About the Study
In 2014, the Chief Evaluation Office partnered with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to manage an impact evaluation and complementary analysis of Youth CareerConnect and to develop a participant tracking system for the program. These evaluation activities were carried out by contractors Mathematica, and Social Policy Research Associates. The final impact report follows implementation study reports published in 2017 and 2019. The study included two methodological components: a quasi-experimental design analysis (QED) in 16 school districts and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in four school districts that were also part of the QED.
The goal of the Youth CareerConnect (YCC) program was to prepare high school students for both college and careers in high-demand industries with employers that often rely on H-1B visas to fill job vacancies. In 2014, ETA awarded 24 grants to a broad array of organizations across 18 states and Puerto Rico, including local education agencies, local workforce entities, a higher education institution, and other non-profit organizations. The high-school based program included a combination of academic and career-focused learning, rigorous college and career curricula, employer partnerships, work-based learning, and intensive counseling.
This Department of Labor-funded study was a result of the annual learning agenda process. It contributes to the growing labor evidence-base to inform employment and training programs and policies and addresses Department strategic goals and priorities.
- Building College and Career Pathways for High School Students: Youth CareerConnect Impact Findings
(Impact Study, January 2021) - Building College and Career Pathways for High School Students: Youth CareerConnect Impact Findings
(Technical Report, January 2021) - Preparing high school students for college and career: Evidence from Youth CareerConnect
(Research Brief, January 2021) - Engaging Employers and Workforce Agency Partners
(Final Report, November 2019) - Evolution of Implementation Over Time
(Final Report, November 2019) - Youth CareerConnect: Early Implementation Findings
(Interim Report, November 2017)
- What types of students does YCC serve?
- What program components are being implemented?
- What distinguishes YCC from other programs?
- What challenges do grantees face in implementing YCC, and how do they overcome those challenges?
- How do grantees plan to sustain the program beyond the grant period?
- What is the impact of the YCC program on critical milestones and momentum points that can be achieved in high school and are associated with education and employment success?
Key observations from the impact study:
- The primary analysis demonstrated that school attendance increased by nearly a percentage point from about 90.7 to 91.5 percent.
- The program accelerated the accumulation of credits for high school graduation, and the increase is equivalent to moving a student at the 50th percentile up to about the 54th percentile.
- There is some evidence that the program may increase students’ proficiency in English language arts, but there is no evidence of increased completion of algebra coursework.
- The study found that while there were few differences in impacts among subgroups based on prior academic achievement and low-income status, impacts were more substantial for students who participated in an internship, had a mentor, or completed an individual development plan.
The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy. CEO’s research development process includes extensive technical review at the design, data collection and analysis stage, including: external contractor review and OMB review and approval of data collection methods and instruments per the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), Institutional Review Board (IRB) review to ensure studies adhere to the highest ethical standards, review by academic peers (e.g., Technical Working Groups), and inputs from relevant DOL agency and program officials and CEO technical staff. Final reports undergo an additional independent expert technical review and a review for Section 508 compliance prior to publication. The resulting reports represent findings from this independent research and do not represent DOL positions or policies.