1. Building Evidence The YCC Evaluation
Molly Irwin
Chief Evaluation Office
US Department of Labor

2. Why the focus on evidence
Increased emphasis on evidence-based policy making at all levels of government and in the private sector, for example:
The President’s FY16 budget, “increases the use of evidence and evaluation to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely on programs that work”
Proposed legislation in congress
Evidence reviews and tiered-evidence funding initiatives
Private philanthropic organizations calling for evaluation and the use of evidence
Increased emphasis on learning and program improvement on the ground

3. Why the focus on evidence
Plan
Use Evaluation
to Improve
Implement
Evaluate

4. What we know now Rigorous evidence to support Career Academies!
Sustained earnings gains of 11 percent (or $2,088) more per year for Academy group members compared to non-Academy group ($16,704 boost in total earnings over eight years).
Labor market impacts were concentrated among young men -- real earnings for young men in the Academy group increased by $3,731 (17 percent) per year — or nearly $30,000 over eight years.
Less rigorous, but promising evidence suggests career academies lead to improved academic achievement, reduced high school dropout rates for disadvantaged students and increased preparation for, and graduation rates from, college.

5. How the YCC evaluation will add to the literature
It will answer these questions:
How were the YCC programs implemented?
What is the impact of YCC programs on students outcomes?
Receipt of services
Educational experiences
Employment and labor market outcomes
Does the impact of YCC programs vary by student and grantee characteristics?
By implementing the following design:
Implementation study involving all YCC programs
Random assignment impact evaluation with a subset of grantees

6. When we’ll know what Data collection
Grantee survey (now and in spring 2017)
Focus groups/key informant interviews during site visits (3 times during the program period - fall/winter 2015, spring 2017, early 2018)
Baseline data collection as students enter the program (collected during school year from applicants for YCC enrollment)
Student follow up data (18 months after students enter the program – spring 2018)
Reports
Interim report 2017
Final report 2019

7. Where you fit in
As partners in building evidence about workforce programs for youth so we can continue to improve the programs and outcomes for the youth we serve.

8. Questions…