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Evidence Gap Map

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Los Angeles Reconnection Career Academy (LARCA)

Study type
Randomized controlled trials
Qualitative or implementation studies
Cost studies
Study includes subgroup analysis
Location
California
Population
Young people under 25
Young people without a high school credential

Outcomes measured

Employment

  • Attainment of occupational skills/certificates 
  • Attainment of employability/work readiness skills 

Impacts measured

Education

  • Engagement in secondary education
  • High school completion (diploma or equivalent) 
  • Postsecondary enrollment 
  • Postsecondary persistence 

Employment

  • Employment placement/attainment 
  • Employment retention  or advancement
  • Earnings 

Well-being

  • Justice system involvement

Practices

Secondary Education

  • Preparation or instruction for high school diploma
  • Preparation or instruction for high school equivalency
  • High school reengagement
  • Basic education services

Postsecondary Education

  • Pre-enrollment supports for transition to postsecondary
  • Occupational skills training, sectoral training, and industry-recognized credential training
  • Supports to pay for postsecondary education

Job and Career Education and Training

  • Career exploration and career counseling
  • Work readiness training
  • Pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, on-the-job training for a particular industry
  • Temporary and transitional work experiences

Employment Placement and Supports

  • Job placement

Support Services

  • Mental and behavioral health supports
  • Supports for basic needs
  • Parenting, pregnancy and child care supports
  • Life skills and financial literacy
  • Legal services

Youth Development and Engagement Approaches

  • Youth leadership and civic engagement
  • Connections to a caring adult  

Other Implementation Practices

  • Career pathways model
  • Career and technical education
  • Collective impact approaches
Publications
Geckeler, Christian, Hannah Betesh, Hannah Diaz, Lea Folsom, Hui Kim, and Anne Paprocki. 2017. Helping Dropout Youth Find Education and Employment: Final Impact Evaluation of the Los Angeles Reconnections Career Academy (LARCA) Program. Oakland, CA: Social Policy Research Associates. https://www.spra.com/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/LARCA-Final-Report-043017-508-compliant-protected.pdf
Geckeler, Christian, Hannah Betesh, Verenice Chavoya-Perez, David Mitnick, and Anne Paprocki. 2015. Reengaging Dropouts: Lessons from the Implementation of the Los Angeles Reconnections Career Academy (LARCA) Program. Oakland, CA: Social Policy Research Associates. https://www.spra.com/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Los-Angeles-Reconnections-Career-Academy-LARCA-Interim-Implementation-Evaluation-Report.pdf
In Compendium
No

National Job Corps Study

Study type
Randomized controlled trials
Quasi-experimental studies
Study includes subgroup analysis
Location
Alabama,
Arizona,
Arkansas,
California,
Colorado,
Connecticut,
Delaware,
Florida,
Georgia,
Idaho,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Iowa,
Kansas,
Kentucky,
Louisiana,
Maine,
Maryland,
Massachusetts,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Mississippi,
Missouri,
Montana,
Nebraska,
Nevada,
New Hampshire,
New Jersey,
New Mexico,
New York,
North Carolina,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
Oklahoma,
Oregon,
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island,
South Carolina,
South Dakota,
Tennessee,
Texas,
Utah,
Vermont,
Virginia,
Washington,
West Virginia,
Wisconsin,
Wyoming,
District of Columbia
Population
Young people under 25
Young people without a high school credential

Impacts measured

Education

  • Basic skills gains 
  • High school completion (diploma or equivalent) 

Employment

  • Attainment of occupational skills/certificates 
  • Employment placement/attainment 
  • Earnings 

Well-being

  • Use of public benefits
  • Justice system involvement

Practices

Secondary Education

  • Preparation or instruction for high school equivalency
  • Basic education services

Postsecondary Education

  • Pre-enrollment supports for transition to postsecondary
  • Occupational skills training, sectoral training, and industry-recognized credential training

Job and Career Education and Training

  • Career exploration and career counseling
  • Work readiness training

Employment Placement and Supports

  • Job placement

Support Services

  • Supports for basic needs
  • Post-program supports
  • Life skills and financial literacy

Youth Development and Engagement Approaches

  • Youth leadership and civic engagement
  • Connections to a caring adult  
Publications
Schochet, Peter Z. 2018. National Job Corps Study: 20-Year Follow-Up Study Using Tax Data. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OASP/legacy/files/Job-Corps-IRS-Report.pdf

Flores, Carlos A., Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Arturo Gonzalez, and Todd C. Neumann. 2012. "Estimating the Effects of Length of Exposure to Instruction in a Training Program: The Case of Job Corps." The Review of Economics and Statistics 94, 1: 153-171.

https://direct.mit.edu/rest/article/94/1/153/57998/Estimating-the-Effects-of-Length-of-Exposure-to
Fortson, Jane, and Peter Z Schochet. 2011. Analysis of Associations Between Contemporaneous Job Corps Performance Measures and Impact Estimates from the National Job Corps Study. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research. https://mathematica.org/publications/analysis-of-associations-between-contemporaneous-job-corps-performance-measures-and-impact-estimates-from-the-national-job-corps-study
Johnson, Terry, Mark Gritz, Russell Jackson, John Burghardt, Carol Boussy, Jan Leonard, Carlyn Orians. 1999. National Job Corps Study: Report on the Process Analysis. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/national-job-corps-study-report-on-the-process-analysis
In Compendium
Yes
Programs in compendium
Job Corps

