by center characteristics.","Burghardt, J. & Schochet, P. (2001). National Job Corps Study: Impacts by center characteristics. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The National Job Corps Study produced several reports, including a main impact report (see CLEAR profile of Schochet et al. 2001 ) that found positive impacts of Job Corps—a national vocationally focused education and training program for disadvantaged youth ages 16 to 24—on participants’ employment, earnings, and education and training outcomes measured after four years. In this report, the authors examined whether these impacts were related to center characteristics, including the type of center operator, capacity of the center, region of the country, and performance ranking. The authors used data collected as part of the National Job Corps Study, which consisted of 9,400 program participants and 6,000 nonparticipants randomly selected from 81,000 first-time Job Corps applicants nationwide. Data included Job Corps center characteristics and student outcomes in the areas of educational services and attainment, earnings, and arrests. The authors used Job Corps counselors’ predictions of which Job Corps center applicants would attend before random assignment to compare outcomes of treatment youth with those of comparison youth who would have attended the same centers, had they been randomly assigned a slot in the program. The authors found few impacts that varied by center characteristics. The impacts of Job Corps were similar across operators; large, medium, and small centers; most regions of the United States; and across high-, medium-, and low-performing centers, as determined by the Job Corps performance measurement system.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2001,http://wdr.doleta.gov/opr/fulltext/01-jccenter.pdf "National Job Corps Study: The impacts of Job Corps on participants’ employment and related outcomes","Schochet, P., Burghardt, J., & Glazerman, S. (2001). National Job Corps Study: The impacts of Job Corps on participants’ employment and related outcomes. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment Training-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Training","Summary: The National Job Corps Study included several reports, including this final impact report. The report’s objective was to examine the impact of the Job Corps program on participants’ long-term earnings, employment, and other outcomes. It also described the participants’ Job Corps experiences. Job Corps offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training to economically disadvantaged youth. Its effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial conducted in 48 states and the District of Columbia. This report found statistically significant, positive impacts of Job Corps on participants’ employment, earnings, and education and training outcomes measured after four years. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this report is high because it is based on a well-conducted randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the Job Corps program—not other factors—caused the estimated impacts.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2001,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/01-jcimpacts.pdf "The benefits and costs of Job Corps","McConnell, S., & Glazerman, S. (2001). The benefits and costs of Job Corps. Mathematica Policy Research: Washington, DC.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The study’s objective was to determine whether the benefits of Job Corps exceeded its costs. The authors used data on impacts from the National Job Corps Study to estimate the program’s benefits and administrative data from the Office of Job Corps to estimate the program’s costs. The study found that the benefits of Job Corps to society exceeded its costs by almost $17,000 per participant. This included positive benefits of about $20,000 to participants and negative benefits of about $3,000 to the rest of society.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2001,http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/~/media/publications/PDFs/01-jcbenefit.pdf "National Job Corps Study: Assessing program effects on earnings for students achieving key program milestones","Gritz, R. M., and Johnson, T. (2001). National Job Corps Study: Assessing program effects on earnings for students achieving key program milestones. Report Prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages","Summary: The study’s objective was to estimate the impact of Job Corps on the employment and earnings of participants who obtained a general education development (GED) certificate or vocational training certificate during the course of the program. Job Corps offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training to economically disadvantaged youth. Job Corps’ overall effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial—the National Job Corps Study (NJCS)—conducted in 48 states and the District of Columbia (see the Clearinghouse for Labor Evaluation and Research [CLEAR] profile of Schochet et al. 20011 for full results). For this report, the authors used data from the NJCS 48-month follow-up survey to match Job Corps participants to control group members who had similar propensities to obtain a GED or vocational certificate. The study found that Jobs Corps participants who completed a vocational certificate during the course of the program earned $40 to $50 per week more than their control group counterparts, and those who completed a GED earned $60 to $70 per week more. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is moderate, the highest possible rating for a nonexperimental study. This means that we have some confidence that the estimated impacts are attributable to achieving programmatic milestones in the Job Corps program, although other factors might also have contributed.