This report presents early results from a rigorous evaluation of a performance-based scholarship program that was implemented at three community colleges in Ohio during the 2008-2009 academic year. The program in Ohio that is the subject of this report is part of MDRC's national Performance-Based Scholarship (PBS) Demonstration, which was launched in 2008 to evaluate whether performance-based scholarships are an effective way to improve persistence among low-income college students. Students participating in the Ohio study are low-income parents who are eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The evaluation uses an experimental design--similar to that used in medical trials to test the effects of a drug, for example--to measure the effects of the program on academic success and persistence. The main findings of this study are: (1) The program increased the number of credits attempted; (2) The program increased full-time enrollment; (3) The program increased the number of credits earned; and (4) The program reduced educational debt. In addition to describing the program at the Ohio colleges, implementation of the program, and early impact findings, this report provides background information on the national PBS Demonstration, its purpose, and its research design. Demographic Characteristics for the Full Sample, the Program Group, and the Control Group is appended. (Contains 7 tables, 1 figure, 2 boxes and 36 footnotes.) [Additional funding for this report was provided by the College Access Foundation of California, Foundation to Promote Open Society, Helios Education Foundation, NYC Center for Economic Opportunity, and The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services through the Ohio Board of Regents.]