MDRC - Podcast Details

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Evidence First Partnering with College Systems to Support StudentsGraduation rates at community colleges have remained low, especially for students with low incomes. One effort to help students graduate and succeed in the workforce is MDRC's Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS), a comprehensive student support program supported by 15 years of MDRC's postsecondary research. Through its Expanding SUCCESS Initiative, MDRC is partnering with states and districts to expand the SUCCESS program to new locations and campuses.  In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Jonathan Lowe, program director of Coaching for Success at Dallas College, and DeShawn Preston, a research associate at MDRC, about implementin...

2025-10-2927 min

The Work Goes On: An Oral History of Industrial Relations and Labor Economics with Princeton’s Orley Ashenfelter Judy Gueron on "never quitting" as a female economist and her groundbreaking work at MDRCJudy Gueron, President Emerita at Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), discusses her education at Radcliffe and Harvard, her pioneering work utilizing randomized field trials at the MDRC, her research on welfare reform, and the challenges of pursuing a career in economics as a woman. Read a transcript of the podcast here: https://irs100.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/2025-10/044-TWGO-Gueron_transcript.pdf For more details on this episode, visit: https://irs100.princeton.edu/podcasts/judy-gueron-2025

2025-10-1133 min

Evidence First Improving Outcomes for Transfer StudentsTransferring credits from a community college to a four-year institution remains a crucial strategy to boosting bachelor's degree attainment and improving outcomes for graduates. But transfer students often face significant challenges to having their credits accepted and, more importantly, applied to degree requirements at four-year institutions. Faculty members in teaching, research, and administrative positions play a pivotal role in decisions about whether and how credits transfer. Yet little is known about how they approach these decisions or what factors influence their judgment. MDRC is working with three University of Texas System colleges to better understand...

2025-09-1729 min

Evidence First Can Data Literacy Set Up Eighth-Graders for Success?In a competitive labor market, students graduating from high school need skills that can translate into meaningful careers. PREP KC is a leading K-12 education intermediary in the Kansas City region, bringing educators and industry professionals together to give students real-world learning opportunities and prepare them for in-demand careers. Responding to increasing demand for data literacy across all industries, PREP-KC launched its Data in Action course in 2023 to give eighth-grade students early exposure to data analytics. It aims to prepare students for high-demand careers and develop their interest in math and science fields. ...

2025-07-2123 min

Evidence First The Long-Term Benefits of Focusing on Children's Early Math Skills Children's early math skills are a strong predictor of later outcomes, like high school and college graduation rates, underscoring the long-term benefits of focusing on early math education. States across the country have increasingly focused on early literacy, enacting laws that require screening for reading difficulties, and aligning classroom instruction with the science of reading. This momentum is now expanding to math education, although more gradually. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Shira Mattera, a senior research associate at MDRC, who is leading multiple studies looking at early math instruction and skills. They discuss evid...

2025-07-0123 min

I Am Dad Dina Israel on Fatherhood, Policy, and Using Research to Strengthen Families NationwideHow do we use research to better support fathers? Dina Israel shares how evidence and action come together to improve real lives. In this episode of the I Am Dad Podcast, host Kenneth Braswell speaks with Dina Israel, senior associate at MDRC, a national nonprofit research organization committed to improving the lives of low-income families. For over 20 years, Dina has worked with agencies across the country to design and evaluate programs that support family stability and father engagement. She shares insights on what it means to bridge the gap between data and daily life, and...

2025-06-221h 05

Evidence First Taking Evidence to Practice: A Conversation About MDRC's New Technical Assistance Initiative with John MartinezSince MDRC's founding more than 50 years ago, evidence-building and data-driven technical assistance (TA) have been a crucial part of its work. MDRC is now launching a comprehensive and innovative approach to TA, to ensure that effective service strategies reach more people and improve lives. MDRC's approach to technical assistance leverages the organization's years of on-the-ground experience to help nonprofits and government agencies build new evidence, use existing evidence, and harness data to advance their goals. The approach centers on technical assistance informed by data and evidence, underscored by empathy, curiosity, humility, and respect for the views of...

