
Four-Year Degree and Employment Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial of a One-Year Performance-Based Scholarship Program in Ohio
Mayer, Alexander K.; Patel, Reshma; Gutierrez, Melvin (2016). Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, v9 n3 p283-306. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1106520
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examining2,285Students, gradePS
Department-funded evaluation
Review Details
Reviewed: May 2022
- Department-funded evaluation (findings for TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Received a certificate or degree |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
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34.60 |
32.90 |
No |
-- | ||
Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
Received a certificate or degree |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
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20.50 |
17.20 |
Yes |
|
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Received a certificate or degree |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
28.30 |
24.50 |
Yes |
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Received a certificate or degree |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
9.50 |
8.50 |
No |
-- |
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Earnings from unemployment insurance-covered jobs |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
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11710.00 |
11645.00 |
No |
-- | ||
Total earnings from unemployment insurance-covered jobs, fiscal quarters 2-20 ($) |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
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45474.00 |
45557.00 |
No |
-- | ||
Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
Earnings from unemployment insurance-covered jobs |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
7776.00 |
7751.00 |
No |
-- | ||
Earnings from unemployment insurance-covered jobs |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
9851.00 |
9425.00 |
No |
-- |
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Earnings from unemployment insurance-covered jobs |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
6073.00 |
6496.00 |
No |
-- |
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percentage of quarters employed |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
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56.20 |
55.90 |
No |
-- | ||
Employment |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
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70.50 |
71.00 |
No |
-- | ||
Ever employed during fiscal quarters 2-20 (%) |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
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87.00 |
88.30 |
No |
-- | ||
Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
Employment |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
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69.00 |
65.90 |
No |
-- | ||
Employment |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
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65.60 |
64.90 |
No |
-- |
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Employment |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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62.10 |
64.50 |
No |
-- |
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percentage of students earning 12 or more credits |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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28.80 |
18.30 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Registered for any course |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
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68.80 |
66.60 |
No |
-- | ||
Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
Percentage of students earning 12 or more credits |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
-1 Semesters |
Full sample;
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33.20 |
26.30 |
Yes |
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Registered for any course |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
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34.70 |
33.40 |
No |
-- | ||
Registered for any course |
TANF Educational Awards Program (TEAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
48.80 |
50.20 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 86%
Male: 14% -
Suburban, Urban
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Ohio
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Race Black 31% Other or unknown 14% White 55% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 9% Not Hispanic or Latino 91%
Study Details
Setting
This study was conducted at three community colleges in Ohio: Lorain County Community College, Owens Community College, and Sinclair Community College. These colleges cover three of Ohio’s four geographic corners.
Study sample
The majority of the sample was female (86%), married (79%), a parent (100%), and lived in households receiving government benefits (69%). The average age was 30 years. Students reported their race/ethnicity as white (55%), black (31%), Asian or Pacific Islander (1%), and Hispanic (9%). Just under half (49%) were currently unemployed, and the average adjusted gross income was $10,317.
Intervention Group
The Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) Educational Awards Program (TEAP) was developed for low-income students, using surplus funds from the TANF program. TEAP offers scholarships to low-income students that supplement any other aid they receive. Full-time students could receive up to $1800 during a 1-year period: $900 per semester at Lorain and Owens, and $600 per quarter at Sinclair, if they received a grade of "C" or better in 12 or more credits. Part-time students could receive $450 per semester or $300 per quarter for achieving a "C" or better in 6 to 11 credits. Participating students could earn any combination of part-time award, full-time award, or no award over the duration of the program. Students received regular email and postcard reminders about the scholarship throughout the semester or quarter, and were paid at the end of each semester or quarter.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison condition attended the same schools as those in the intervention condition, but received the colleges' regular services.
Support for implementation
Research staff visited each of the colleges once in spring 2009 and noted that site staff were tracking students' performance and disbursing awards according to the program model.
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