DOI: 10.3886/icpsr37289
title: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation, United States, 2011-2020
title: Archival Version

description: The Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) study was designed to produce rigorous evidence for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers about the effectiveness of nine career pathways approaches that sought to increase credentials, employment, and self-sufficiency among low-income, low-skilled Americans. Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, PACE included nine program-specific evaluation reports. The study was led by Abt Associates, in partnership with MEF Associates, The Urban Institute, and the University of Michigan.
Each program-specific evaluation included an <strong>implementation study</strong> that examined the design and operation of the program and enrolled students' participation patterns, and an <strong>impact study</strong> that used an experimental design to measure differences in educational and employment outcomes between individuals randomly assigned to a group that could receive services from the PACE program (treatment group) and a group that could not but could participate in other services in the community (control group). Program impacts were measured 18 to 24 months following random assignment, depending on the program. Follow-up impact reports will cover three and six years after random assignment.

The collection includes the following 15 data files:

Analysis Data File (9,242 cases; 152 variables)
Basic Information Form Data File (9,242 cases; 79 variables)
Case Manager/Advisor Data File (108 cases; 223 variables)
Instructional Staff Data File (135 cases; 510 variables)
Manager/Supervisor Data File (41 cases; 202 variables)
First Follow-up Data File (7,139 cases; 1,432 variables)
Self-Administered Questionnaire Data File (9,242 cases; 96 variables)
3 Year Updated Analysis Data File (9,242 cases; 1,676 variables)
Augmented Credentials Data File (5,862 cases; 29 variables)
Augmented Job Spells Data File (13,540 cases; 31 variables)
Augmented School Spells Data File (7,013 cases; 29 variables)
Job Conditions Data File (5,702 cases; 28 variables)
Person Level Data File (6,772 cases; 290 variables)
6 Year Follow-up Survey Data File (3,279 cases; 322 variables)
6 Year Updated Analysis Data File (3,279 cases; 177 variables)
description: To address survey nonresponse, the study team developed nonresponse weights, using a standard approach common in survey research. The study team estimated the response propensity for each member of the treatment and control sample, based on empirically selected baseline characteristics. They then sorted the sample in each study arm by the estimated response propensity and divided the sample into five equal-size groups (quintiles). Finally, within each arm and quintile, the study team calculated the empirical response rate, and then took the inverse to calculate the nonresponse-adjusted weight. 
See the Year Up appendix for more detail.
description: Response Rates: All study participants completed the Baseline Information Form (BIF) and Self-administered Questionnaire (SAQ)
Response rate for the 18-month follow-up survey was 77.2 percent
description: Presence of Common Scales: See data documentation.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Analysis Data File
DS2: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Basic Information Form Data File
DS3: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Case Manager/Advisor Data File
DS4: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Instructional Staff Data File
DS5: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Manager/Supervisor Data File
DS6: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) First Follow-up Data File
DS7: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Self-Administered Questionnaire Data File
DS8: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) 3 Year Updated Analysis Data File
DS9: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Augmented Credentials Data File
DS10: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Augmented Job Spells Data File
DS11: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Augmented School Spells Data File
DS12: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Job Conditions Data File
DS13: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) Person Level Data File
DS14: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) 6 Year Follow-up Survey Data File
DS15: Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation (PACE) 6 Year Updated Analysis Data File
description: All participants enrolled in the Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) study (N=9,295). Smallest Geographic Unit: Program Site
description: computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI); computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI); face-to-face interview; on-site questionnaire; telephone interviewFor more information, please refer to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) website.