2025-06-1120 min

Evidence First Building Evidence on Promising Sector Programs Sectoral training programs have emerged as a promising driver of economic mobility for people with low incomes. These programs prepare people for quality jobs in specific industries where there's strong employer demand and an opportunity for career advancement. Studies find that sectoral programs can meaningfully improve participants' earnings, yet not all programs have the support they need to apply the best research evidence to improve their services. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with three guests: Jessa Valentine, Deputy Director of Learning and Impact at Ascendium Education Group, a collaborator and funder of MDRC's work; Frieda Molina, Dir...

2025-05-1227 min

Evidence First How to Improve College Completion Rates for Underserved Students: A Conversation with Emily Dow and Elena Serna-Wallender Postsecondary education is a crucial factor in achieving economic mobility. However, graduation rates at community colleges remain low, particularly for students from low-income families. One effort to help students graduate and succeed in the workforce is MDRC's Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS), a comprehensive student support program supported by 15 years of MDRC's postsecondary research. Through its Expanding SUCCESS Initiative, MDRC is partnering with states and districts to scale the SUCCESS program to new locations and campuses

2025-04-0717 min

The Rural Scoop E101 | Bridging the Gap: Improving College Access for Rural Students with Alyssa, Mara & SabrinaEpisode Summary:In this episode of The Rural Scoop, host Melissa talks about an exciting new program that helps rural students go to college and succeed. She is joined by Dr. Mara Tieken, Alyssa Ratledge, and Dr. Sabrina Klein to discuss the IES Research and Development Center in Rural Higher Education. This research center, funded by the government, is the first to focus on helping students in small towns transition from high school to college, graduate, and find good jobs. The guests explain why this research matters, how it can help rural schools and students, and the wa...

2025-03-2437 min

Evidence First Economic Mobility Through Remote Sector Training: A Conversation with Edith YangSector-based training programs prepare people for jobs in specific industries where there is strong local demand and an opportunity for career advancement. Several models for technology jobs have been found to be effective in improving long-term earnings for workers with low incomes. But for many people, the programs are too expensive and too far from home. With support from the $100-million Google Career Certificates Fund, Social Finance is leading an initiative that will allow training providers to better support 20,000 learners in getting industry-recognized certificates that can lead to better wages. The providers combine Google Career Cer...

2025-01-2413 min

Evidence First Fines and Fees in Jefferson County, Alabama: A Conversation with Leah Nelson and Sarah PicardEvery year, courts across the United States impose millions of dollars in fines, fees, and restitution charges on people for traffic violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. In theory, these assessments are intended to punish and deter unlawful behavior, compensate victims for financial losses, and raise money for the justice system. However, they don't often accomplish those goals; instead, research suggests they erode community trust in law enforcement and saddle community members with debt many will never be able to pay. The Center for Criminal Justice Research at MDRC partnered with the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Alab...

2024-12-0334 min

Evidence First Supporting College Students in Rural Areas Both college-going and college completion rates are far lower in rural areas than in other geographical settings. To learn what works to help rural students enroll in and complete college, MDRC, supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), has launched the National Rural Higher Education Research Center. The center will work with college systems to conduct eight research studies in two regions: the South and the Mountain West.

2024-11-1317 min

Public Defenseless 284 | How Alabama's Fines and Fees Fail Criminal Defendants, Victims, and the Entire State w/Leah Nelson and Judge Stephen Wallace Today, Hunter is joined once again by Leah Nelson, and this time, she is joined by Judge Stepehen Wallace. On today's episode, Leah and Judge Wallace are her to unveil their years long research into the fines and fees that the Jefferson County, Alabama Courts are extracting from criminal defendants. As will surprise no one who listens to the show, the fines and fees program fails the accused, fails victims, fails to fund the legal system, and thus, fails the entire state of Alabama. Guests: Leah Nelson, Co-Founder, Jefferson County Equitable Fines and...

