Employment Research Data Center

The Lifelong Learning Demonstration

June 1999

Purpose

  • To test strategies for promoting continuing education and training among mature incumbent workers (individuals age 25 and over with recent work experience)
  • Included designing and testing a targeted public information campaign promoting lifelong learning to mature incumbent workers in the Greater Baltimore area

Data Summary

Abt Associates compiled the Lifelong Learning Demonstration public use data (1990-98) to test the impact of informational mailings on continued education and training for workers over age 25. The study was conducted from 1996-98 with data coverage from 1990-98.

Eligible participants in the Baltimore area were selected in May 1996 and randomly assigned to either the treatment group or control group. In June and October 1996, the treatment group received brochures containing information about financial aid and listing benefits of continuing education and job training. Participants could easily request more detailed information about specific schools, programs, and occupational training opportunities. The demonstration then examined the impact of these informational brochures on enrollment, credits earned, and financial aid received.

Data for individuals in the demonstration were obtained from:
  • Experian (a consumer data vendor)
  • The Maryland Higher Education Commission
  • The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation
  • The participant tracking system
  • Schools participating in the demonstration
  • A follow-up survey of a subset of the demonstration sample, conducted May to December 1998
These data are available in a set of 22 files, which include demographic information, participant background information, quarterly earnings (first quarter 1990 to fourth quarter 1997), enrollment and financial aid records from participating schools (Fall 1995 through Spring 1998), and survey responses. The three largest files contain 333,400 observations and 40 or fewer variables; all other files contain fewer than 15,000 observations.

CD Contents

Data, codebooks, frequencies, means, and SAS input statements for the following datasets:
  • Analysis
  • Experian
  • Fall95, Fall96, Fall97
  • Mdwage
  • Mhec
  • Pts
  • Spring96, Spring97, Spring98
  • Summer96, Summer97
  • Survey
  • Svapplic, Svchild, Svcommon, Svemploy, Svstudnt
  • Winter96, Winter97, Winter98
Other files included on the CD:
  • 1README_FIRST.html - CD navigation document
  • Final report
  • Executive summary from the final report
  • Litrev.pdf - Literature review
  • Focusgrp.pdf - Focus group report
  • Data summary
  • How2.pdf
  • Homepage.pdf
  • Datamenu.pdf
  • Import.sas
  • Installation of Adobe Acrobat Reader
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Final Report

The Lifelong Learning Demonstration: Final Evaluation Report on the Experimental Site Larry Buron, Larry Orr, and Satyendra Patrabansh, Abt Associates Inc.
June 30, 1999
Prepared for the Office of Policy and Research, U.S. Department of Labor
          Executive Summary           Report