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 "Synthesis Report: Evidence on the Effectiveness of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program",,"Opportunities for Youth",,,,"Findings: Research provides strong evidence that NGYCP improves the educational outcomes of at-risk youth. There is also strong evidence that NGYCP improves the labor market outcomes of at-risk youth. A cost-benefit analysis found NGYCP produced large positive benefits. NGYCP is a multi-component intervention, with little evidence on the effectiveness of specific components.","the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program",,,,,, "Synthesis Report: Research Synthesis: Opportunities for Youth",,"Opportunities for Youth",,,,"Findings: Successful programs often involved a substantial time commitment from participating youth. Many successful programs involved a job placement component or job search assistance. Positive impacts tended to be realized in the short term and fade over time. More information is needed on the replicability of some programs.",,"Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth",,,, "Synthesis Report: Research Synthesis: Employment Programs and Demonstrations for SSI and SSDI Beneficiaries",,"Disability Employment Policy",,,,"Findings: Evidence echoes previous literature reviews on the challenges of generating substantive impacts, though customized supports to well-targeted populations show some potential. The most effective interventions provided intensive, customized supports and services focused on job training, placement, and retention to narrowly defined target populations. Interventions that provided support services or incentives to help beneficiaries keep more of their benefits when working had small or no impacts on employment, even if spending on services was high. There is no evidence of SSI or SSDI caseload reductions, even among interventions that improved employment and/or earnings. Little is known about interventions for improving earnings of people with TBI and PTSD. Recruiting beneficiaries to participate in demonstrations was difficult, which limited the generalizability of study findings. Fidelity to the demonstration model is important. Work incentives and supports can be difficult to implement in the context of SSA’s existing work incentives, creating potential confusion for beneficiaries and program staff. A strong technical assistance component, with incentives for service providers to accept the assistance, is important to successful implementation. Demonstrations should be pilot tested before being implemented on a national scale.",,,Disability,,,, "The effects of youth employment: Evidence from New York City lotteries.","Gelber, A., Isen, A., & Kessler, J. B. (2016). The effects of youth employment: Evidence from New York City lotteries. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 131(1), 423-460.",,"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-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) on the employment rate, earnings, and college enrollment of New York City youth 14 to 21 years old. The authors compared the employment rate, earnings, and college enrollment of the treatment group, youth who won a random lottery for the SYEP program and chose to participate in it, with those of the control group, youth who applied to the program but were not randomly selected to participate. The study used data from the Internal Revenue Service to measure outcomes over a five-year period. The study found that, compared with earnings of the control group, the treatment group had significantly higher earnings in the year of participation in SYEP, but significantly lower earnings in the following three years. The treatment group also had a significantly higher probability of being employed in any job during the year of participation in SYEP and the first follow-up year compared with the employment probability of 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 the SYEP program, and not to other factors.","Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)","Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2016, "Becoming adults: One year impact findings from the youth villages’ Transitional Living evaluation","Valentine, E.J., Skemer, M., & Courtney, M.E. (2015). Becoming adults: One year impact findings from the youth villages’ Transitional Living evaluation. New York: MDRC.","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-Low-No impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Transitional Living program on education, earnings, and recidivism outcomes. The authors used a randomized controlled trial and estimated impacts by comparing the means of the treatment and control groups. Outcome data on education, earnings, and criminal involvement came from a 12-month survey conducted by the authors. The study found a statistically significant impact on earnings only. Youth in the treatment group earned an average $611 more than youth in 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 the Transitional Living, and not to other factors.","Transitional Living","Basic skills Other training and education Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2015,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Becoming_Adults_FR.pdf "What factors contributed to changes in employment during and after the great recession?","Farooq, A., & Kugler, A. D. (2015). What factors contributed to changes in employment during and after the great recession? IZA Journal of Labor Policy, 4(3), 1-28.",Veterans,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: This study examined the impact of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) on employment for veterans with disabilities and unemployed veterans. The study used a nonexperimental design to examine the effects of the WOTC on employment, based on data from the Annual Social and Economic (ASEC) supplement of the Current Population Survey from 2003 to 2013. The study showed no statistically significant relationships between the WOTC and employment for veterans with disabilities or for unemployed veterans. 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 any estimated effects are attributable to the WOTC; other factors likely contributed to the outcomes. However, the study did not show any statistically significant effects.","the Work Opportunity Tax Credit","Veterans' reemployment Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)","Disability, Veteran or military",,"United States",2015,https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40173-014-0029-y "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 "Substance Use Treatment and Reentry (STAR) program: Final evaluation report","Hunter, S. B., & Huang, C. Y. (2014). Substance Use Treatment and Reentry (STAR) program: Final evaluation report. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation.",Reentry,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Employment-Low-Unfavorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Substance Use Treatment and Reentry (STAR) program on post-release employment and recidivism outcomes for justice-involved young adults in California. The authors used an interrupted time series design to compare the outcomes of justice-involved young adults before and after participating in the STAR program. They assessed the change in participants’ scores on the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) Government Performance Reporting Act assessments, which were administered at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months following program intake. The authors found statistically significant relationships between program participation and employment and recidivism outcomes. At six months after program intake, employment decreased by 26.7 percentage points but the number of participants who spent any time in a confined setting (jail, prison, juvenile hall) decreased by 11.5 percentage points. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not account for trends in outcomes before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects on employment and recidivism are attributable to the program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Substance Use Treatment and Reentry (STAR) program","Substance abuse recovery Reentry","Youth, Justice-involved",,"United States",2014,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5051995/ "Summer jobs reduce violence among disadvantaged youth","Heller, S. (2014). Summer jobs reduce violence among disadvantaged youth. Science, 346(6214), 1219-1223.","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","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of One Summer Plus, a summer jobs program for high school-age students, on educational and criminal justice outcomes. Students from 13 high schools were recruited to the program and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups or a control group. Students in the jobs-only treatment group were offered 25 hours per week of paid employment; students in the jobs + SEL treatment group were offered 15 hours of paid employment and 10 hours of social-emotional learning (SEL) weekly. Students in the control group were excluded from the program but free to pursue other opportunities. The study found that students in the One Summer Plus program had significantly fewer arrests for violent crimes in the 16 months following random assignment, compared with students in the control group (5 arrests per 100 youth compared with 9 arrests per 100 youth, equivalent to a 43 percent reduction). There were no statistically significant impacts of the program on the other criminal justice or educational outcomes examined. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-conducted randomized controlled trial.","One Summer Plus","Other employment and reemployment Youth programs",Youth,,"United States, Urban",2014, "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… "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… "Mentoring practices proven to broaden participation in STEM disciplines","Crumpton-Young, L., Elde, A., & Ambrose, K. (2014, June). Mentoring practices proven to broaden participation in STEM disciplines. Paper presented at 2014 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN.","Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The study identified effective mentoring practices, mostly at postsecondary institutions, for women and minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The authors surveyed 25 randomly selected mentor programs or individuals who received a National Science Foundation award for being successful in mentoring students who are typically underrepresented (including women) in STEM. The survey asked award recipients to rate their performance on 22 mentoring practices using a scale ranging from not doing well to doing exceptionally well. The authors deemed those mentoring practices rated most highly as best practices. The study found that the highest-rated mentoring practices were being passionate about mentees and their development, creating opportunities for mentees, setting high expectations for mentees’ performance, providing needed support to mentees, and respecting mentees’ confidentiality. Conversely, the lowest-rated practices set the mentor in an authoritative light and included providing constant feedback to and having constant contact with mentees.",,"Mentoring Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Youth, Female, Black or African American, Asian, Hispanic of any race, Multiracial, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander",,"United States",2014,https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiM7t… "“Somebody who was on my side:” A qualitative examination of Youth Initiated Mentoring","Spencer, R., Tugenberg, T., Ocean, M., Schwartz, Sarah E., & Rhodes, J. (2013). “Somebody who was on my side:” A qualitative examination of Youth Initiated Mentoring. Youth & Society, 1-23.