2024-10-091h 13

Evidence First Scaling Up High-Dosage Tutoring: Early Lessons from the Personalized Learning Initiative Many states and school districts are eager to expand high-dosage tutoring programs, a proven way to accelerate student learning by providing personalized instruction in small group settings several times a week. But there are challenges to getting these programs successfully off the ground, like recruiting tutors in a tight labor market, fitting sessions into already packed school days, and ensuring consistent student participation.

2024-09-1724 min

Evidence First Promoting Equity in Developmental Education Reform: A Conversation with Nikki Edgecombe and Michael Weiss Developmental education, also known as remedial education, refers to courses that some entering college students will have to take if they are deemed unprepared for college-level courses. However, studies have shown that developmental education can actually hinder students' progress in college. Additionally, students of color, adults, first-generation students, and those from low-income backgrounds are disproportionately placed in developmental education programs, so there's a lot of interest among policymakers, college practitioners, and researchers in reforming developmental education programs to address these challenges and support more equitable outcomes for students. As part of MDRC's 50th anniversary celebration, this episode...

2024-07-0336 min

Evidence First Building Impact Through Partnership: A Conversation About Per Scholas and MDRC Sector-focused employment programs aim to improve the economic mobility of people with low incomes by training them for quality jobs in sectors that have strong local demand and opportunities for advancement. By partnering with local employers, these programs provide them with a skilled and able workforce. As part of MDRC's 50th anniversary celebration, this episode of Evidence First features MDRC's longtime partner Per Scholas, a leading national nonprofit offering training and employment services focused on specific employment sectors. MDRC's evaluation has confirmed that Per Scholas offers a highly effective training model. Lei...

2024-04-2532 min

Evidence First Training Workers When Employers Hire Based on Skills: Lessons from Connecticut and VirginiaAs the cost of higher education climbs, skills-based hiring has gained traction. It's a labor market trend in which employers hire based on applicants' skills, with the understanding that degrees are not the only way to acquire competencies. In a follow-up to an earlier episode on skills-based hiring, Rachel Rosen, who leads MDRC's Center for Effective Career and Technical Education, speaks with two guests: Kelli-Marie Vallieres, Connecticut's Chief Workforce Officer who leads the state's Office of Workforce Strategy, and Elizabeth Creamer, Vice President of Workforce Development for the Community College Workforce Alliance, which is the w...

2024-02-1532 min

Evidence First Implementing an Evidence-Based and Domain-Specific Pre-K Curriculum: A Conversation with Cheryl Ohlson and Michelle Maier Most pre-K classrooms use a whole-child approach to educational curricula, which focuses on the broad development of children's academic skills. By contrast, domain-specific curricula focus more on specific areas of learning, such as math, literacy, or science. MDRC has partnered with the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) to implement a new domain-specific curriculum in its schools. In this episode, Leigh Parise speaks with Cheryl Ohlson, DCPS deputy chief of early childhood education, and Michelle Maier, MDRC senior associate, to outline their domain-specific curriculum strategy and to explain some of the ups and downs of their ongoing...

2024-01-2223 min

cityCURRENT Radio Show Radio Show: Slingshot MemphisHost Jeremy C. Park talks with Jared Barnett, CEO of Slingshot Memphis, and John Martinez, Vice President and Director of Program Development with MDRC, who each share some background on their organization and the importance of collaborating for MemWorks to identify the root causes of employment roadblocks for Memphis experiencing poverty so evidence-based solutions can be implemented to enable pathways to economic mobility.During the interview, Jared and John provide an update on the insights after concluding the initial round of data research. They discuss five of the ten most significant Roadblocks MemWorks has identified, including insufficient...

2023-12-2416 min

Evidence First When Employers Hire Based on Skills: A Conversation with Matt Sigelman As the cost of higher education climbs, skills-based hiring has gained traction. It's a labor market trend in which employers hire based on applicants' skills, with the understanding that degrees are not the only way to acquire competencies. Skills-based hiring has the potential to increase equity in the hiring process, providing avenues to socio-economic mobility for historically marginalized populations. However, there are also questions about whether the movement could demotivate students from pursuing two- or four-year degrees that may be more transferable to other jobs. To learn more about skills-based hiring ac...

