In 2016, CAP Tulsa, which developed the original CareerAdvance model, brought CareerAdvance to scale across Tulsa County, aiming to serve a broader constituency of families (e.g., children ages 0-8 years). CAP Tulsa has partnered with Tulsa Community WorkAdvance, a local workforce agency, to further promote parent employment and earnings.

Study Design

Randomized control trial, mixed-methods, longitudinal with two components:

  1. Main Study on Human Capital Outcomes – Understanding participants’ earnings, education, and employment background
    • Annual parent survey
    • Child school administrative data
  2. Sub-study on Explanatory Mechanisms – Understanding parents’ and children’s expectations for the future, academic and career identity, and perceptions of education and career advancement
    • Parent and child (8-12 years old) focus groups
    • Child (4-7 years old) puppet interviews
    • LENA home language recordings (1-4 years old)

Sample Size

450 parents and children (main study); 175 parents and children (sub-study)

Data Collection Time Frame

January 2016 – May 2021

Publications

Tighe, L.A., Sommer, T.E, Sabol, T.J., & Chase-Lansdale, P.L. (2024, report) Improving the education and wellbeing of student parents 

Research and Program Partners

CAP Tulsa | Tulsa Community WorkAdvance

Primary Funding

Administration for Children and Families (ACF): Health Profession Opportunity Grant 2.0 | ACF: Health Profession Opportunity Grant – University Partnership 2.0