HIGHLIGHTS
- Community colleges provide education and career training for U.S. workers.
- Abt evaluated Round 4 of the TAACCCT grant program.
- The project ended in August 2020.
The Challenge
Through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program, the U.S. Department of Labor provided four rounds of grants to community colleges and other eligible institutions of higher education to expand and improve their ability to deliver education and career training programs. Grant-funded programs served unemployed and underemployed adults and prepared them for high-wage, high-skill occupations.
The Approach
The Abt team evaluated the fourth and final round of TAACCCT grantees. Sub-studies were:
- An outcomes study of nine grantees that describes the characteristics of TAACCCT participants, their service receipt, and their outcomes related to education, employment, and earnings.
- An implementation study based on visits to the nine outcomes study grantees and a survey of all Round 4 TAACCCT colleges.
- A synthesis of implementation, outcome, and impact findings from the grantees’ third-party evaluations.
- An employer perspective study that documents “strong” employer-college relationships under the TAACCCT program and the nature and value of these relationships to employers.
The Results
This five-year project concluded in August 2020. Abt’s evaluation found that after 15 months, about half of participants completed their program, more than three quarters were employed, earnings improved, and the percentage in poverty declined. Three research briefs highlighted statewide systems change and career pathways initiatives under TAACCCT and summarized findings from the employer perspectives study.
Reports and Publications:
- TAACCCT Round 4 Early Outcomes Study Report
- A Picture of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants: Results from a Survey of Round 4 Colleges
- Special Topics Report (Round 4 compared to Rounds 1-3): Rural Colleges, Local Economic Recovery and Expansion, and Work-based Learning Activities
- Implementation, Outcomes, and Impact Synthesis Report: Round 4 TAACCCT Third-Party Evaluations
- The Employer Perspectives Study: Insights on How to Build and Maintain Strong Employer-College Partnerships
- Topic Brief: Context, Infrastructure, and Alignment Matter: Statewide Systems Change in Round 4 of TAACCCT
- Topic Brief: Building Career Pathways Programs and Systems: Insights from TAACCCT Round 4
- Topic Brief: Employer Perspectives on Building Partnerships with Community Colleges: Lessons for Local Leaders and Practitioners from Round 4
Related work:
- Evaluation of the Community College Consortium for Bioscience Credentials (c3bc): Final Report (Note: This is a separate evaluation of the Round 2 TAACCCT grantees)