Study Details | Pathways to Work

24989.03-Pathways for Advanci

Study quality: High

High

Reason for the rating: This study received a high study quality rating because it is a low-attrition randomized controlled trial with no known issues that suggest the findings cannot be attributed to the intervention.

Intervention: Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA)

Population and employment barriers: High school diploma or GED

Services provided: Case management, Education, Supportive services, Training, Financial education, Occupational or sectoral training, Soft skills training

Setting: Tested in multiple settings

Study Design

Design:

Randomized controlled trial

Study group formation:

For this study, the Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) recruited residents of Hidalgo, Starr, or Willacy counties in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas who were interested in high-demand occupations. Participants were required to be low-income, public assistance recipients, underemployed, or unemployed; at least 18 years of age; and eligible to work in the United States. Participants were also required to have a high school diploma or general education diploma. After being deemed eligible and completing baseline and consent forms, the study randomly assigned 478 participants to the intervention group and 480 participants to the comparison group. Enrollment occurred between November 2011 and June 2014.

Time period of study:

Enrollment occurred from November 2011 to June 2014, and the study presents findings from the first 24 months after random assignment.

Primary outcome domains examined:

Increase education and training

Other outcome domains examined:

Psycho-social skills; life stressors; family structure; career progress

Study funded by:

The PACE evaluation was funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Results

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Outcome domain	Measure	Timing	Study quality by finding	Comparison group mean	Intervention group mean	Impact	Units	Sample size
Increase education and training	Received a certificate from a college	Month 24	High	23.10	28.00	4.90	percentage points	958
Increase education and training	Received an Associate's degree	Month 24	High	22.90	26.10	3.20	percentage points	958
Increase education and training	Received a Bachelor's degree	Month 24	High	2.10	2.70	0.60	percentage points	958

Short-term outcomes are those measured 18 months or fewer after participants are first offered services. Long-term outcomes are those measured between 18 months and 5 years after participants are first offered services. Very long-term outcomes are those measured 5 years or more after participants are first offered services.

Findings quality key:

High
Moderate

Study quality terms?

The findings quality describe our confidence that a given study’s finding is because of the intervention. We do not display findings that rate low.

Findings key:

A moderate-to-large favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large favorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that might be due to chance
A favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A favorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that might be due to chance
An unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
An unfavorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size or direction
A finding of no effect that might be due to chance

Favorable findings are impacts in a direction that is socially desirable. Statistical significance indicates the likelihood that a study finding is due to the intervention, rather than due to chance. Findings are described as moderate-to-large if the intervention produced a sufficiently large change in the outcome. An impact receives this designation if the standardized effect size is equal to or greater than 0.25 or equal to or less than -0.25.

Sample Characteristics

All participants were residents of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Over 60 percent were between the ages of 21 and 34, and about 70 percent were female. Nearly all were Hispanic (96 percent). Most participants had some postsecondary education prior to the start of the study (73 percent), and about one third of participants held a vocational or technical certificate or diploma (31 percent). Approximately two-thirds received WIC or SNAP benefits in the year before random assignment (68 percent). All were required to have a high school diploma or equivalent certification, although about 1 percent lacked this credential.

Sex

Female	71%
Male	29%

Participant race and ethnicity

Black or African American	1%
White	3%
Hispanic or Latino of any race	96%

Participant employment and public benefit status

Had low incomes

100%

Participant education

Had some postsecondary education	73%
Had a high school diploma or GED	100%

Intervention Implementation

Implementing organization:

VIDA, a community-based organization, provided program services in partnership with local colleges and universities.

Program history:

VIDA has existed since 1995 and was formed by the local business community and faith-based leaders.

Intervention services:

The VIDA program analyzed local labor markets to understand which occupations were in high-demand in the region. VIDA participants enrolled full time in educational programs offered through five partnering colleges or universities in these high-demand fields. Educational programs included certificate programs, associate's degree programs, or the last two years of coursework to receive a bachelor's degree. Those who were not deemed college-ready participated in the College Prep Academy, a 16-week basic skills remediation program provided through a local college. Participants received intensive counseling services on a weekly basis either in one-on-one or group settings. Counseling sessions focused on life skills, such as time management and budgeting, as well as skills to support success in participants' education programs. VIDA also offered a range of supportive services, including financial aid; funding for books, tools, or uniforms needed for programming; connection to child care; transportation assistance; and emergency assistance.

Mandatory services:

None.

Comparison services:

Participants in the comparison group were unable to receive services from VIDA. They could receive other services provided in their communities, which included the same college programs VIDA offered. However, the coordination of services and the particular bundling of services VIDA provided was exclusive to those in the intervention group.

Service receipt duration:

Services were provided over an average of two and a half years.

Intervention funding:

Not known.

Study Publications

Gardiner, Karen, and Randall Juras (2019). Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE): Cross-program implementation and impact study findings, OPRE Report #2019-32, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/pace_cross_program_implementation_and_impact_study_findings_final.pdf.

Rolston, Howard, Elizabeth Copson, and Karen Gardiner (2017). Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement: Implementation and early impact report, OPRE Report #2017-83, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/vida_implementation_and_early_impact_report_final_b508.pdf.

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Study of Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA)