WOW placed participants in specific training courses, based on standardized testing, that either provided basic education and skills training or specific technical training. Participants who scored at the sixth- or seventh-grade level on standardized testing enrolled in an 11-week basic educational skills and employability development course, followed by three weeks of unpaid work. Participants who scored at the eighth-grade level or above on standardized testing enrolled in a 22-week course covering basic elements of electromechanics, followed by an 11-week course on employability topics. Counselors helped participants set specific employment and training goals and helped them overcome life crises. WOW also helped participants find and pay for child care. Length of services varied depending on the participant’s specific training course, but most participants stopped receiving services after 12 months. WOW services were available to non-white single mothers who had low incomes. The program was implemented in a community-based organization in Washington, DC.
Summary
Wider Opportunities for Women’s (WOW’s) Minority Female Single Parent (MFSP) program provided general employability preparation and basic skills and technical training courses to help non-white single parents with low incomes find nontraditional, high-paying occupations.
Effectiveness rating and effect by outcome domain
View table definitionsScroll to the right to view the rest of the table columns
| Outcome domain | Term | Effectiveness rating | Effect in 2024 dollars and percentages | Effect in standard deviations | Sample size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increase earnings | Short-term |  |
|||
| Long-term | 
|
$0 per year | 0.000 | 0 | |
| Very long-term | |
||||
| Increase employment | Short-term |
|
0% (in percentage points)
|
-0.006 | 1272 |
| Long-term |
|
4% (in percentage points)
|
0.104 | 1225 | |
| Very long-term | |
||||
| Decrease benefit receipt | Short-term | |
|||
| Long-term | |
||||
| Very long-term | |
||||
| Increase education and training | All measurement periods | |
Studies of this program
| Study quality rating | Study counts per rating |
|---|---|
 High
|
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 | $6,085 |
Outstanding quality
|
| Net benefit to participants, per participant | $1,629 |
Outstanding quality
|
Cost information
How much did the program cost per participant?
The average total program cost per participant was $6,085 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 $1,629 per participant in 2024 dollars. This means that the net program benefit to participants (difference in benefits between the program and comparison group) was $1,629 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 -$4,079 per participant in 2024 dollars. The net benefit to society -$2,450 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.