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Acknowledgments
The evaluation of the Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) program in Texas would not be possible without the cooperation, commitment, and hard work of a wide range of administrators and staff. The following individuals deserve special thanks.
Deborah Morris, Elizabeth Jones, and Sarah Sarrat from the Texas Department of Social Services (DHS) have been vital to the evaluation. They designed the Texas ERA program, worked closely with MDRC and the three sites to set up and monitor the evaluation, and provided unwavering support throughout the study. Donna Bragdon and Ellen Montgomery, also from DHS, provided assistance in later stages of the evaluation. Larry Temple and Marion Trapolino of the Texas Workforce Commission also provided guidance and support.
At each of the three Texas sites, several staff were involved in implementing and maintaining the program and research design, acting as liaisons with MDRC, arranging many site visits, and facilitating a range of other research and data collection activities. Special thanks go to Cynthia Wilt and Pam Miles in Corpus Christi, to Jo Aleshire in Fort Worth, and to Nina O’Quinn and Jonathon Davis in Houston. In addition, program staff in each of the sites not only worked with the ERA participants but also willingly discussed their experiences with MDRC researchers on many site visits and participated in an in-depth study of how they spent their time at work.
Nicole Verver from the Texas Workforce Commission and Nan Yang from DHS provided administrative records data to MDRC for the study.
At MDRC, we would like to thank Barbara Goldman, Gayle Hamilton, Dan Bloom, Stephen Freedman, and Charles Michalopolous, who reviewed multiple versions of the report and provided several helpful suggestions. Stephen Freedman also helped oversee data collection from the beginning. Allison Milld provided excellent research assistance and Diane Singer provided administrative support. Zakia Barnes and Mark van Dok did most of the programming. Gilda Azurdia oversaw survey data collection and programming. Robert Weber edited the report and Stephanie Cowell prepared it for publication.
Finally, we extend our deep appreciation to the thousands of Texas parents who participated in the study and gave generously of their time to respond to a survey.
The Authors
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