OIC’s MSFP participants completed a standardized test of their basic academic skills before being assigned to remedial courses or specific job-training programs. Remedial courses (GED, English as a second language, literacy) were assigned to those who scored below a certain threshold or lacked a high school credential and lasted three months. Participants with a high school credential and those who passed their remedial courses were assigned to six to nine months of job-specific skills training coupled with job-search training and assistance. OIC provided additional supports such as personal counseling for participants, on-site child care, help with transportation costs, and referrals to additional public services throughout the duration of the program. OIC MSFP participants minority single mothers with low income in Providence, RI.
Summary
The Opportunities Industrialization Center's (OIC) Minority Female Single Parent (MFSP) program was an education-focused job training program with the primary goal of helping minority single mothers secure employment paying higher than the minimum wage. The program did so by providing remedial education services, counseling, and other supportive services before participants started skills-based job training.
Studies of this program
| Study quality rating | Study counts per rating |
|---|---|
 Low
|
1 |
Program cost
No cost information available.
Cost results
| Estimate (in 2024 dollars) | Quality of cost analysis that produced the estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Total program cost, per participant | $14,166 |
Outstanding quality
|
| Net benefit to participants, per participant | $1,243 |
Outstanding quality
|
Cost information
How much did the program cost per participant?
The average total program cost per participant was $14,166 in 2024 dollars. This figure is based on cost information for this program reported in one cost study reviewed by Pathways to Work (for details, see the FAQ). This study received a rating of Outstanding quality for the cost analysis.
How much did the program cost relative to the benefits it generated?
A cost-benefit analysis was conducted in the cost study reviewed, receiving a rating of Outstanding quality. The net benefit to participants was $1,243 per participant in 2024 dollars. This means that the net program benefit to participants (difference in benefits between the program and comparison group) was $1,243 more than the net cost of the program to participants. The estimate is expressed as the net present value, which accounts for differences in the timing of when benefits and costs occurred. In addition, the net benefit to government, defined in this study as the federal government budget, was -$13,071 per participant in 2024 dollars. The net benefit to society -$11,827 per participant in 2024 dollars.
Cost information is not directly comparable across programs due to differences in the categories of costs reported and program length. Cost information is not an official price tag or guarantee.
Implementation details
State(s) where implemented
Pathways to Work refers to programs by the names used in study reports or manuscripts. Some program names may use language that is not consistent with our style guide, preferences, or the terminology we use to describe populations.