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2001,http://wdr.doleta.gov/opr/fulltext/MilestoneImpactReport-Final.pdf "Retention in the United States Job Corps: Analysis and recommendations.","Ginsburg, K. R., Forke, C.M., Kinsman, S.B., Fleegler, E., Grimes, E.K., et al. (2000). Retention in the United States Job Corps: Analysis and recommendations. Philadelphia, PA: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The study’s objective was to collect information to help Job Corps program and policy staff improve participant retention in the program. Job Corps offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training, along with support services, to economically disadvantaged youth. The authors used information from the Job Corps database on the demographic and other characteristics of participants who dropped out to study the timing of and reasons for withdrawal from the program. They administered a survey to the centers with the highest and lowest retention rates, and they conducted focus groups, interviews with program staff and participants, and observations of service delivery at five Job Corps sites. The authors’ analysis of characteristics and survey responses found that students with certain characteristics—for example, older students, those who entered the program with more advanced educational attainment, and those who interacted more closely with admissions counselors at Job Corps centers—were more likely to remain in the program. However, the authors noted that these were not highly reliable predictors of whether a student would remain in the program, suggesting unobserved factors played a role as well. The qualitative analysis of focus groups, interviews, and observations indicated that the students’ motivation, emotional maturity, and interpersonal skills and the strength of the relationships between participants and staff were important determinants of retention. Based on these findings, the authors recommended launching a staff training initiative to ensure staff were prepared to communicate effectively with students, challenge them, and build their sense of connectedness with one another and the program.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2000,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/00-jobcorps.pdf "Follow-up on North Carolina community college cooperative education graduates: Additional education and salary gains","Johnson, L. R. (2000). Follow-up on North Carolina community college cooperative education graduates: Additional education and salary gains (Unpublished doctoral dissertation.). North Carolina State University.","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-No impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Low-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study's objective was to examine the impact of cooperative education on education, earnings, and employment outcomes. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of graduates of a cooperative education program, graduates who did not participate in a cooperative education program that was offered at their college, and graduates who attended a school in which cooperative education was not offered. Using survey data, the author conducted statistical tests to examine the differences between the three groups 10 years after they graduated. The study found no statistically significant relationship between graduating from a cooperative education program and pursuing additional education, employment status, or earning a higher salary. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the author did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to cooperative education; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Cooperative Education","Employment and Training Services Training and Education Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Low-skilled",,"United States",2000,https://archive.org/details/ERIC_ED458904 "National Job Corps Study: Job Corps applicants’ programmatic experiences","Johnson, T., Gritz, M., & Dugan, M. (2000). National Job Corps Study: Job Corps applicants’ programmatic experiences. Seattle, WA: Battelle Memorial Institute.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report built on the process and descriptive analyses of the National Job Corps Study to understand which Job Corps program features led to positive results for applicants and participants. Job Corps offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training to economically disadvantaged youth. The authors investigated programs’ enrollment procedures, characteristics of the Job Corps centers, and program practices to identify those that seemed to be related to positive programmatic experiences for participants. The authors used data from the program’s management information system, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and surveys of program staff. The study found that students who had admissions counselors who put the onus on them to complete the admissions process, attended smaller centers in rural areas, and had access to high quality vocational training and academic instruction were more likely to have positive programmatic outcomes than those that did not. The extent to which staff and student populations had a similar racial make-up and gender composition, and the types and variety of vocational training offered, did not appear to influence programmatic outcomes.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2000,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/00-jc_programmatic.pdf "Evaluation of the Center for Employment Training replication sites: Interim report.","Walsh, S., Goldsmith, D., Abe, Y., & Cann, A. (2000). Evaluation of the Center for Employment Training replication sites: Interim report. Oakland, CA: Berkeley Policy Associates.