Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST)
About the Intervention
Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) is a program operating at Washington State community and technical colleges designed to provide occupational training and basic skills instruction in a structured career pathway for students whose basic skills levels are too low to enter college-level courses directly. The program serves students in various occupational areas including automotive, electrical, nursing assistant, precision machining, welding, and office skills. I-BEST's signature feature is team teaching, pairing a basic skills instructor with an occupational instructor for at least 50 percent of occupational training class time. The I-BEST programs evaluated in PACE also included two enhancements funded by the Open Society Foundations: dedicated advisors (navigators) to provide guidance on academic issues, navigating college procedures, and career planning; and fill-the-gap financial support for tuition and course-associated materials not covered by other sources. Most I-BEST programs range from one to two quarters in length and result in workforce credentials, with defined pathways for continued education and training.
Statistical Findings
Positive effect: on total number of academic and workforce credits earned
Positive effect: on workforce completion credentials
Positive effect: on workforce award credentials
Positive effect: on enrollment in academic courses
Positive effect: on enrollment in occupational training courses
Positive effect: on enrollment in any college courses
Positive effect: on cumulative academic credits
Positive effect: on cumulative workforce credits
Positive effect: on cumulative academic and workforce credits
Positive effect: on receiving occupational credential from a college
Positive effect: on receiving occupational credential from licensing or certification agency
Positive effect: on enrollment in basic skills or developmental courses
Positive effect: on enrollment in college-level algebra
Positive effect: on completion of college-level algebra
Positive effect: on enrollment in college-level English
Positive effect: on completion of college-level English
Positive effect: on perceived career progress
Positive effect: on social belonging in school
Negative effect: on perceived stress
No effect: on associate's degree or higher completion
No effect: on enrollment in developmental math courses
No effect: on enrollment in developmental reading/writing courses
No effect: on confidence in career knowledge
No effect: on access to career supports
No effect: on working in a job paying $12/hour or more
No effect: on working in a job requiring at least mid-level skills
No effect: on grit
No effect: on academic self-confidence
No effect: on core self-evaluation
No effect: on financial hardship
No effect: on life challenges
No effect: on living with spouse
No effect: on had child since random assignment/currently pregnant
More Intervention Details
Focus Areas
Economically Disadvantaged, English LearnersPrograms & Services
Career and Technical Education, General Education, Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language (ESL) ProgramDelivery Methods
Face-to-FaceDisability Support
N/ATarget Groups
Student(s), Teachers/Instructional TeamsCitation
Asaph, G., Gardiner, K., Martinson, K. & Sung-Woo, C. (2018). Washington State's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) Program in Three Colleges: Implementation and Early Impact Report. Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education. OPRE Report No. 2018-87 (ED608003). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED608003.pdf.
Study Demographics
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Participant Gender
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Other Participant Characteristics
Geographical Setting
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