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report explored and described in detail the experiences of youth in a mentoring program known as Youth Initiated Mentoring. The youth were 16- to 18-year-old school dropouts who were a part of national study of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program. As part of Youth Initiated Mentoring, youth had to identify and recruit their own mentors, as opposed to a traditional mentoring process in which a program selects a mentor for the youth. The authors conducted retrospective qualitative interviews with a sample of 30 former ChalleNGe participants. To analyze the data, the authors used an iterative thematic approach to identify important themes. The analysis found that most participants selected mentors they knew from prior relationships or with whom they had similar background and/or experiences, such as family, family friends, and individuals connected with the school or in the community. Mentors encouraged youth to meet their goals, raised their self- esteem and confidence, and improved their relationships with others. Mentors were also viewed as important to youths’ completion of the ChalleNGe program.","Youth Initiated Mentoring in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe","Mentoring Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2013, "An effective model for enhancing underrepresented minority participation and success in geoscience undergraduate research","Blake, R., Liou-Mark, J., & Chukuigwe, C. (2013). An effective model for enhancing underrepresented minority participation and success in geoscience undergraduate research. Journal of Geoscience Education, 61(4), 405-414.","Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This study described the implementation of the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at New York City College of Technology. This year-long program aimed to retain undergraduates in STEM disciplines and prepare them for STEM careers, especially for underrepresented minority groups, including women. The authors, as directors of the REU program, described each of its components, including research, minicourses, seminars and workshops, mentoring, support and networking opportunities, and presenting at and attending conferences. Outcomes were discussed in terms of post-program experiences and achievements, as well as quotes from program participants. Overall, the authors concluded that the program was successful in terms of demonstrated interest in, attendance in, or completion of a STEM graduate program; achievement in STEM publications; and attainment of STEM awards. These outcomes were complemented by five quotes from student participants who discussed how the program changed their academic lives.",,"Youth programs Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Youth, Other barriers, Female",,"United States",2013, "Women in community colleges: Access to success","St. Rose, A., & Hill, C. (2013). Women in community colleges: Access to success. Washington, DC: American Association of University Women.","Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The authors described two programs partnering with California community colleges—the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement Community College Program (MCCP) and the CalWomen Tech Program—that aim to encourage women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The two initiatives approach this goal in different ways: MCCP prepares women to transfer from two- to four-year STEM degree programs, whereas CalWomen Tech encourages participation in non-traditional career and technical education programs in STEM, such as information technology and automotive repair. MCCP offers a wide array of academic, career, and social support services, from academic tutoring and advising to a cohort-based course progression. CalWomen Tech’s promotional materials target women, such as “women in technology” websites that highlight the employment and salary opportunities available to women who choose non-traditional career paths, and skill-building or “bridge” courses that lay the groundwork for more advanced study. In 2010, 38 percent of MCCP transfer students from two- to four-year degree programs were women. Of those transferring to programs in life sciences or mathematics, more than 50 percent were women. After partnering with CalWomen Tech, female enrollment in City College of San Francisco’s computer networking and information technology program increased from 19 percent in 2006 to 33 percent in 2008, with persistent enrollment rates through 2010. Similarly, CalWomen Tech helped Evergreen Valley College raise female retention in its automotive technology program from 58 percent to 88 percent over the course of two years.",,"Youth programs Community college education and other classroom training Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Youth, Female",,"United States",2013,http://www.aauw.org/files/2013/05/women-in-community-colleges.pdf "Youth Initiated Mentoring: Investigating a new approach to working with vulnerable adolescents","Schwartz, S., Rhodes, J., Spencer, R., & Grossman, J. (2013). Youth Initiated Mentoring: Investigating a new approach to working with vulnerable adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 52, 155–169.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The study examined Youth Initiated Mentoring (YIM) within the context of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (NGYCP). Unlike a traditional mentoring program in which mentors are assigned to youth, under YIM, youth nominate their own mentors. The authors conducted a quantitative analysis using data from the 9-, 21- and 38-month follow-up surveys administered as part of a national evaluation of NGYCP, along with qualitative analysis of interviews with a subsample of NGYCP participants. The study found that YIM mentors included family friends, extended family members and godparents, school and extracurricular staff, and religious leaders. By the 38-month follow-up survey, 56 percent of youth reported still being in contact with their mentors. In addition, NGYCP youth who were in contact with their mentors at the 38-month follow-up showed significant benefits on a range of outcomes compared with the control group.","Youth Initiated Mentoring in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe","Mentoring Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2013, "Preventing youth violence and dropout: A randomized field experiment (No. w19014)","Heller, S., Pollack, H. A., Ander, R., & Ludwig, J. (2013). Preventing youth violence and dropout: A randomized field experiment (No. w19014). 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 program on arrest and educational outcomes. The study was a randomized controlled trial. Eligible male youth from 18 public schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods were screened for eligibility. The 2,740 who met requirements were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups or a control group. The study found that being offered the opportunity to participate in the program reduced violent crime arrests during the program year and improved schooling outcomes in both the program and follow-up years. 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 Becoming a Man program, and not to other factors.","Becoming a Man","Other training and education Safety Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Disconnected youth, Male, Low income",,"United States, Urban",2013,http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/workshops/AppliedEcon/past/pdf/jensludwigyouthv… "The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on West Virginia Youth Works","Fraker, T., Mamun, A., Manno, M., Martinez, J., Reed, D., Thompkins, A., & Wittenburg, D. (2012). The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on West Virginia Youth Works. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Disability Employment Policy","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 Public benefits receipt-Mod/high-No impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: The study’s objective was to measure 12-month impacts of the West Virginia Youth Works project, one of six project sites of the larger Social Security Administration (SSA)-sponsored Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) that used a randomized evaluation. Youth Works provided services to help youth with disabilities improve their education and employment outcomes and become more economically self-sufficient. Data were collected from a baseline survey and 12-month follow-up survey, the Ticket Research File (TRF), and the Master Earnings File (MEF). The authors estimated program impacts on measures of paid employment, educational attainment, and Social Security disability benefit receipt. The study found that Youth Works had positive impacts on employment, earnings, and total income after one year of implementation. There were no impacts on educational attainment and Social Security disability benefit receipt. The quality of causal evidence presented in the study is high for the education, employment, and SSA benefit receipt outcomes because they are based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial with low attrition. However, the quality of causal evidence is moderate for earnings and total income because sample attrition for these outcomes was high.","the Youth Transition Demonstration Projects, West Virginia Youth Works Program","Disability insurance Supplemental security income (SSI) Youth programs","Youth, Disability",,"United States",2012,http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/~/media/publications/pdfs/disability/ytd_wv_inte… "A cost-benefit analysis of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. Technical report.","Perez-Arce, F., Constant, L., Loughran, D., & Karoly, L. (2012). A cost-benefit analysis of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. Technical report. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report estimates the social return on investment of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, a disciplinary and educational intervention for unemployed youth ages 16 to 18 who are not in school. Related reports examined impacts of the program at 10 sites measured at 9, 21, and 36 months. The authors used several types of data to determine the program’s costs and benefits. For costs, the data included program budgets and the March 2010 Current Population Survey. For benefits, the main data source was the impact estimates from the 36-month follow-up and data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 cohort (NLSY79). The authors calculated the operating and opportunity costs of the program per admitted cadet and compared this to the lifetime benefits of being admitted to the program, including increased earnings, decreased dependence on social welfare, and decreased criminal activity. The study found that net benefits of the program, from the perspective of society as a whole, were $25,549 per admittee, a return on investment of 166 percent. The government incurred negative net benefits, largely due to covering the bulk of the operating costs, and the participants had substantial, positive net benefits.","the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program","Basic skills Community college education and other classroom training Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2012, "The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on Broadened Horizons, Brighter Futures","Fraker, T., Honeycutt, T., Mamun, A., Manno, M., Martinez, J., O’Day, B., Reed, D., & Thompkins. A. (2012). The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on Broadened Horizons, Brighter Futures. Report submitted to the Social Security Administration. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.","Disability Employment Policy","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report presented an interim implementation and impact analysis on the Broadened Horizons, Brighter Futures (BHBF) Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) project. The program sought to help youth with disabilities ages 16 through 22 who received Supplemental Security Income and resided in Miami-Dade County maximize their self-sufficiency. The study examined implementation of BHBF, focusing on major aspects of service delivery, including the background, local context and service environment. It also provided information on participants’ characteristics and satisfaction with the program. The authors conducted qualitative analysis of staff and participant interviews, including data collected from site visits; and descriptive quantitative analysis of participants’ baseline and follow-up survey data and service utilization data from a management information system. The study found that participants began receiving services soon after enrollment. Some services were more challenging to implement than others, but all participants received some project services and most received at least one of the four major types of service: benefits planning, employment, education, and case management.  