National Evaluation Design for the "I Have a Dream" Program

This study proposes to complete a second stage evaluability assessment of the "I had a dream" programs. These initiatives represent local mentoring programs, combined with promises of financial support for college, and are intended to keep underrepresented minorities in inner city locations in school and college bound. Coordinated through a central "I had a Dream" Foundation of IHAD, the programs are either school or public housing community based, often focus on typical IHAD programs which are school-based, and in a locale where the local coordinating foundation sponsors several instances of the program. In the school, usually an entire class or classroom is recruited into the program. Participants are called "Dreamers." Abt proposes, in one year, to learn things which will help pave the way for a national evaluation of IHAD. They have selected a number of school districts from around the country for participation, each of which has several Dreamer classes. They will work with school district officials to see what data are available for participating and nonparticipating students; will explore constructing an interview protocol; will attempt to construct retrospective cohorts in each site, and learn how well the data support such an effort; will pilot test a recruitment procedure to centralize and coordinate informed consent procedures which are complicated in schools; and will attempt to monetize various outcomes emerging from IHAD so that they can lay the groundwork for a cost-benefit analysis. Sites in question include New York City, Portland, Los Angeles, Fort Worth, Houston, and Vancouver (WA).