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report presents an implementation analysis of 12 Center for Employment Training (CET) replication sites. The Center for Employment Training (CET) model targets economically disadvantaged youth who are not in school or employed. It delivers training in a work-like environment, requires full-time participation, and involves local employers in program design and delivery. The analysis assessed the fidelity of implementation to the CET model using qualitative data collected during site visits to 12 sites and preliminary administrative data from 8 sites. The study found that all the replication sites were generally successful in structuring services to mirror the workplace. Sites operated by CET (8 of 12) had overall higher fidelity to the model than non-CET-operated sites. Additionally, the study suggested that organizational capacity and stability are critical to replication; the 7 replication sites led by less-experienced organizations were prone to upheavals, and 4 closed during the course of the evaluation.","the Center for Employment Training (CET) Replication","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2000, "National Job Corps Study: Report on the Process Analysis","Johnson, T., Gritz, M., Jackson, R., Burghardt, J., Boussy, C., Leonard, J., & Orians, C. (1999). National Job Corps Study: Report on the Process Analysis. Submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy and Research. Seattle: Battelle Human Affairs Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report presents a process study of the national Job Corps program. Initiated in 1964, Job Corps provides comprehensive education and employment skills training to disadvantaged youth ages 16 to 24. The study drew on survey, administrative, and qualitative data to present students’ and Job Corps centers’ characteristics across the full population of participating students and centers in 1996; sampling for site visits excluded noncontiguous states. This study was part of the National Job Corps Study that also included an impact evaluation and a benefit-cost analysis. Job Corps united federal agencies, private contractors, and unions in implementing a training and support model for disadvantaged youth. Job Corps centers generally implemented core service components with consistency. Links between outreach and admissions counselors to Job Corps centers, and job placement services, proved challenging. Findings are generally applicable to program implementation nationally; however, the study did not measure outputs such as content or quality of services, participation, or dosage.","the Job Corps Program","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1999,http://wdr.doleta.gov/opr/FULLTEXT/99-jc_analysis.pdf "National Job Corps Study: Report on study implementation.","Burghardt, J., McConnell, S., Meckstroth, A., Schochet, P., Johnson, T., & Homrighausen, J. (1999). National Job Corps Study: Report on study implementation. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report describes the implementation of and lessons learned from the National Job Corps Study, a random assignment impact evaluation of Job Corps. Job Corps provides comprehensive job training to disadvantaged youth in the areas of basic education, vocational skills training, health care and education, counseling, and residential support. The authors conducted a qualitative analysis of planning and process documents for the study, as well as accounts of study team members’ first-hand experiences. The authors described the study design, sampling procedures, how they monitored sample build-up and decided when to end random assignment, and how they monitored adherence to the study’s random assignment procedures. They noted three key factors important for successful implementation of a randomized study design in an ongoing program: (1) commitment of program managers to the goals of the study and its related tasks, (2) close collaboration between research and program staff, and (3) monitoring of study procedures to ensure integrity.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1999,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/99-jc_implement.pdf "Matching the disadvantaged to job opportunities: Structural explanations for the past successes of the Center for Employment Training.","Melendez, E., & Harrison, B. (1998). Matching the disadvantaged to job opportunities: Structural explanations for the past successes of the Center for Employment Training. Economic Development Quarterly, 12(1), 3-11.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The authors’ objective was to propose a plausible explanation for the Center for Employment Training-San Jose’s (CET) success in placing disadvantaged people into jobs. CET is a national program that provides job training for disadvantaged people and matches them with entry-level jobs. The San Jose site, the focus of this article, served a mostly Hispanic population, consisting of dislocated farm workers, mothers on public assistance, out-of-school youth, and ex-offenders. The authors reviewed findings from a recent case study on CET-San Jose and posited explanations for the program’s success. They attributed the success of the program to its ability to develop in its participants the skills necessary in the local labor market and become part of employers’ trusted recruiting networks. They also noted that CET-San Jose is embedded in a powerful social movement (West Coast Hispanic politics and culture).","the Center for Employment Training (CET) Replication","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Hispanic of any race, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1998, "National Job Corps Study: Characteristics of youths served by Job Corps.","Schochet, P. (1998). National Job Corps Study: Characteristics of youths served by Job Corps. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: One of a series of reports emanating from the National Job Corps Study, a random assignment evaluation of the Job Corps program, this report describes the characteristics of eligible Job Corps applicants and compares them with the broader national population of disadvantaged youth. The Job Corps program offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training, along with support services, to economically disadvantaged youth. The authors examined data collected as part of the National Job Corps Study on the characteristics of eligible youth. The study collected data through an interview at the time of random assignment and through surveys administered 12, 30 and 48 months after it. The findings in this report are based on the data collected through baseline interviews. The authors reported that, as intended, Job Corps served disadvantaged youth, most of whom had not completed high school (about 80 percent). Eligible applicants tended to be male (about 60 percent) and members of racial or ethnic minority groups (about 70 percent; 50 percent African American). More than a quarter of applicants had been arrested before applying to Job Corps. Female applicants tended to be older, more likely to have children and to have completed high school, and less likely to admit drug use or arrests than male applicants. Compared with the broader national population of disadvantaged youth, eligible Job Corps applicants were more likely to be 16- or 17-year-old African American males from large urban areas who were high school dropouts.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1998,http://wdr.doleta.gov/opr/fulltext/99-jc_characteristics.pdf "The effect of workplace education on earnings, turnover, and job performance","Krueger, A., & Rouse, C. (1998). The effect of workplace education on earnings, turnover, and job performance. Journal of Labor Economics, 16(1), 61-94.","Low-Income Adults","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of employer-based workplace education on wage growth at two mid-sized companies in New Jersey, one in the manufacturing sector and the other in the service sector. In this nonexperimental study, the authors used employee survey data and administrative records from the participating companies and the community college that provided the training to compare the wage growth of workers who participated in training with the wage growth of workers who did not participate. The study found that employees in the manufacturing company who participated in training had higher wage growth than those who did not participate. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not account for potential pre-program differences in earnings between groups in the analysis. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the employer-based workplace education program. Other factors are likely to have contributed.","Employer-Based Workplace Education","Community college education and other classroom training Other training and education",Low-skilled,,"United States",1998, "Youth Corps: Promising strategies for young people and their communities","Jastrzab, J., Blomquist, J., Masker, J., & Orr, L. (1997). Youth Corps: Promising strategies for young people and their communities. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report provides a high-level summary of a study on Youth Corps programs, which have engaged disadvantaged youth in community service projects since 1933. An in-depth impact analysis is contained in Jastrzab et al. 1996. The study’s objective was to gain insight into participants’ contributions and experiences; analyze program impacts on educational, employment, and behavioral outcomes; and assess the costs and benefits of the programs. The authors analyzed data on initiatives sponsored by the Commission on National and Community Service in 1993 and 1994, and during that time also collected data directly from Youth Corps programs for the impact analysis and cost-benefit assessment. In addition, the authors talked with several program staff and participants. The study found that although program completion rates were low, most participants felt the program was helpful and sponsors and beneficiaries were generally satisfied with youths’ performance. The program had a significant impact on the employment and earnings of corps members. The analysis of program costs and benefits showed aggregate benefits to society.","Youth Corps Programs","Mentoring Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1997,http://www.abtassociates.com/reports/Youth-Corps.pdf "Net impact evaluation of retraining under ESHB 1988.","Jacobson, L., & LaLonde, R. (1997). Net impact evaluation of retraining under ESHB 1988. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED413525.pdf","Community College","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages","Summary: The study's objective was to examine the impact of the Washington State Employment and Training Act of 1993 (ESHB 1988) on earnings. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the earnings of displaced workers who received re-training to those who did not receive re-training. Using administrative data from Washington State's Employment Security Department and transcript data from the community colleges, the authors conducted statistical models to examine the differences between groups. The study found that participation in the re-training program increased long-term earnings; however, the authors did not provide a test of statistical significance. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design; this is the highest causal evidence rating possible for a nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Washington State Employment and Training Act of 1993 (ESHB 1988), but other factors might also have contributed.","Washington State Employment and Training Act of 1993 (ESHB 1988)","Employment and Training Services Training and Education Basic skills Capacity building programs Community college education and other classroom training","Adult, Dislocated or displaced worker, Low-skilled",,"United States",1997,https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED413525.pdf "The study of the replication of the CET job training model.","Hershey, A., & Rosenberg, L. (1994). The study of the replication of the CET job training model. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: The Center for Employment Training (CET) was shown by rigorous research conducted in the 1980s to increase the earnings and employment prospects of disadvantaged youth. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) commissioned a study to determine whether other organizations could replicate the CET model. This study reported on early efforts by 10 replication sites to implement the key features of the CET job training model. DOL later commissioned an impact evaluation of CET replication sites, including some sites examined in this study (see CLEAR profile of Miller et al. 2005). The CET model provides individualized, intensive, full-time job training. Its focus is on integrating basic and technical skills with job placement as the final goal. CET’s advisory board and instructors are well connected to industry and help to ensure that the skills taught in the program align with those desired by employers. The authors conducted telephone interviews with staff from the CET main office in San Jose, California, telephone interviews with key staff and project directors of the 10 replication sites, and site visits to 5 of the 10 sites. The authors noted that the replication sites faced considerable challenges initiating the program, including finding a suitable space and ensuring consistent funding. When the programs began offering services, the authors reported some deviations from the CET model. In particular, they found that some sites used a screening process, rather than allowing open access to training, as specified by the CET model; some sites used whole group rather than individualized instruction; some did not integrate basic skills and technical skills training; some had not formed an advisory board to provide labor market analysis and guidance for needed training areas; and most were not placing participants into jobs at the completion of training.","the Center for Employment Training (CET) Replication","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1994, "New evidence on workplace education","Krueger, A., & Rouse, C. (1994). New evidence on workplace education (No. w4831). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.","Low-Income Adults","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of employer-based workplace education on wage growth at two mid-sized companies in New Jersey, one in the manufacturing sector and the other in the service sector. In this nonexperimental study, the authors used employee survey data and administrative records from the participating companies and the community college that provided the training to compare the wage growth of workers who participated in training with the wage growth of workers who did not participate. The study found that employees in the manufacturing company who participated in occupational training had higher wage growth than those who did not participate in the training. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the employer-based workplace education program, but other factors might also have contributed.","Employer-Based Workplace Education","Community college education and other classroom training Other training and education",Low-skilled,,"United States",1994,http://www.nber.org/papers/w4831.pdf "Job Corps costs and outcomes","Crawford, C. (1993). Job Corps costs and outcomes. Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This Government Accountability Office brief studied the costs and outcomes of the Job Corps program during program year 1991 (covering calendar year July 1991 through June 1992). Job Corps offers intensive academic classroom instruction and vocational skills training, along with support services, to economically disadvantaged youth. The authors used data from the Department of Labor's Office of Job Corps to explore the differences in the costs of Job Corps centers run by contractors and those run by federal agencies. They also studied the employment outcomes of Job Corps participants who received training from sole-source contractors—those awarded contracts through a non-competitive process. The authors found that the cost per participant was higher in Job Corps centers run by federal departments than in centers run by contractors. This difference was driven by variation in the types of training the centers offered. Participants in Job Corps centers operated by sole-source contractors, especially those offering training under national training contracts, tended to have higher rates of job placement than participants in other types of Job Corps centers.","Job Corps","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, High-skilled, Low-skilled",,"United States",1993,http://www.gao.gov/assets/90/82925.pdf "JOBSTART: Final report on a program for school dropouts.","Cave, G., Bos, H., Doolittle, F. & Toussaint, C. (1993). JOBSTART: Final report on a program for school dropouts. New York: MDRC.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Unfavorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Unfavorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the JOBSTART program on employment, earnings, and education and training outcomes over a four-year follow-up period. About 2,300 youth were randomly assigned to either the treatment group, which was eligible to participate in JOBSTART, or the control group, which could not participate in JOBSTART but could access other services in the community. The authors compared the outcomes of the treatment and control groups using data collected through follow-up surveys 12, 24, and 48 months after random assignment. The study found that, 48 months after random assignment, members of the treatment group were significantly more likely to have participated in education or training, and completed significantly more hours of it, compared with the control group. The treatment group was significantly less likely to be employed and earned significantly less than the control group in the first year after random assignment. There were no significant impacts on earnings or employment outcomes in later follow-up years. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it is based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the JOBSTART program, and not to other factors.","the JOBSTART Program","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1993,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_416.pdf