Study findings related to implementation challenges and solutions are potentially applicable to other current or future projects that provide employment-related services to youth with disabilities.","the Youth Transition Demonstration Projects, Broadended Horizons, Brighter Futures","Supplemental security income (SSI) Youth programs Vocational rehabilitation","Youth, Disability",,"United States",2012,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/interim_report_broadened_horizons.pdf "Women in industrial engineering: Stereotypes, persistence, and perspectives","Brawner, C., & Camacho, M. (2012). Women in industrial engineering: Stereotypes, persistence, and perspectives. Journal of Engineering Education, 101(2), 288-318.","Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This study explored why more women major in industrial engineering in college than other engineering fields. The authors tabulated quantitative data from eight colleges and universities in the southeastern region of the United States using data from the Multiple-Institution Database for Investigating Engineering Longitudinal Development (MIDFIELD). They also conducted focus groups with 20 female industrial engineering students and qualitatively analyzed the content of industrial engineering department websites at the eight MIDFIELD institutions. The study found that students transferred into an industrial engineering major program after taking several semesters of coursework in another field at the university. It found no evidence that women with weak academic records were more likely to choose industrial engineering over other engineering majors. Focus group participants felt that their department had a warm, familial atmosphere, and that the major provided a more general background in engineering, which could offer them more flexible job opportunities in a variety of related fields. This was consistent with departmental websites, which marketed themselves as having a strong sense of community and collegiality, and stressed the wide range of career opportunities available to their graduates as problem solvers for society and industry.",,"Youth programs Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Youth, Female",,"United States",2012, "A promising start: Initial impacts of Year Up on low-income young adults’ careers.","Roder, A., & Elliott, M. (2011). A promising start: Initial impacts of Year Up on low-income young adults' careers. Economic Mobility Corporation.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-Mixed impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Low-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: This report presents preliminary findings for the impacts of the Year Up program, which provides technical skills training and internships to low-income adults ages 18 to 24. The authors randomly assigned eligible applicants to either be invited to participate in the program immediately (treatment group) or gain entry after 10 months (control group). They compared the outcomes of treatment and control group members for approximately two years after random assignment. The authors reported many statistically significant and positive impacts of the program in the second year after random assignment. These included impacts on annual earnings and hourly wages. The quality of causal evidence is low because the randomized controlled trial had high attrition and the study did not show that the groups being compared were equivalent prior to the program. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to Year Up. Other factors are likely to have contributed.","Year Up","Mentoring Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Low income","Finance and insurance","United States, Urban",2011, "Staying on course: Three-year results of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Evaluation.","Millenky, M., Bloom, D., Muller-Ravett, S., & Broadus, J. (2011). Staying on course: Three-year results of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Evaluation. New York: MDRC.","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: This report presents results from a three-year follow-up study of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, a disciplinary and educational intervention for unemployed youth ages 16 to 18 who are not in school. Earlier reports examined outcomes at 9 and 21 months. The program’s effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial conducted in 10 states. This report examined the effects of the program on participants’ educational attainment, earnings, employment, and other outcomes measured through a survey conducted about three years after participants entered the study. The study found statistically significant, positive impacts of the ChalleNGe program on employment, earnings, education, and training outcomes measured after three years. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is high because it is a well-conducted randomized controlled trial. This means we have confidence that the effects estimated in this study are attributable to the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program.","the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program","Basic skills Community college education and other classroom training Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2011,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_510.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 "Inside the double bind: A synthesis of empirical research on undergraduate and graduate women of color in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics","Ong, M., Wright, C., Espinosa, L., & Orfield, G. (2011). Inside the double bind: A synthesis of empirical research on undergraduate and graduate women of color in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Harvard Educational Review, 81(2), 172-208.","Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The study examined existing empirical research on the challenges that minority women have faced in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines at the undergraduate and graduate levels, emphasizing factors that promote or discourage retention and transition to employment or further study. The authors analyzed 116 empirical studies conducted from 1970 to 2008 that examine aspects of the academic and career experiences of minority women in STEM disciplines, identifying the findings of each study and synthesizing these features to pinpoint trends and opportunities for further investigation. The authors summarized the studies’ conclusions regarding the effects of academic climate, enrichment programs, self-confidence, and relationships with faculty, peers, and family on minority women’s persistence in undergraduate STEM majors, highlighting lack of recognition from peers and faculty members and complex family expectations and dynamics as factors that hinder them from completing STEM degrees. At the graduate level, many of the same influences, particularly family expectations and fraught relationships with peers and professors, present challenges for minority women in STEM disciplines. Academic and social transitions from minority-serving institutions to predominantly white institutions and the financial demands of graduate study also represent cross-cutting obstacles.",,"Youth programs Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Youth, Other barriers, Female",,"United States",2011, "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, "Evaluation of the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care: Final Report","Courtney, M., Zinn, A., Johnson, H., and Malm, K. (2011). Evaluation of the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care: Final Report. OPRE Report #2011-14. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.","Opportunities for Youth","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-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Mod/high-No impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care (Outreach) on youths’ education, employment, earnings, and public benefit receipt. Using a randomized controlled trial design, the authors estimated the program’s impact by comparing survey responses and college records for youth randomly selected to receive the Outreach program with those of youth randomly assigned to the control group. The study found that the Outreach program significantly increased college enrollment and persistence. 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 Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care, and not to other factors.","the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2011,http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/eval_mass.pdf "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 "A pilot study connecting youth with emotional or behavioral difficulties to summer work experiences.","Carter, E.W., Trainor, A.A., Ditchman, N., & Owens, L. (2011). A pilot study connecting youth with emotional or behavioral difficulties to summer work experiences. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 34(2), 95-106. doi:10.1177/0885728810395745","Job Search Assistance, Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of providing summer employment support on the employment of youth with emotional and behavioral difficulties. The authors used a randomized controlled trial to assign eligible youth with emotional and behavioral difficulties (63 in total) to either the treatment group, which received additional support finding and retaining summer employment, or the control group, which did not receive any additional support. The authors used data from telephone interviews with youth or parents to measure outcomes. The study found that, compared with youth randomly assigned to the control group, youth offered support finding and retaining summer employment were 27 percentage points more likely to be employed at the end of the summer. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because attrition was high 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 summer employment support; other factors are likely to have contributed.","a Package of Employment Services for Youth","Job search assistance and supportive services Other employment and reemployment","Youth, Other barriers",,"United States",2011, "National evaluation of Youth Corps: Findings at follow-Up","Price, C., Williams, J., Simpson, L., Jastrzab, J., & Markovitz, C. (2011). National evaluation of Youth Corps: Findings at follow-up. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates, Inc.","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-No impacts Employment Training-Mod/high-No impacts Training","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Youth Corps, a diverse set of programs that offer educational services, employment and training, and community service activities to young adults. The programs’ effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial conducted at 21 Youth Corps program sites. The study found a statistically significant positive impact on participants’ annual income 18 months after random assignment. There was no evidence of statistically significant impacts on employment, education, or training 30 months after random assignment, which was the primary follow-up period examined in the study. The quality of 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 Youth Corps, although other factors could also have contributed.","Youth Corps Programs","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2011,http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/nat_eval_youthcorps_impactreport.pdf "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 "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 "The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on the City University of New York’s Project","Fraker, T., Black, A., Broadus, J., Mamun, A., Manno, M., Martinez, J., McRoberts, R., Rangarajan, A., & Reed, D. (2011). The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on the City University of New York’s Project. Report submitted to the Social Security Administration. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.","Disability Employment Policy","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report presents an interim implementation and impact analysis on the City University of New York (CUNY) Youth Transition Demonstration Project (YTDP). The program sought to maximize economic self-sufficiency and independence for youth disability insurance beneficiaries by improving their employment and educational opportunities. The program targeted youth ages 14 through 18 who received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and resided in Bronx County. The study examined implementation of YTDP at two CUNY campuses, focusing on major aspects of service delivery, including the background, local context, and service environment of YTDP. It also provided information on beneficiaries’ characteristics and satisfaction with the program. The study used qualitative analysis of staff and beneficiary interviews, including data collected from site visits; and descriptive quantitative analysis of beneficiaries’ baseline and follow-up survey data and service utilization data from a management information system. The study found that youth beneficiaries had access to all of the services in the conceptual framework. Many began receiving individualized services before participating in structured workshops. However, education-related and person-centered services were among the less-intensive service offerings. Study findings related to implementation challenges and solutions are potentially applicable to other current or future projects that provide employment-related services to youth with disabilities.","the Youth Transition Demonstration Projects, The City University of New York","Supplemental security income (SSI) Youth programs Vocational rehabilitation","Youth, Disability",,"United States",2011,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_579.pdf "The role of living–learning programs in women’s plans to attend graduate school in STEM fields","Szelényi, K., & Inkelas, K. (2011). The role of living–learning programs in women’s plans to attend graduate school in STEM fields. Research in Higher Education, 52(4), 349-369.","Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Attitudes-Low-Favorable impacts Attitudes","Summary: The study’s objective was to assess the impact of participating in a female-only STEM living-learning program on undergraduate female STEM majors’ intentions to pursue graduate studies in a STEM field. The authors conducted regression analysis using data from the 2004–2007 National Study of Living Learning Programs (NSLLP) to determine if women who participated in female-only STEM living-learning programs were more likely than women in other living arrangements to express plans to attend graduate school in a STEM field. The study found that the female undergraduate STEM majors living in a female-only STEM living-learning community were more likely to have plans to attend graduate school in a STEM field than female STEM majors living in coeducational STEM living-learning communities, non-STEM living-learning communities, or traditional residence halls. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors’ analysis did not account for important individual characteristics related to the outcome that could differ across groups. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to female-only STEM living-learning programs. Other factors are likely to have contributed.","STEM Living-Learning Programs","Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs Youth programs","Youth, Female",,"United States",2011, "The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on the City University of New York’s project","Fraker, T., Black, A., Broadus, J., Mamun, A., Manno, M., Martinez, J., McRoberts, R., Rangarajan, A., & Reed, D. (2011). The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim report on the City University of New York’s project. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Disability Employment Policy","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-Favorable impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Mod/high-No impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: This study’s objective was to measure 12-month impacts of the City University of New York (CUNY) Youth Transition Demonstration Project (YTDP) in the Bronx, one of six project sites of the larger Social Security Administration (SSA)-sponsored YTD projects that used a randomized evaluation.  CUNY YTDP provided services to help youth with severe disabilities improve their employment outcomes and become more economically self-sufficient. Data were collected from a baseline survey and 12-month follow-up survey, the Ticket Research File (TRF), and the Master Earnings File (MEF). The authors estimated program impacts on measures of paid employment, educational attainment, and Social Security disability benefit receipt. The study found that CUNY YTDP had positive and statistically significant impacts on employment during the 12-month follow-up period. The study found no statistically significant impacts on earnings, educational attainment, total income, or Social Security disability benefit receipt. The quality of 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 estimated effects are attributable to CUNY YTDP, and not to other factors.","the Youth Transition Demonstration Projects, The City University of New York","Disability insurance Supplemental security income (SSI) Youth programs","Youth, Disability",,"United States",2011,http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/CUNY%20Final%20Interim%20Report… "Reentry experiences of confined juvenile offenders: Characteristics, service receipt and outcomes of juvenile male participants in the SVORI multi-site evaluation. The multi-site evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative.","Hawkins, S., Lattimore, P., Dawes, D., & Visher, C. (2010). Reentry experiences of confined juvenile offenders: Characteristics, service receipt and outcomes of juvenile male participants in the SVORI multi-site evaluation. The multi-site evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative. NCJ 230423. Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study examined the impact of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) on employment, education, and recidivism among juvenile incarcerated males. The study used propensity scores to match participants in SVORI to nonparticipants who were similar on observed characteristics. The study used data from interviews collected at multiple time points through 15 months after release. The study found that SVORI participants were more likely than nonparticipants to be enrolled in school 3 months post-release (68 and 52 percent, respectively) and were more likely than nonparticipants to have a job with benefits 15 months post-release (69 and 40 percent, respectively). 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 SVORI program, but other factors might also have contributed.","Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI)","Other employment and reemployment Other health and safety Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth, Male",,"United States",2010,https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/230423.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 "St. Mary’s County juvenile drug court outcome and cost evaluation","Mackin, J., Lucas, L., Lambarth, C., Waller, M., Herrera, A., Carey, S., & Finigan, M. (2010). St. Mary’s County juvenile drug court outcome and cost evaluation. Portland, OR: NPC Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of participation in a juvenile drug court program in St. Mary’s County, Oregon, on recidivism. The study used administrative data from the departments of Juvenile Services, Public Safety and Correctional Services, and Health and Mental Hygiene to compare outcomes of youth who participated in juvenile drug court with outcomes from a group of similar, drug court-eligible youth who did not participate. The study found no statistically significant effects on recidivism, including total number of rearrests, rearrests for drug charges, and rearrest rates over a two-year period. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we would be somewhat confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to participation in the juvenile drug court, but other factors might also have contributed. However, the study did not find any statistically significant effects.","St. Mary's County Juvenile Drug Court","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2010,http://www.courts.state.md.us/opsc/dtc/pdfs/evaluationsreports/stmaryscountyjuv… "Anne Arundel County juvenile treatment court outcome and cost evaluation","Mackin, J., Lucas, L., Waller, M., Carey, S., & Finigan, M. (2010). Anne Arundel County juvenile treatment court outcome and cost evaluation. Portland OR: NPC Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of a juvenile treatment court in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, on recidivism. The authors used a nonexperimental design, matching youth who participated in the juvenile treatment court with similar court-involved youth who did not participate in the juvenile treatment court. The authors used administrative data to compare the mean number of juvenile rearrests for the study groups over a two-year follow-up period. The study found that 53 percent of the treatment court group, compared with 73 percent of the comparison group, had a juvenile rearrest within 24 months. The study also found differences of a similar magnitude at three intermediate follow-ups (6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups). 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 juvenile treatment court, but other factors might also have contributed.","Anne Arundel Juvenile Treatment Court","Other training and education Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2010,http://www.courts.state.md.us/opsc/dtc/pdfs/evaluationsreports/annearundelcount… "Making the transition: Interim results of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program evaluation","Millenky, M., Bloom, D., & Dillon, C. (2010). Making the transition: Interim results of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program evaluation. New York: MDRC.","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 Training-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Training","Summary: This report presents results from a 21-month follow-up study of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, a disciplinary and educational intervention for unemployed youth ages 16 to 18 who are not in school. Related reports examine outcomes at 9 months and 3 years post-intervention. The program’s effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial conducted in 10 states. This report examined the effects of the program on participants’ educational attainment, earnings, employment, and other outcomes measured through a survey conducted about 21 months after participants entered the study. The study found statistically significant, positive impacts of the ChalleNGe program on earnings, education, and training outcomes measured after 21 months. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is high because it is a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the effects estimated in this study are attributable to the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, and not to other factors.","the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program","Basic skills Community college education and other classroom training Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2010,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_434.pdf "Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court outcome and cost evaluation","Mackin, J., Lucas, L., Lambarth, C., Herrera, T., Waller, M., Carey, S., & Finigan, M. (2010). Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court outcome and cost evaluation. Portland, OR: NPC Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study examined the impact of participation in the Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court on drug use and recidivism. The authors used a nonexperimental design, matching youth who participated in the juvenile drug court with a comparison group of similar youth who were eligible to participate in juvenile drug court, but instead participated in the traditional juvenile justice system. The authors used administrative data to compare the mean number of juvenile rearrests over a two-year follow-up period. The study found that drug court participants had significantly fewer juvenile rearrests, both overall and specifically for drug charges, than comparison youth. 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 Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court, but other factors might also have contributed.","the Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs","Youth, Disability, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2010,http://www.ndcrc.org/sites/default/files/baltimore_co_juv_dc_outcome-cost_0110… "Longer-term impacts of mentoring, educational services, and learning incentives: Evidence from a randomized trial in the United States","Rodríguez-Planas, N. (2012). Longer-term impacts of mentoring, educational services, and learning incentives: Evidence from a randomized trial in the United States. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 4(4):121–139.","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 Training-Mod/high-No impacts Training","Summary: The report’s objective was to evaluate the long-term impacts of the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP)—which included case management and mentoring, education, developmental activities, community service, supportive services, and financial incentives—on high school completion and postsecondary education. About 1,100 9th-grade students from 11 high schools were randomly assigned to the treatment group, which could enroll in QOP, or the control group, which could not participate in QOP activities. The study team administered a survey to treatment and control group members at three follow-up periods to collect information on postsecondary educational attainment and labor market outcomes. The report found few statistically significant impacts on the educational and employment-related outcomes examined. