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Evaluating the Talent Search TRIO program: A Benefit-Cost Analysis and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2015

A. Brooks Bowden  and
Clive Belfield
A. Brooks Bowden*
Affiliation:
Center for Benefit Cost Studies of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, Box 184, 525 W.120th St., New York, NY 10027, USA, e-mail: bowden@tc.columbia.edu
Clive Belfield
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11379, USA, e-mail: belfield@qc.edu
*
*e-mail: bowden@tc.columbia.edu
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Abstract

Talent Search was created to improve high school completion and college enrollment for disadvantaged students. Since the program’s inception in 1967, there has not been a valid study on its economic value. In this paper, we perform a full economic evaluation, yielding direct information on the value of Talent Search and highlighting key methodological issues relating to economic evaluations of education programs. We provide rigorous estimates of social costs using the ingredients method. Using prior estimates of impacts from Constantine et al. [(2006). Study Of The Effect of The Talent Search Program On Secondary And Postsecondary Outcomes In Florida, Indiana And Texas: Final Report From Phase II of The National Evaluation. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service], we perform a cost-benefit analysis based on new estimates of shadow prices. Finally, to examine site-specific differences in impacts and costs, we undertake cost-effectiveness analysis and derive confidence intervals that illustrate key sensitivity issues. Regarding costs, we find significant resource use beyond federal funding amounts; but we also find that the present value benefits of Talent Search almost certainly exceed the present value of costs by a substantial margin. With regard to cost-effectiveness, we find significant differences across sites and extremely wide confidence intervals. We conclude with an outline of key research issues that need to be addressed to enhance future economic evaluations in educational settings with wide site-specific variation.

Keywords

benefit-cost analysiscost-effectiveness analysiscostsefficiencyhuman capitalrate of return
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , Fall 2015 , pp. 572 - 602
Copyright
© Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis 2015 

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