In 2020, CJA was introduced to Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO). We went through a rigorous application process and were invited to be one of LEO’s project partners. We are now one of over 80 partner organizations across the United States working with LEO to fulfill their vision of “disrupting the anti-poverty space”.
Our relationship with LEO began after we created our High School Bridge pilot program that included three schools. Together with LEO we defined the on-going scope of our work, along with key outcomes and success measures. We also worked together to create selection principles and then invite the remaining 16 schools who would join HSB.
As we gradually bring more schools on board and provide support to a growing number of students, LEO is working closely with us to quantify the impact of our interventions. Success measurements include: college enrollment, degree attainment, post-high school job earnings and academic performance. Schools awaiting support will still be partnered with CJA and Notre Dame/LEO enabling us to collect relevant and valuable comparison data.
Our team of experienced researchers at LEO will continue to be impartial judges and ensure the consistency and quality of our data. We are grateful for this partnership that will enable us to better understand and improve the impact of our work.
