Lessons from TAACCCT

In 2008, the nation experienced one of the most alarming economic downturns in its history. Surpassed only by the Great Depression, the federal government marshaled resources to fund grants dedicated to helping unemployed workers secure living-wage jobs. Recognizing the assets of nearly 1,000 community colleges across the country, the U.S. Department of Labor invited them to apply for funding to implement and scale integrated education and workforce development programs.

Dedicated to increasing the capacity of colleges to support economic recovery, the TAACCCT grants required rigorous third-party evaluation to assess the impact of federal funding. Would participants in grant-funded programs attain credentials that lead to good jobs? Would graduates’ wages increase after program completion? These and other questions framed the plethora of third-party evaluation studies that produced detailed information on program implementation and impact. The lessons that current research can surface from this historic investment depend on the breadth, depth, and quality of these evaluations.

Based on careful analysis of all TAACCCT final evaluation reports jointly conducted by CESNA and Bragg & Associates, this brief by Debra Bragg offers recommendations for the evaluation of future federal investments in community colleges and workforce development.