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this report for the analysis of the third follow-up period is high because it is based on a well-conducted randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that any impacts observed would be attributable to the QOP, not to other factors. However, the quality of causal evidence for the analyses of the other two follow-up periods is low.","Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP)","Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2010, "Return on investment analysis of a selected set of workforce system programs in Indiana. [WIA Youth]","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 Youth]",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-No impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Program on the employment and earnings of low-income youths in Indiana State. 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 and earnings between youth who took part in the WIA Youth Program relative to youth who participated in the WorkOne program. The study found no statistically significant relationships between WIA Youth Program participants and 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 would not be confident that any estimated effects are attributable to the WIA Youth Program; however, the study did not find statistically significant effects. 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) Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) training programs Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2009,http://www.indianachamber.com/images/media/studies/ROIanalysisWorkforceDevelopm… "Youth work and learn at Our Piece of the Pie (OPP): Findings of the formative evaluation of Connecticut's youth development model","Britner, P., Buch, R., Colon, R., Milan, S., Singer, M., & Snow, S. (2009). Youth work and learn at Our Piece of the Pie (OPP): Findings of the formative evaluation of Connecticut's youth development model. Storrs, CT: Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention, University of Connecticut.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report describes the work of Our Piece of the Pie (OPP), an organization that gives young people in Hartford, CT, access to a range of services, including academic assistance, vocational training, and guidance from caring adults trained to provide mentorship and other support. The study aimed to gather information on the characteristics of the youth served by OPP, their participation in program activities, and the progress they made in reaching academic and employment goals. The evaluation team conducted direct observations of intervention activities, interviews with program staff and participants, and surveys of participating youth. It also drew on program data collected by OPP. The study found that most participants spent a considerable amount of time with their mentors each week, with some also taking advantage of career advancement and educational preparation services. Although participating youth were making progress on their goals at the time of the evaluation, particularly in achieving educational milestones, the authors suggested that the program could benefit by strengthening participant-mentor relationships, adapting programming for special populations, and improving the quality of program data.","Our Piece of the Pie (OPP)","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs Mentoring Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2009, "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… "Reengaging high school dropouts: Early results of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program evaluation.","Bloom, D., Gardenhire-Crooks, A., & Mandsager, C. (2009). Reengaging high school dropouts: Early results of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program evaluation. New York: MDRC.","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 Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment Training-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Training","Summary: This report presents results from a 9-month follow-up study of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, a disciplinary and educational intervention for unemployed youth ages 16 to 18 who are not in school. Related reports examine outcomes at 21 months and 3 years post-intervention. The program’s effectiveness was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial conducted in 10 states. This report examined the effects of the program on participants’ educational attainment, earnings, employment, and other outcomes measured through a survey conducted about 9 months after participants entered the study. The study found statistically significant, positive impacts of the ChalleNGe program on employment, education, and training outcomes measured after 9 months. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is high because it is a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the effects estimated in this study are attributable to the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, and not to other factors.","the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program","Basic skills Community college education and other classroom training Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2009,http://www.mdrc.org/publication/reengaging-high-school-dropouts/file-full "An Evaluation of the Latino Coalition’s Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (Reclaiming our Future) Program","Monsma, S., & Smidt, C. (2009). An Evaluation of the Latino Coalition’s Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (Reclaiming our Future) Program. Paul Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics,","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: This report presents an implementation analysis of the Latino Coalition’s Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (RNF) program. The program provided skills training, case management, and follow-up services to at risk youth and those with previous criminal justice experience between the ages of 14 and 21. The study examined RNF programs in 19 sites, focusing on program organization, sub-grantee characteristics, and participant characteristics and outcomes. The study utilized management information system (MIS) data, staff interviews, site visits, participant focus groups, and interviews with community partners. The program was successful in reaching and retaining minority youth and those with previous criminal justice experience, largely because program subgrantees were located in and matched the neighborhoods they served, and had staff members who seemed similar to, and accessible to, their target population. The Latino Coalition, the intermediary organization, played a critical role in the program’s success by establishing a robust organizational and oversight structure and providing capacity-building assistance to the relatively new and small faith-based and community organizations delivering program services.","Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (Reclaiming Our Future)","Basic skills Community college education and other classroom training Job search assistance and supportive services Mentoring Substance abuse recovery Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Hispanic of any race",,"United States",2009,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/An%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20… "Evaluation of the Suffolk County juvenile treatment court: Process and impact findings","Kralstein, D. (2008). Evaluation of the Suffolk County juvenile treatment court: Process and impact findings. New York: Center for Court Innovation.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Suffolk County’s juvenile drug court on recidivism. The study used propensity scores based on state and county administrative records to match juveniles who participated in the drug court to similar juveniles in the year before the introduction of the drug court. The author used regression analysis to estimate the relationship between participation in the juvenile drug court and the number and rate of arrests 18 and 24 months following the initial petition. The study found no statistically significant relationship between the juvenile drug court and recidivism. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the study did not account for other changes that could have taken place at the same time as the introduction of the drug court and affected juvenile recidivism. This means we are not confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to the juvenile drug court, and not other factors. However, the study found no statistically significant effects.","Suffolk County’s Juvenile Drug Court","Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008,http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/Suffolk_JTC.pdf "The impact of reentry services on juvenile offenders’ recidivism","Bouffard, J., & Bergseth, K. (2008). The impact of reentry services on juvenile offenders’ recidivism. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 6(3), 295-318.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study examined the impact of structured after-care and reentry services for justice-involved youth on their recidivism rates. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare youth who received reentry services to a comparison group of youth who received traditional services in a neighboring county. Data came from the local juvenile court databases, probation and transitional coordinator files, and electronic records used by case managers to track client contacts. The study found that there were no statistically significant differences between study groups in time to first reoffense or in number of criminal contacts with the justice system. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because all treated youth were in one county and all comparison youth were in another. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the after-care and reentry program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","After-care and Reentry Services","Mentoring Reentry Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States, Rural",2008, "Bring them back, move them forward: Case studies of programs preparing out-of-school youths for further education and careers.","Buschmann, R., & Haimson, J. (2008). Bring them back, move them forward: Case studies of programs preparing out-of-school youths for further education and careers. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This study examined the work of six dropout recovery programs to explore how similar programs might more effectively prepare youth for postsecondary education and employment. It focused on the key services the programs provided to school dropouts, challenges related to implementing program activities, and strategies to address and resolve these challenges. The researchers conducted one- to two-day visits to each program site, during which they interviewed principals or program directors, instructors, counselors, records administrators, and participating students. They also gathered individual participants’ record data and aggregate reports of key outcomes. The study found that incoming participants’ academic ability varied greatly and that large class sizes sometimes limited the extent to which teachers could adapt their lessons to meet diverse needs. Program staff tried to develop relationships with participants and help them resolve personal problems, but found it difficult to address the most serious problems. Some participants had positive short-term outcomes such as enrolling in education or finding a job. The authors suggested that similar programs might want to consider collecting more cost data for planning purposes, track participants’ progress on educational and employment goals after program completion, and conduct rigorous impact studies to understand how individual program features influence their participants’ outcomes.","Dropout Programs","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs Community college education and other classroom training Other training and education",Youth,,"United States",2008,http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/bringback_moveforward.pdf "Workforce Investment Act non-experimental net impact evaluation final report","Heinrich, C., Mueser, P., Troske, K., & Benus, J. (2008). Workforce Investment Act non-experimental net impact evaluation final report. Columbia, MD: IMPAQ International, LLC.","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 report’s objective was to examine the effects of participation in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult and Dislocated Worker programs on average earnings and employment. Results for earnings of participants ages 22 to 26 were presented separately and are the focus of this review. The effectiveness of the programs was evaluated using a matched comparison group design. Outcomes were examined up to 10 quarters after WIA participants entered the Adult or Dislocated Worker programs. The study found that participants in the WIA Adult Program under age 26 earned significantly more than those in the comparison group every quarter after program entry. In the WIA Dislocated Worker program, participants under age 26 began earning significantly more than those in the comparison group a year following program entry. 