Multisite Employment and Training Program Evaluations: A Tale of Three Studies

This paper explores the gains from multiplying the number of sites used in experimental evaluation of the effects of employment and training programs. Using a multilevel (hierarchical) statistical framework, the authors analyze the role of site multiplication in three recent program evaluations. Although several experiments have involved substantial numbers of sites, the potential benefits from such strategies are largely unrealized. The authors argue for more involvement of the federal government in designing and implementing evaluations that will allow analysis of how the interaction of client, program, and environmental variables affects outcomes.