2023-12-2124 min

Evidence First Lessons about Tutoring and Addressing Learning Loss from Reading Partners Many schools are expanding tutoring services and personalized instruction to address learning loss caused by the pandemic. This episode features Reading Partners, a successful national nonprofit that mobilizes community volunteers to provide one-on-one tutoring to students who struggle with reading in under-resourced elementary schools. MDRC has been working with Reading Partners for nearly 15 years to help document and improve the program's effectiveness. MDRC's rigorous evaluation of Reading Partners found that its program boosted three different measures of reading proficiency, including reading comprehension, for second- to fifth-graders. In the first episode of a series celebrating MDRC's 50th anniversary an...

2023-12-0824 min

Evidence First Adapting a Wraparound Student Support Program for College Students in Rural Areas: A Conversation with Crystine Miller and Alyssa Ratledge Montana 10 is a scholarship program offered by the Montana University System that offers wraparound academic, social, and financial supports to students from rural areas, first-generation college students, and Native American students. MDRC is partnering with the Montana University System on an evaluation of Montana 10.. In this episode, Leigh Parise speaks with Crystine Miller, Director of Student Affairs and Student Engagement in the Montana University System, and Alyssa Ratledge, a Research Associate in Postsecondary Education at MDRC, about the Montana 10 evaluation and its potential value to the field of higher education research. The pair describes the unique challenges...

2023-11-0123 min

Evidence First From Doubling Graduation Rates to Increasing Earnings: Replicating the City University of New York's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (CUNY ASAP) in Ohio In 2014, three Ohio colleges set out to adapt a student support model pioneered by the City University of New York called Accelerated Study in Associate Programs, or ASAP. The program requires students to attend college full time and provides them with support services for three years, including enhanced advising, financial aid, and career counseling. MDRC'S evaluation of the ASAP Ohio program has found that it doubled graduation rates for community college students after three years. With support from Arnold Ventures, MDRC recently released exciting long-term findings, showing that ASAP Ohio not only boosted attainment of associate's and bachelor's degrees a...

2023-08-2426 min

Evidence First Nondegree Credential Programs in Higher Ed: A Conversation with Paul Fain and Betsy Tessler Nondegree credentials are typically certificates or licenses earned in a short period of time that confer some kind of professional or industry-recognized skill. They're not new to the world of higher education, but they have received a lot of attention in the last few years as a "faster " way to connect students to employment in comparison to earning a traditional college degree. Leigh Parise sits down with Paul Fain, a higher education journalist who writes an education and workforce newsletter called "The Job," and Betsy Tessler, a senior research associate at MDRC, to answer some of the bi...

2023-07-2445 min

Evidence First Reflections on the Evidence-Building Movement In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with MDRC President Virginia (Ginger) Knox and Naomi Goldstein, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) at the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Goldstein is also a member of the MDRC Board of Directors. They reflect on their experiences in evaluating programs and policies, the growth of the evidence-building movement, and future considerations for the field.

2023-06-1438 min

Evidence First How Can Data Science Tools Better Represent Participant Experiences? A Conversation with Ahmed Whitt and Alissa Stover The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides wrap-around support and employment services to people returning home from incarceration. While participant feedback was always important to their work, CEO was looking to better understand the

2023-04-2038 min

Evidence First Can Market Value Assets Better Prepare Students for College and Career? Through its Real World Learning initiative in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is working to ensure that all students in participating districts graduate from high school with a diploma and at least one market value asset (or MVA). MVAs are designed to prepare students for further education and employment. They can include such activities as completing an internship or employer-sponsored project, earning an industry-recognized credential, engaging in an entrepreneurial experience, or earning college credits. MDRC is the learning and evaluation partner on this project. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks w...

2023-03-3042 min

Evidence First How Can State Government Agencies Increase Their Use of Data Analytics? A Conversation with Michael Meotti, Isaac Kwakye, and Rick Hendra The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) is a state government agency with a goal of increasing educational opportunity and attainment for Washington residents. WSAC has partnered with the MDRC Center for Data Insights (CDI) to create manageable data-analytics tools for the agency to use to track and improve student outcomes. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Michael Meotti, WSAC Executive Director; Isaac Kwakye, WSAC Senior Director of Research and Student Success; and Rick Hendra, the Director of the MDRC Center for Data Insights about the partnership between WSAC and CDI. They dig into the de...

