Paying for Persistence:
The Louisiana Opening Doors Project
Tom Brock
Director, Young Adults and Postsecondary Education
October 2007
Project History
Grew out of state’s desire to help low-income parents succeed in
community college
TANF-1 Program: child care, books, and counseling
MDRC research on positive effects of financial incentive
programs to assist welfare recipients find employment
Idea: create a new scholarship program predicated on academic
performance
Help ease the financial pressure of attending college
Provide a financial incentive to stay enrolled and make good
progress
Demonstration ran from 2003-2005
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Project Partners
Administered by the Louisiana Workforce Commission and
Community and Technical College System
Scholarship funding provided through the Louisiana Department of
Social Services
Two colleges selected as test sites:
Delgado Community College (City Park and West Bank campuses)
Louisiana Technical College-West Jefferson
MDRC conducted the evaluation
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Program Details
Scholarship tied to academic performance:
$1,000 on top of regular financial aid for two semesters, paid in
increments:
$250 on enrollment
$250 on passing midterms
$500 on passing courses
Scholarship paid in addition to Pell and other grants students received
Opening Doors counselors monitor academic performance and
disburse payments to students
Counselors maintain caseloads of 125 students
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Program Eligibility Criteria
Parent of at least one dependent child under age 19
Family income below 200 percent of poverty level
Ages 18-34
Possess high school diploma or GED and pass college entrance
exam
Do not already have a postsecondary degree/certificate
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Evaluation Used an Experimental
Research Design
Eligible Students Told about the
Study and Possible Benefits
Baseline Data Collected
Random
Assignment
Opening Doors Regular College
Scholarship Services
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Why Random Assignment?
“The Gold Standard” for evaluation
Ensures that students in Opening Doors and in
the comparison group are the same at baseline
Any subsequent differences in academic
achievement or other outcomes can be attributed
to Opening Doors scholarship
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Retention rates are higher
(n = 537)
80
70
60 ***
50 ***
Percent
40
30
20
10
0
First Second Third
Semester since random assignment
Program Group Comparison Group
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Greater full-time enrollment
(n = 537)
70
60 **
50 ***
Percent
40
30 ***
20
10
0
First Second Third
Semester since random assignment
Program Group Comparison Group
9
Greater percent of attempted courses
passed (n = 537)
80
70 *** **
60 *
50
Percent
40
30
20
10
0
First Second Third
Semester since random assignment
Program Group Comparison Group
10
More total credits earned each semester
(n = 537)
5.0
***
Number of Credits
4.0
***
3.0 **
2.0
1.0
0.0
First Second Third
Semester since random assignment
Program Group Comparison Group
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Cumulative Program Impacts after Three
Semesters (n = 537)
3
12.0
***
2 *** 10.0
8.0
1
6.0
0 4.0
Total semesters
enrolled 2.0
Program Group 0.0
Total Credits Earned
Comparison Group
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Conclusions
Performance-based scholarship successfully
implemented
Led to large, positive effects for low-income
parents
Academic achievement
Retention in college
Credits earned
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Future Research
Through administrative records and surveys, will
examine program effects on:
Academic outcomes, including graduation and transfer
Employment and earnings
Social networks and civic participation
Health attitudes and behaviors
Special focus on how students are coping since
Hurricane Katrina
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Could It Happen in California?
MDRC is in the early stages of planning a
replication of the Louisiana Opening Doors
program in other states and colleges
Current focus:
Identify interested states, colleges
Raise funding for scholarships and evaluation
Develop an evaluation plan
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Contact Information
MDRC Regional Office
475 14th Street, Suite 750
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 663-6372
www.mdrc.org
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