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 WIA programs. However, as in any nonexperimental study, other factors not accounted for in the analysis might have contributed to the estimated effects.","the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)","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","Adult, Youth, Dislocated or displaced worker, Female, Male",,"United States",2008,http://www.nawdp.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ResearchReports/2009-10-WIANon-Expe… "Evaluation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative","Barton, W., Jarjoura, G., & Rosay, A. (2008). Evaluation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative. Indianapolis: Indiana University School of Social Work, and Anchorage: Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Targeted Re-Entry Initiative on youth’s recidivism. The authors used administrative data to match Initiative participants to a comparison group of nonparticipants released from the same rehabilitation facilities. The authors compared recidivism rates among program participants and the comparison group. The authors reported a statistically significant relationship between participation in the Targeted Re-Entry Initiative and higher rates of re-arrest at one of the three sites studied, and no statistically significant correlations at the other two sites. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not include sufficient controls for pre-existing differences between the study groups in their analysis. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative","Basic skills Health Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008,http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/research/2000/0411.targeted_reentry/0411.05.targe… "An experimental evaluation of teen courts","Stickle, W., Connell, N., Wilson, D., & Gottfredson, D. (2008). An experimental evaluation of teen courts. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 4(2), 137-163.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of participation in a teen court on youth offenders’ rates of recidivism. The study was a randomized controlled trial in which eligible youth were randomly assigned to either the treatment group, which participated in a teen court, or to the control group, which participated in the traditional juvenile justice system. The authors compared outcomes for the two groups using administrative data. The study reported no differences in recidivism outcomes for teen court youth and those in the traditional juvenile justice system. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate for some outcomes and low for other outcomes. This means we have little confidence that any estimated effects would be attributable to the teen court program. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.","Teen Court","Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008, "McNeil Education, Training and Evaluation (2008). Process evaluation of the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (Phase II).","McNeil Education, Training and Evaluation (2008). Process evaluation of the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (Phase II). Chapel Hill, NC: McNeil Education.","Opportunities for Youth","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 being matched to employment through the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (DSYODP) Phase I on youths’ average weekly earnings. The study compared the wages of employed youth who were matched to employment through DSYODP with the wages of employed youth who were eligible for the DSYODP but had secured employment through other means. The study found that average weekly wages of youth matched to employment through DSYODP were significantly higher than wages of youth who secured employment through other means. 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 DSYODP; however, other factors might also have contributed.","Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (DSYODP)","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008,https://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20… "Reentry services: An evaluation of a pilot project in Clay County, MN","Bergseth, K., & McDonald, T. (2007). Reentry services: An evaluation of a pilot project in Clay County, MN. Fargo, ND: North Dakota State University, Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Reentry Services Project (RSP) on juvenile recidivism. The authors estimated regression models comparing the number of criminal and official contacts with police or the courts, pulled from an electronic Court Services Tracking System, between RSP and comparison group members, controlling for differences in demographics and number of prior charges. The study found that RSP group members had significantly fewer official and criminal contacts than the comparison group one year after release from out-of-home placement. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the program was implemented in only one county and there was no variation in the implementation of the program over time. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the RSP; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Reentry Services Project (RSP)","Health Job search assistance and supportive services Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2007,http://www.claycountycollaborative.org/projects/RSP%20Final%20Report%202007.pdf "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… "YO! participants’ employment and earnings","Callahan Consultants, Inc. (n.d.). YO! participants’ employment and earnings. Ellicott City, MD: Author.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Low-No impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Low-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to determine the effect of the YO! Baltimore initiative, which included a diverse set of programs offering comprehensive educational, employment preparation, support, and leadership development services to youth ages 14 to 21. The authors compared employment and earnings outcomes for participants and nonparticipants in YO! Baltimore. The study found that participants had increased earnings and employment after enrollment. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the effects estimated in this study are attributable to the YO! Baltimore program.","YO! Baltimore","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Work based and other occupational training Youth programs",Youth,,"United States, Urban",2007,http://www.yobaltimore.org/documents/Impact/impact_employment_earnings.pdf "The effects of an experimental intensive juvenile probation program on self-reported delinquency and drug use","Lane, J., Turner, S., Fain, T., & Sehgal, A. (2007). The effects of an experimental intensive juvenile probation program on self-reported delinquency and drug use. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 3(3), 201-219.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP), an alternative juvenile probation program, on delinquency and drug use. The study was a randomized controlled trial. Eligible youth were randomly assigned to either a treatment group, which could participate in SOCP, or a control group, which had routine juvenile probation. The study found that significantly more SOCP youth than youth in the control group reported committing a violent crime in the 12 months after starting probation (67.6 versus 55.6 percent). However, SOCP youth indicated they used ecstasy/MDMA less frequently than control youth in the past 30 days (1.8 versus 4.2 days). 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 SOCP, and not to other factors.","South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP)","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"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, "Measuring recidivism in a juvenile drug court: Systematic outcome study of a juvenile drug court using historical information","Pitts, W. (2006). Measuring recidivism in a juvenile drug court: Systematic outcome study of a juvenile drug court using historical information. The Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, 3(1), 17-34.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to evaluate the effect of participating in a juvenile drug court in Farmington, New Mexico, on recidivism. The author used historical data from official court records to compare the recidivism outcomes of youth who participated in the drug court with a comparison group of drug court-eligible youth who did not become drug court clients. The study found that participation in the juvenile drug court program was associated with lower overall recidivism 16 months or later after completion of the program. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the analysis did not include controls for existing differences between the study groups. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the drug court; other factors likely contributed.","the Juvenile Drug Court Program","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved",,"United States",2006, "Recidivism findings for the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program: Final report","Drake, E. (2006). Recidivism findings for the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program: Final report. Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program on recidivism. The author estimated the effect of the mentoring program using administrative data to compare outcomes among youth released from a juvenile rehabilitation facility who applied to participate in the program with the outcomes of similar youth who did not apply. The study did not find any statistically significant effects of the mentoring program on recidivism. 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 any estimated effects would be attributable to the Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program, but other factors might also have contributed. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.","the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s Mentoring Program","Mentoring Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2006,http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/947/Wsipp_Recidivism-Findings-for-the-Juveni… "Juvenile drug court: Enhancing outcomes by integrating evidence-based treatments.","Henggeler, S., Halliday-Boykins, C., Cunningham, P., Randall, J., Shapiro, S., & Chapman, J. (2006). Juvenile drug court: Enhancing outcomes by integrating evidence-based treatments. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(1), 42-54.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the marginal impacts of three layered treatments—drug court hearings, substance abuse therapy, and contingency management counseling—on criminal justice outcomes and positive drug screens among youth in Charleston, South Carolina, diagnosed with substance abuse or dependence. The authors randomly assigned eligible youth to one of three treatment groups—drug court, drug court with multisystemic therapy, or drug court with multisystemic therapy enhanced by contingency management—or to a control group that received typical family court services. The study found no statistically significant differences between the groups on measures of recidivism after one year. However, the study found that participants in the treatment groups reported committing fewer delinquent acts than those in the control groups. Effects on drug screens were mixed. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high for recidivism outcomes because they are based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial but moderate for self-reported delinquency and drug screen outcomes because they had high attrition and the authors demonstrated that the groups being compared had similar baseline characteristics.","the Treatments","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2006, "Harford County juvenile drug court performance evaluation: Final report","Crumpton, D., Carey, S., Mackin, J., Finigan, M., Pukstas, K., Weller, J., and Brekhus, J. (2006). Harford County juvenile drug court performance evaluation: Final report. Portland, Oregon. NPC Research, 1-104.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Harford County (Maryland) Juvenile Drug Court on recidivism. The authors used administrative records to estimate the impact of the drug court by comparing the outcomes of youth who participated in the drug court with those of similar youth who did not. The study found that drug court participants had significantly fewer rearrests (36 percent fewer) and fewer days (59 percent fewer) on probation than youth who were eligible for the program but did not participate. Participants spent fewer days in secure and community detention in the first year after program entry than youth in the comparison group. However, the study found no significant effects on the number of adjudication hearings, days in residential treatment, or days in a group home. 