2023-02-0831 min

Tedi Talks Career Chat Vol. 14: Assistive Technology in the WorkplaceOn this episode of Career Chat, Tedi welcomes special guest Kellie Blackwell, Michigan Assistive Technology Program Co-Director at the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC). Tedi and Kellie talk about what Assistive Technology (AT) is and how it can greatly benefit those using AT and the organizations who understand its importance. Kellie shares with us what we need to know when adding AT to our organizations and how MDRC can assist businesses to better understand the need for AT and what the ADA requires. You can connect with Kellie at:Kellie Blackwell, MA, CRCMichigan Ass...

2023-01-1932 min

Evidence First Do Industry-Recognized Credentials Help Students Transition to College and Careers? A Conversation with Matt GianiIndustry-recognized credentials, or IRCs, are an increasingly common strategy used to demonstrate that high school students have learned skills or competencies in a specific industry or occupation. But what do we know about their impact on student outcomes? And do they help students succeed in college and in the labor market? In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Matt Giani, a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and a Faculty Affiliate in the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, about his study for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute...

2023-01-1136 min

Evidence First Promoting Equity in College Completion: An Interview with Amanda Janice Roberson and Jinann BitarWhile the percentage of adults with a postsecondary degree has increased over the past several decades, there are large gaps in degree attainment by race, ethnicity, and income. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with two higher education experts—Amanda Janice Roberson at the Institute for Higher Education Policy and Jinann Bitar at The Education Trust—about policies and practices to advance equitable student outcomes in higher education, including the federal College Completion Fund.

2022-12-1939 min

Evidence First Bringing Procedural Justice Principles to Child Support ProgramsChild support agencies aim to secure payments from noncustodial parents to support the well-being of their children. When noncustodial parents fall behind on child support, they may face consequences, such as driver's license suspensions, civil contempt, and even jail time. These enforcement actions can make it harder for parents to make future child support payments. The Procedural Justice-Informed Alternatives to Contempt (PJAC) demonstration, sponsored by the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), integrates principles of procedural justice into enforcement practices in six child support agencies across the United States. Procedural justice is the perception of fairness i...

2022-12-1542 min

Evidence First Is Individualized Instruction the Answer to the Pandemic's Unfinished Learning? A Discussion with Andy Rotherham and William CorrinThe pandemic has had devastating effects on students' learning. One strategy to help students is individualized instruction, which includes interventions like tutoring. In this lively episode, Leigh Parise talks with Andy Rotherham, cofounder of Bellwether, a national education nonprofit organization, and William Corrin, the director of MDRC's K-12 Education policy area, about the promise, challenges, and politics of implementing individualized instruction.

2022-11-0345 min

Evidence First Training Students for the Green Jobs of TomorrowGreen jobs in diverse industries, such as transportation, construction, environmental management, and agriculture, have grown in recent years and are predicted to further increase in the future. Filling these jobs will require a skilled workforce, yet federal investments in training for green jobs have focused mostly on adults. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Rachel Rosen, a senior research associate and co-director of MDRC's Center for Effective Career and Technical Education, on evidence-based strategies that can help create pathways for careers in the green economy for young people.

2022-09-2212 min

Evidence First Improving Pre-K Assessments: An Interview with Preschool TeachersThe majority of children in the United States now attend some type of formal pre-K program before starting elementary school. Pre-K assessments—or short tests and activities that measure early skills—are an important tool for understanding children's learning and development in these settings. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Lia Wilson, the Preschool Program Coordinator at the Parent Infant Center in Philadelphia, and Brooks Wilson, a Lead Teacher at the Center, to gain their perspective of the assessment process and how it can be improved.

