Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
The Improve Group. (2017). RITA consortium final evaluation report. Saint Paul, MN: The Improve Group.
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the impact of enhancements to the Rural Information Technology Alliance (RITA) program on education, earnings, and employment outcomes.
- The authors used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of RITA participants to a matched comparison group at four community colleges.
- The study found that RITA program students were significantly more likely to complete an associate’s degree at two of the four colleges; however, RITA students were significantly less likely to complete an associate’s degree at the other two colleges. RITA participation was also positively associated with completing any degree (associate, diploma, or certificate) at one school, and negatively associated with completing any degree at another school. These findings were significant.
- The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is low because the authors used a comparison group from previous enrollment years presenting a confounding factor. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the RITA program; other factors are likely to have contributed.
Intervention Examined
The Rural Information Technology Alliance (RITA)
Features of the Intervention
The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program provided $1.9 billion in grants to community colleges to improve skills and support employment in high-demand industries, notably manufacturing, health care, information technology, energy, and transportation. Through four rounds of funding, DOL awarded 256 TAACCCT grants to approximately 800 educational institutions across the United States and its territories.
The Rural Information Technology Alliance (RITA) was comprised of one community college in Texas (North Central Texas College) and three community colleges in Minnesota (Pine City Community College, Ridgewater College, and Central Lakes College). RITA was funded during the third round of TAACCCT, receiving $18.3 million over four years. RITA allowed the colleges to enhance and redesign their information technology (IT) program and courses, including purchasing new equipment, software, labs, and faculty; hiring student advisors/coaches; offering online and hybrid courses; and better aligning their program, courses, and certificates with the needs of local businesses. Students were eligible for RITA if they enrolled in two or more IT courses between 2014 and 2017.
Features of the Study
The nonexperimental study included community college students from the four RITA schools. The authors matched RITA participants to similar nonparticipants using demographic and education information. The treatment group included 1,895 students who participated in RITA and were enrolled between 2014 and 2017. The comparison group was a historical cohort of students who enrolled in one of the four colleges between 2009 and 2014 (the study authors do not report the number of comparison students). Both treatment and comparison group students took at least two IT courses; however, treatment students took enhanced courses within a redesigned program. Data sources included intake forms, school administrative data, and state employment data. The authors used statistical models to examine differences in outcomes between treatment and comparison groups. Outcomes included student completion rates, earnings, and employment outcomes.
Findings
Education and skills gains
- The study found that the RITA program was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of completing an Associate’s degree at North Central Texas College (NCTC) and Ridgewater College (RC). Conversely, RITA students were significantly less likely than comparison group students to complete an Associate’s degree at Central Lakes College (CLC) and Pine Technical and Community College (PTCC).
- The study also found that RITA students at NCTC were significantly more likely than comparison group students to complete any degree (associate, diploma, or certificate). However, RITA students at PTCC were significantly less likely than comparison group students to complete any degree.
Earnings and wages
- The study did not find a significant relationship between RITA participation and earnings.
Employment
- The study did not find a significant relationship between RITA participation and employment rates.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The authors used a cohort from previous enrollment years as the comparison group. Because the outcome data on the two groups were collected from participants at different times, differences in outcomes could be due to time-varying factors (such as overall changes in labor market conditions) and not the program. Therefore, the study is not eligible for a moderate causal evidence rating, the highest rating available for nonexperimental designs.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is low because the authors used a comparison group from previous enrollment years presenting a confounding factor. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the RITA program; other factors are likely to have contributed.