Enhancing education, employment, and training for economically dislocated and low-skilled adult workers is a national concern. Under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants program, the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration is funding an ambitious, multi-pronged effort encouraging community colleges and groups of institutions working as consortia to improve the outlook for this group.

Mathematica, and its subcontractor Community College Research Center, worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Postsecondary Success Team to provide technical assistance in evaluation and measurement to 32 Round 1 TAACCCT grantees. Mathematica also worked with other organizations and technical assistance providers as part of the larger technical assistance effort.

The primary goals were to build the grantees’ capacity to collect and analyze data to support program improvements using real-time feedback loops, and to provide evidence about effective strategies so that best practices can be identified, replicated, and strengthened. Mathematica’s approach combined collaborative, individualized, and direct technical assistance for 8 TAACCCT grantees and broader technical assistance, including webinars and a conference convening, for all 32 TAACCCT grantees. A resource guide provides recommendations to help grantees as they plan and implement measurement and evaluation strategies.