This policy brief from MDRC summarizes an evaluation of the LaGuardia Community College GED Bridge to Health and Business program, an approach to high school equivalency certification that not only prepares learners to pass the GED examination but also puts them on a path to further education and training. Participants in the program select either a health or business track and receive targeted instruction aligned to their career path of choice.
The report finds that learners in the program were far more likely to have completed the course, passed the GED exam, and enrolled in college than students in more traditional programs. To help policymakers and practitioners replicate similar outcomes, the brief unpacks key design principles and strategies utilized in the program. This is a critical resource for policymakers working to design similar integrated basic education and training programs.