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 Harford County Juvenile Drug Court, but other factors might also have contributed.","Harford County Juvenile Drug Court","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2006,http://npcresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/HCJDC_Process_Outcome-Cost-FINAL-repo… "The Quantum Opportunity Program demonstration: Final impacts","Schirm, A., Stuart, E., & McKie, A. (2006). The Quantum Opportunity Program demonstration: Final impacts. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","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 Employer benefits receipt-Mod/high-No impacts Employer benefits receipt","Summary: The report’s objective was to evaluate the impact of the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP)—which included case management and mentoring, education, developmental activities, community service, supportive services, and financial incentives—on educational attainment and labor market participation nine years after program enrollment. Earlier reports presented impact findings over a shorter follow-up period.  About 1,100 9th-grade students from 11 high schools were randomly assigned to the treatment group, which could enroll in QOP, or the control group, which could not participate in QOP activities. The study team administered a survey to treatment and control group members about nine years after program enrollment (six years after their scheduled graduation from high school) to collect information on education and labor market outcomes. The study reported no statistically significant impacts of participation in QOP on postsecondary educational attainment, likelihood of employment, or earnings for the full sample. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that estimated impacts would be solely attributable to QOP, and not other factors.","Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP)","Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2006,http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/~/media/publications/PDFs/QOPfinalimpacts.pdf "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 "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… "Net impact and benefit-cost estimates of the workforce development system in Washington State. (Upjohn Institute technical report no. TR06-020). [WIA Youth]","Hollenbeck, K., & Huang, W-J. (2006). Net impact and benefit-cost estimates of the workforce development system in Washington State. (Upjohn Institute technical report no. TR06-020). Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. [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 on the employment rate and earnings of low-income youth. 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, earnings, and public benefits receipt between those who took part in the WIA Youth program relative to those who registered for services at the Labor Exchange. The study found that, compared with those who registered for Labor Exchange services, WIA Youth program participants had lower employment, with mixed findings for earnings. 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 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 income",,"United States",2006,http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&context=up_technica… "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… "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… "Implementation and outcome evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program: Final report","Wiebush, R., Wagner, D., McNulty, B., Wang, Y., & Le, T. (2005). Implementation and outcome evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program: Final report. National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to measure the impact of participation in an Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) for high-risk youth from juvenile justice facility placements on recidivism. The authors used a random assignment design and multivariate regression analysis to estimate impacts on aggregate recidivism scores, the sum of all subsequent offenses, weighted by severity. Data for the study were collected from standardized forms, surveys, risk assessment tests, and state agency and police records. The study found no statistically significant effects of the program on participants’ aggregate recidivism scores. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate for some outcomes and low for other outcomes. This means we have little confidence that any estimated effects would be attributable to the IAP. However, the study found few statistically significant effects.","the Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP)","Reentry Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth, Male",,"United States",2005,http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED484683.pdf "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 "Teaching strategies designed to change the undergraduate experience for college women learning chemistry","Khan, S. (2005). Teaching strategies designed to change the undergraduate experience for college women learning chemistry. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering 11, 365-387.","Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)","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 examine the impact of three teaching innovations—a contract, confidence-building exercises, and encouragement to apply for science internships—on performance in an Organic Chemistry II course at an all-female college. The author compared the final exam scores, final grades, and internship acceptance rates of students enrolled in the course that included these interventions to outcomes for students who had taken the course without these interventions in the three prior years. All courses were taught by the same professor and used the same syllabus. The study identified no statistically significant relationships between the three teaching innovations and students’ outcomes. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the teaching innovations; other factors are likely to have contributed.","Innovative Teaching for Women in STEM","Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs","Youth, Female",,"United States",2005, "An experimental study of the Los Angeles County repeat offender program: Its implementation and evaluation","Zhang, S.X., & Zhang, L. (2005). An experimental study of the Los Angeles County repeat offender program: Its implementation and evaluation. Criminology and Public Policy, 4(2):205–236.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study examined the impact of the Los Angeles County Repeat Offender Prevention Program (ROPP) on youths’ recidivism and educational outcomes. The authors randomly assigned eligible youth to either the treatment group that received ROPP or a control group that received standard probation services. Using data from the Los Angeles Unified School District and probation records, the authors compared the educational outcomes and average recidivism rates of the two groups. The study found that ROPP had some early positive impacts on educational outcomes, but many of these gains faded after the first six months of the program. The study also found initial improvements (reductions) in recidivism for the treatment group during the first six months. There were no statistically significant effects of participation in the program on violations of probation. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a randomized controlled trial with high attrition that sufficiently accounted for other relevant factors. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Los Angeles County ROPP, but other factors might also have contributed.","The Los Angeles County Repeat Offender Prevention Program (ROPP)","Other training and education Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved",,"United States",2005, "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, "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 "Evaluating an experimental intensive juvenile probation program: Supervision and official outcomes","Lane, J., Turner, S., Fain, T., & Sehgal, A. (2005). Evaluating an experimental intensive juvenile probation program: Supervision and official outcomes. Crime & Delinquency, 51(1), 26-52.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP), an alternative juvenile probation program, on recidivism outcomes. The study was a randomized controlled trial. The authors used administrative data from the program and probation records to compare the outcomes of youth randomly assigned to the SOCP with those of youth randomly assigned to a control group that received standard probation services. The study found no statistically significant effects of SOCP on arrests or referrals to probation, convictions, or incarceration. 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 would be confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to SOCP and not to other factors. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.","South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP)","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2005, "Life after YouthBuild: 900 YouthBuild graduates reflect on their lives, dreams, and experiences","Hahn, A., Leavitt, T., Horvat, E., & Davis, J. (2004). Life after YouthBuild: 900 YouthBuild graduates reflect on their lives, dreams, and experiences. Somerville, MA: Brandeis University Heller School for Social Policy and Management and Temple University College of Education.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report summarizes YouthBuild participants’ experiences after program completion. YouthBuild was founded in 1991 and offers academic instruction and construction training to economically disadvantaged youth who use those skills to build affordable housing for low-income households. The authors collected information on what students go on to do after YouthBuild by conducting in-depth interviews with 57 graduates and a detailed survey of 882 graduates. YouthBuild graduates who were interviewed had a very positive view of the program; they appreciated that staff set high expectations for them while acting as their substitute families and providing a caring environment. They also enjoyed the construction work, which enabled them to see tangible results of their efforts. Many expressed the need for additional career- or education-related programming after the period of full-time participation in YouthBuild. Seventy-five percent of the graduates who were surveyed were either working or engaged in postsecondary studies at the time of the survey, and similar percentages were free of government support and participating in at least one community activity. Like the interview findings, many survey respondents expressed a need for further career- or education-related programming.",Youthbuild,"Youth programs Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Low income",Construction,"United States",2004, "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… "The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Initial post-intervention impacts","Schirm, A., & Rodriguez-Planas, N. (2004). The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Initial post-intervention impacts. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.","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-Unfavorable impacts Employment","Summary: The report’s objective was to evaluate the impact of the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP)—which includes case management and mentoring, education, developmental activities, community service, supportive services, and financial incentives—on educational attainment and labor market participation approximately seven years after program enrollment. Other reports presented impact findings from different time periods. About 1,100 9th-grade students from 11 high schools were randomly assigned to the treatment group, which could enroll in QOP, or to the control group, which could not participate in QOP activities. The study team administered a survey to treatment and control group members about seven years after program enrollment (three years after their scheduled graduation from high school) to collect information on postsecondary educational attainment and labor market outcomes. Participation in QOP had no statistically significant impact on most measures of postsecondary attainment and employment. The exceptions were that participation increased enrollment in college or vocational/technical school, an apprenticeship, or the military by 10 percentage points. It decreased the likelihood of working at least 35 hours at a main job by 11 percentage points. