TO	:	ALL STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES ALL STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS
FROM	:	MARIA K. FLYNN Administrator Office of Policy Development and Research
SUBJECT	:	Release and Availability of ETA Occasional Paper 2004-07: The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Initial Post-Intervention Impacts

1. Purpose. To announce the release and availability of ETA Occasional Paper 2004-07: The Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration: Initial Post-Intervention Impacts

2. Background. The Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP) demonstration began in 1995 when the Department of Labor partnered with the Ford Foundation to replicate a promising intervention that Ford had already piloted at five sites around the country. The QOP demonstration includes developmental activities that are featured in youth programming under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Findings from the evaluation of the demonstration may shed light on the potential effectiveness of WIA programs that serve youth at risk of dropping out of high school. We disseminate such research and evaluation information in order to promote ETA'S goal to help build the public workforce investment system to prepare the nation's workforce for the 21^st Century economy. Projects such as this provide the system with knowledge to make decisions that will continue to build an innovative and demand-driven workforce training system.

3. Publication Description. This paper presents the impacts of a youth mentoring/drop-out prevention program demonstration for youth at risk of entering the workforce without the technical and work-readiness skills that are demanded by the business community of their entry-level employees. The primary goals of the demonstration were to increase the high school graduation rate and the rate at which youth enroll in postsecondary education or training. The impacts described in the paper include: high school completion, post-secondary enrollment, academic achievement while in high school and initial engagement in the workplace.

   Major findings include:

   • The QOP demonstration did not increase the likelihood of completing high school with either a diploma or a General Equivalency Degree.

   • QOP significantly increased the likelihood of ever engaging in postsecondary education or training.

   • Data revealed that QOP significantly increased the likelihood of younger youth (at enrollment) attending postsecondary education or training, largely attributable to increased college attendance.

   • Youth who did not participate in QOP were more likely to have a job and work at least 35 hours per week, reflecting the fact that QOP youth were more likely to be enrolled in college or engaged in some other postsecondary education or training activity.

4. Inquiries. To request a hard copy of this publication, please call the publication order line at 202-693-3666, or write: Dissemination Team, Division of Policy, Legislation and Dissemination, Office of Policy Development and Research, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room N-5637, Washington, D.C. 20210.

   To view an abstract of this publication as well as to download the full report or the executive summary as a PDF, visit the ETA Occasional Paper series Web site at: http://www.doleta.nov/reports/searcheta/occ/

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Washington, DC 20210