From July 1995 through September 2001, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration and the Ford Foundation operated the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP) Demonstration. The demonstration was designed to help at-risk high-school-age youth obtain the education and training needed for success in the labor market. The primary objectives of the demonstration were to increase the likelihood of high school completion and the likelihood of enrollment in post-secondary education or training.

The final report describes the demonstration, followed by a summary of the previously-reported findings from the implementation and cost analyses. It then presents estimates of the impacts of QOP based on data that were collected when most youth were 23 to 25 years old. The study concludes that QOP did not increase the likelihood of graduating from high school with a diploma or the likelihood of engaging in post-secondary education or training. The intervention also did not improve high school grades and achievement test scores or reduce the incidence of risky behaviors. However, the findings varied according to the youth’s age and city, details of which are described in the final report.