Evaluation activities

(a) Performance measurement assessments Beginning not later than 1 year after receiving such grant and for each succeeding year of the grant period, each eligible entity receiving a grant under section 3 or 4, in consultation with the Advisory Board established under section 6, shall develop and implement a performance measurement assessment of such program to assess whether the program is being implemented in a way that meets the requirements of section 3 or 4, respectively. (b) Impact evaluations (1) In general From the amounts appropriated under section 2(b)(3), the Secretary of Labor shall, in consultation with the Advisory Board established under section 6, award a contract to one or more independent research organizations or nonprofit organizations to carry out evaluations to measure the impact of each summer youth employment program that is being supported by a grant awarded under section 3 or 4. (2) Requirements of evaluations An impact evaluation of a program that is being supported by a grant awarded under section 3 or 4 shall meet the following requirements: (A) The evaluation begins not later than 3 years after the program first receives such support. (B) The evaluation shall meet each of the following: (i) Impact evaluation design and analysis methods are shared with the Advisory Board before the beginning of the evaluation. (ii) The evaluation uses administrative data to assess the impact of the program as a whole on participants for 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years after the completion of the program on each of the following: (I) High school graduation rates. (II) Enrollment rates in postsecondary education. (III) Employment and wage rates. (IV) Crime rates (such as arrest, arraignment, or incarceration rates). (iii) The evaluation uses survey data collected during the program to assess program impacts on short-term changes in soft skills (such as such as interpersonal, communication, and time management skills), academic and career goals, and job readiness. (iv) The evaluation uses randomized experimental designs, when feasible, or other research methods that allow for the strongest possible causal inferences when random assignment is not feasible. (3) Advisory Board In assisting the organization that receives a contract under this subsection, the Advisory Board established under section 6 shall provide additional resources to such organization to carry out the evaluations under this subsection, including assistance with using randomized experimental designs.