Youth Transition Demonstration

Study type
Randomized controlled trials
Qualitative or implementation studies
Cost studies
Study includes subgroup analysis
Location
New York,
Colorado,
Florida,
Maryland,
West Virginia,
California,
Iowa,
Mississippi
Population
Young people under 25
Young people with disabilities

Impacts measured

Education

  • Engagement in secondary education
  • High school completion (diploma or equivalent) 
  • Postsecondary enrollment 

Employment

  • Employment placement/attainment 
  • Employment retention  or advancement
  • Earnings 
  • Job quality

Well-being

  • Social-emotional
  • Housing status and stability
  • Financial capability
  • Use of public benefits
  • Justice system involvement

Practices

Secondary Education

  • Basic education services

Postsecondary Education

  • Pre-enrollment supports for transition to postsecondary
  • Occupational skills training, sectoral training, and industry-recognized credential training
  • Supports to pay for postsecondary education

Job and Career Education and Training

  • Career exploration and career counseling
  • Work readiness training
  • Pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, on-the-job training for a particular industry
  • Temporary and transitional work experiences

Employment Placement and Supports

  • Job placement
  • Supports to maintain employment

Support Services

  • Mental and behavioral health supports
  • Supports for basic needs
  • Parenting, pregnancy and child care supports
  • Post-program supports
  • Life skills and financial literacy

Youth Development and Engagement Approaches

  • Stipends and incentives
  • Family engagement
  • Connections to a caring adult  
Publications
Fraker, Thomas, Arif Mamun, Todd Honeycutt, Allison Thompkins, and Erin Jacobs Valentine. 2014. Final Report on the Youth Transition Demonstration Evaluation. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Final_Repot_on_the_Youth_Transition_Demonstration_Evaluation.pdf
Fraker, Thomas M, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Debbie Reed, Allison Thompkins, and David Wittenburg. 2012. The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on West Virginia Youth Works. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/the-social-security-administrations-youth-transition-demonstration-projects-interim-report-on-west-virginia-youth-works
Fraker, Thomas, Todd Honeycutt, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Bonnie O?Day, and Debbie Reed. 2012. The Social Security Administration?s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on Broadened Horizons, Brighter Futures. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/the-social-security-administrations-youth-transition-demonstration-projects-interim-report-on-broadened-horizons-brighter-futures
Fraker, Thomas M, Peter Baird, Alison Black, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Anu Rangarajan, and Debbie Reed. 2011. The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on Colorado Youth WINS. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/CO%20Final%20Interim%20Report%204-7-2011.pdf
Fraker, Thomas M, Alison Black, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Bonnie O'Day, Meghan O'Toole, Anu Rangarajan, and Debbie Reed. 2011. The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on Transition WORKS. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/Erie%20Final%20Interim%20Report%202-22-11.pdf
Martinez, John, Thomas Fraker, Michelle Manno, Peter Baird, Arif Mamun, Bonnie O'Day, Anu Rangarajan, and David Wittenburg. 2010. The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Implementation Lessons from the Original Projects. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_578.pdf
In Compendium
No

YouthBuild Evaluation

Study type
Randomized controlled trials
Qualitative or implementation studies
Cost studies
Study includes subgroup analysis
Population
Young people under 25
Young people without a high school credential

Impacts measured

Education

  • Engagement in secondary education
  • High school completion (diploma or equivalent) 
  • Postsecondary enrollment 
  • Postsecondary degree attainment 

Employment

  • Attainment of occupational skills/certificates 
  • Employment placement/attainment 
  • Employment retention  or advancement
  • Earnings 

Well-being

  • Health
  • Social-emotional
  • Housing status and stability
  • Parenting
  • Civic engagement
  • Financial capability
  • Justice system involvement

Practices

Secondary Education

  • Preparation or instruction for high school diploma
  • Preparation or instruction for high school equivalency
  • Basic education services

Postsecondary Education

  • Pre-enrollment supports for transition to postsecondary
  • Occupational skills training, sectoral training, and industry-recognized credential training

Job and Career Education and Training

  • Career exploration and career counseling
  • Work readiness training
  • Temporary and transitional work experiences

Employment Placement and Supports

  • Job placement

Support Services

  • Mental and behavioral health supports
  • Supports for basic needs
  • Parenting, pregnancy and child care supports
  • Post-program supports
  • Life skills and financial literacy

Youth Development and Engagement Approaches

  • Youth leadership and civic engagement
  • Stipends and incentives
  • Cohort model
  • Connections to a caring adult  