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this report is low. This means we do not have confidence that the estimated effects are attributable to QOP; other factors likely contributed.","Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP)","Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2004,http://www.doleta.gov/reports/searcheta/occ/papers/June_04_QOP_report.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 "The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Short-term impacts","Schirm, A., Rodriguez-Planas, N., Maxfield, M., & Tuttle, C. (2003). The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Short-term impacts. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.","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-No impacts Employment","Summary: The report’s objective was to evaluate the impact of the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP)—which includes case management and mentoring, education, developmental activities, community service, supportive services, and financial incentives—on educational attainment and labor market participation approximately five years after program enrollment. Other studies examine longer-term impacts. About 1,100 9th-grade students from 11 high schools were randomly assigned to the treatment group, which could enroll in QOP, or the control group, which could not participate in QOP activities. The study team administered a survey to treatment and control group members about five years after program enrollment (one year after their scheduled graduation from high school) to collect information on high school and postsecondary educational attainment and labor market outcomes. QOP increased the likelihood that students earned a high school diploma one year after their scheduled graduation by 7 percentage points. No other employment or educational attainment outcomes were statistically significant. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this report is low. This means we do not have confidence that the estimated effects are attributable to QOP; other factors likely contributed.","Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP)","Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2003,http://www.doleta.gov/reports/papers/QOP_short_term_impacts.pdf "The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Implementation findings","Maxfield, M., Castner, L., Maralani, V., & Vencill, M. (2003). The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Implementation findings. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: The objective of this report was to assess how the implementation of the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP) at seven demonstration sites compared with the program model. QOP provided case management and mentoring, education, developmental activities, community service, supportive services, and financial incentives to at-risk students entering 9th grade. The demonstration was conducted from 1995 through 2001. The authors conducted site visits during each year of the demonstration as well as periodic telephone calls with staff at each site. The authors reported that the QOP model proved difficult to replicate; two sites “deviated substantially” and the other five “deviated moderately” from the program model, according to the study’s authors. All sites implemented the case management, mentoring, and developmental activities components of the model, but few implemented the community service component and none successfully implemented the education component. QOP did meet its goal of enrolling a representative sample of disadvantaged youth, and not solely the most motivated. QOP-enrolled students, on average, spent 174 hours in QOP-related activities, falling short of the goal of 750 hours per student. For the five-year program, the average cost per enrollee was $25,000.","Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP)","Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",2003,http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/~/media/publications/PDFs/quanimp.pdf "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 "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 "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: 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 "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 "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 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 "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 "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 "Helping at-risk youth: Lessons from community-based initiatives.","Morley, E., & Rossman, S. (1997). Helping at-risk youth: Lessons from community-based initiatives. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The report sought to provide guidance on best practices for operating programs for at-risk youth. The authors based their conclusions on best practices from evaluations they conducted of three comprehensive, integrated programs for at-risk youth: Communities in Schools, SafeFutures, and Children at Risk. Each of these programs was designed to coordinate services across community agencies in order to prevent and mitigate risky behaviors among at-risk youth. The authors provided suggested practices in six key areas: services integration, case management, parental involvement, volunteer tutors and mentors, fund-raising and marketing, and monitoring of program outcomes to improve accountability.","Communities in Schools (CIS) and SafeFutures","Mentoring Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",1997, "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 "Job Training Partnership Act: Long-term earnings and employment outcomes (GAO/HEHS-96-40).","United States General Accounting Office. (1996). Job Training Partnership Act: Long-term earnings and employment outcomes (GAO/HEHS-96-40). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.","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","Summary: The study’s objective was to estimate the impact of Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs on the long-term earnings and employment of male and female out-of-school youth and adults. This review focuses on the findings for out-of-school youth. The programs’ effectiveness was evaluated by analyzing outcomes five years after program entry for a subset of participants in the National JTPA Study, a random assignment study that examined impacts of JTPA programs in 16 local service-delivery areas. The authors found no statistically significant impacts of JTPA on earnings or employment rates five years after program entry. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is high because it is a well-executed randomized controlled trial. This means we have confidence that estimated effects would be attributable to JTPA programs, and not other factors.","Job Training Partnership Act","Basic skills Community college education and other classroom training Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",1997,http://www.gao.gov/assets/230/222393.pdf "The benefits and costs of JTPA Title II-A programs: Key findings from the National Job Training Partnership Act Study","Bloom, Howard S. et. al. (1997). The benefits and costs of JTPA Title II-A programs: Key findings from the National Job Training Partnership Act Study. The Journal of Human Resources, 32(3), 549-546.1","Opportunities for Youth","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-Mixed impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to determine the impact of the offer to enroll in Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Title II-A programs on labor market earnings, educational and training participation and attainment, and welfare receipt compared with a control group that that was not allowed to enroll in JTPA services. About 6,000 out-of-school youth across 16 service delivery areas (SDAs) in the United States were randomly assigned to the treatment group (which was offered JTPA Title II-A services) or the control group (which could not participate in JTPA Title II services for 18 months). Although not the focus of this review, the study also randomly assigned more than 14,000 adults to treatment and control groups. Random assignment occurred from 1987 to 1989. The study team administered surveys to treatment and control group members 18 and 30 months after random assignment to collect information on earnings and educational attainment. The study found that, for female youth, JTPA had a statistically significant, positive impact on attainment of a general educational development (GED) or high school diploma after 30 months; however, this did not hold for male youth. In addition, JTPA did not have a statistically significant impact on earnings for either female or male youth who had never been arrested. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is high for the employment outcomes for female and male youth who had not been arrested. This means we are confident that estimated impacts are solely attributable to JTPA, and not other factors. The education outcomes for all groups, and the employment outcomes for male youth who had been arrested, have moderate evidence. This means we have some confidence that the estimated effects would be attributable to JTPA, but other factors might also have contributed.","Job Training Partnership Act","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,,"United States",1997, "Follow-up analyses of the National JTPA Study sample","Orr, L., Barnow, B., Lerman, R., & Beecroft, E. (1997). Follow-up analyses of the National JTPA Study sample. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates, Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report presented and analyzed findings from a follow-up examination of the National Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Study, an impact study whose final report was published in 1994. The JTPA program offered academic and occupational training, on-the-job training, job search assistance, and other support services to adults and out-of-school youth. This report used the experimental data from the National JTPA Study to explore whether JTPA had positive effects on earnings of subgroups of youth, factors that had positive impacts on welfare recipients’ earnings, and implications of the National JTPA Study for improving the JTPA performance management system. The report found that the JTPA program had a small impact on the earnings of out-of-school youth and positive impacts on the earnings of female welfare recipients. The impact was greater for females older than 25 years than for females ages 16 to 24. JTPA services adapted toward immediate employment were more effective than other services for welfare recipients, and access to JTPA increased earnings of welfare recipients without decreasing welfare receipts because earnings increased only after they left welfare. The authors concluded that the correlation between measured impact and performance indicators was usually positive, but statistically weak, and that this suggested the performance management system did not work as intended.","National Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA)",,,,,1997, "Impacts of service: Final report on the evaluation of American Conservation and Youth Service Corps.","Jastrzab, J., Masker, J., Blomquist, J., & Orr, L. (1996). Impacts of service: Final report on the evaluation of American Conservation and Youth Service Corps. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to estimate the impacts of eight Conservation and Youth Service Corps programs that sought to improve educational and employment outcomes for out-of-school youth ages 18 to 25 and to improve their personal development. The full evaluation consisted of an estimation of participant impacts and cost-benefit analysis for four of eight study sites and estimation of community impacts for all eight sites. Data sources for the participant-level impact analysis included a self-administered baseline survey and enrollment form and a follow-up telephone survey conducted 15 months after random assignment. The study found statistically significant, positive impacts for program participants on the likelihood of having worked for pay since program enrollment and working a larger number of total hours since program enrollment (including time spent in the corps). The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is moderate. This means we have some confidence that the estimated effects are attributable to the Conservation and Youth Service Corps programs, but other factors might also have contributed.","Youth Corps Programs","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Youth programs",Youth,,"United States",1996, "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, "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