Other Implementation Practices

  • Integrated education and training model
  • Career and technical education
Publications
Miller, Cynthia, Danielle Cummings, Megan Millenky, Andrew Wiegand, and David Long. 2018. Laying a Foundation: Four-Year Results from the National YouthBuild Evaluation. New York: MDRC. https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/YouthBuild_Final_508%20compliant.pdf
Miller, Cynthia, Megan Millenky, Lisa Schwartz, Lisbeth Goble, and Jillian Stein. 2016. Building a Future: Interim Impact Findings from the YouthBuild Evaluation. New York: MDRC. https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/YouthBuild_Interim_Report_2016_508.pdf
Wiegand, Andrew, Michelle Manno, Sengsouvanh Leshnick, Louisa Treskon, Christian Geckeler, Heather Lewis-Charp, Castle Sinicrope, Mika Clark, and Brandon Nicholson. 2015. Adapting to Local Context: Findings from the YouthBuild Evaluation Implementation Study. New York: MDRC. https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Adapting_to_Local_Context.pdf
In Compendium
Yes
Programs in compendium
YouthBuild USA

Study type

  • Cost studies (3)
  • Qualitative or implementation studies (3)
  • Quasi-experimental studies (1)
  • Randomized controlled trials (4)
  • Study includes subgroup analysis (4)

Practices

  • Secondary Education (14)
    • Preparation or instruction for high school diploma (10)
    • Preparation or instruction for high school equivalency (13)
    • High school reengagement (3)
    • Dual enrollment in high school and college programs (3)
    • (-) Basic education services (4)
  • Postsecondary Education (14)
    • Pre-enrollment supports for transition to postsecondary (12)
    • Postsecondary education advising and coaching after enrollment (4)
    • Academic supports for postsecondary success (1)
    • Occupational skills training, sectoral training, and industry-recognized credential training (12)
    • Supports to pay for postsecondary education (6)
  • Job and Career Education and Training (15)
    • Career exploration and career counseling (10)
    • Work readiness training (11)
    • Pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, on-the-job training for a particular industry (4)
    • Temporary and transitional work experiences (10)
  • Employment Placement and Supports (11)
    • Job placement (11)
    • Supports to maintain employment (2)
  • Support Services (16)
    • Mental and behavioral health supports (10)
    • Supports for basic needs (14)
    • Parenting, pregnancy and child care supports (6)
    • Post-program supports (10)
    • Life skills and financial literacy (14)
    • Legal services (4)
  • Youth Development and Engagement Approaches (16)
    • Youth leadership and civic engagement (10)
    • Stipends and incentives (9)
    • Family engagement (1)
    • Cohort model (6)
    • Connections to a caring adult   (14)
  • Other Implementation Practices (5)
    • Integrated education and training model (2)
    • Career pathways model (1)
    • Career and technical education (3)
    • Collective impact approaches (2)
    • Use of technology to deliver services or promote engagement (2)

Impacts and Outcomes Measured

  • Education (14)
    • Basic skills gains  (8)
    • Engagement in secondary education (6)
    • High school completion (diploma or equivalent)  (11)
    • Postsecondary enrollment  (8)
    • Postsecondary persistence  (2)
    • Postsecondary degree attainment  (1)
  • Employment (10)
    • Attainment of occupational skills/certificates  (6)
    • Attainment of employability/work readiness skills  (3)
    • Employment placement/attainment  (9)
    • Employment retention  or advancement (7)
    • Earnings  (6)
    • Job quality (1)
  • Well-being (8)
    • Health (1)
    • Social-emotional (3)
    • Housing status and stability (2)
    • Parenting (3)
    • Civic engagement (1)
    • Financial capability (3)
    • Connection to school/work (2)
    • Use of public benefits (3)
    • (-) Justice system involvement (4)

Population

  • Young people under 25 (4)
  • Young people without a high school credential (3)
  • Young people with disabilities (1)

In compendium

  • Yes (2)
  • No (2)

Location

  • Alabama (1)
  • Arizona (1)
  • Arkansas (1)
  • California (3)
  • Colorado (2)
  • Connecticut (1)
  • Delaware (1)
  • District of Columbia (1)
  • Florida (2)
  • Georgia (1)
  • Idaho (1)
  • Illinois (1)
  • Indiana (1)
  • Iowa (2)
  • Kansas (1)
  • Kentucky (1)
  • Louisiana (1)
  • Maine (1)
  • Maryland (2)
  • Massachusetts (1)
  • Michigan (1)
  • Minnesota (1)
  • Mississippi (2)
  • Missouri (1)
  • Montana (1)
  • Nebraska (1)
  • Nevada (1)
  • New Hampshire (1)
  • New Jersey (1)
  • New Mexico (1)
  • New York (2)
  • North Carolina (1)
  • North Dakota (1)
  • Ohio (1)
  • Oklahoma (1)
  • Oregon (1)
  • Pennsylvania (1)
  • Rhode Island (1)
  • South Carolina (1)
  • South Dakota (1)
  • Tennessee (1)
  • Texas (1)
  • Utah (1)
  • Vermont (1)
  • Virginia (1)
  • Washington (1)
  • West Virginia (2)
  • Wisconsin (1)
  • Wyoming (1)

 

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