2022-08-1026 min

Evidence First Improving Pre-K Assessments: An Interview with School AdministratorsThe majority of children in the United States now attend some type of formal pre-K program before starting elementary school. Pre-K assessments—or short tests and activities that measure early skills—are an important tool for understanding children's learning and development in these settings. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with two leaders from the AppleTree Institute—Dr. Niesha Keemer, Principal and Instructional Leader, and Dr. Abby Carlson, Director of Research and Impact— about the benefits of pre-K assessments and the AppleTree Institute's Every Child Ready model.

2022-05-2030 min

Evidence First Considerations for Jurisdictions Seeking Pretrial ReformAs part of the criminal justice system, the pretrial system is set up to ensure individuals appear in court to maintain public safety and maximize pretrial release. But over the last few decades, a more punitive approach to pretrial justice has evolved, in which jailing individuals who haven't been convicted of a crime has become the norm in many jurisdictions. In many cases, individuals remain in jail pretrial simply because they cannot afford the cash bail set in their case. As a result, people with low incomes, unable to pay for their freedom, are more likely to suffer the consequences...

2022-04-1414 min

Just A Thought The Avengers of Academia w| Rashida & JalenAs a student, it's not enough to have visible representation on campus, you must also feel a sense of belonging, there must also be safety, and there must also be tangible support at each step of your journey. With this in mind, Rashida and Jalen have joined our hosts as they explore the need for post-secondary institutions to be intentional in their approach to supporting historically excluded students. We dive into the importance of mentorship; the need to ensure campus resources and support services are accessible and equitably useful; and how to build rapport and trust with our most v...

2022-03-0247 min

Evidence First THE-RCT Database: A New Resource for Analyzing Studies of Postsecondary Education InterventionsImproving outcomes for community college students has long been the focus of rigorous research studies by MDRC and others. Through a project called The Higher Education Randomized Controlled Trial, or THE-RCT, MDRC has created a broadly accessible database that compiles student-level data from all MDRC's randomized controlled trial evaluations of postsecondary education programs. Researchers are able to use the database to conduct analyses across studies to answer important questions about the effectiveness of different higher education interventions. THE-RCT is supported by Arnold Ventures and the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education. In...

2022-01-2628 min

Crisis Designer Weekly Podcast S1E08 - Immersion in tabletop exercises & measurement of effectsIn this episode (the last episode of our first season!), we discuss types of immersion and how to apply them to tabletop exercises. We also talk about the measurement of effects and discover different frameworks for encouraging behavioural change. And what caught our eye this week ranges from GTA radio stations, an immersive Arkham asylum and the TV show “Social Media, Anger and Us” Give us your feedback: podcast@conducttr.com Check us out: https://www.conducttr.com LINKS https://hypebeast.com/2021/12/gta-online-motomami-radio-station-launch-rosalia-arca https://arkhamasylum.seetickets.com/register/arkhamasylum

2021-12-1749 min

Evidence First Providing Comprehensive Support Services to College Students: An Interview with SUCCESS Students and CoachesA growing body of research shows that comprehensive student support programs can increase graduation rates for students from low-income backgrounds and students of color. But what do these programs look like on the ground? And what are the experiences of students participating in them? In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with students and staff from Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, Indiana about SUCCESS, a student support program that offers personalized advising and financial incentives and emphasizes data-driven program management. Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington is one of 13 colleges across five states participating in...

2021-12-0922 min

Evidence First An Innovative Workforce Program: An Interview with Two Coaches from the MyGoals for Employment Success ProgramToo many people in the United States struggle to achieve economic mobility. With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting vulnerable populations the most, gaining financial stability became even harder. Workforce programs that focus on helping people find jobs may not be enough to advance in the labor market, especially for people facing additional barriers to success. The MyGoals for Employment Success program offers a unique coaching model that concentrates on developing executive skills—like emotional control, stress tolerance, time management, and organization—to help participants successfully navigate the labor market, acquire occupational credentials, perform well at a job, and advance at work...

2021-12-0616 min

Lessons in Adolescence Lessons with Lynsey Wood Jeffries and Nyasha RusunungukoThis episode features a conversation with Lynsey Wood Jeffries and Nyasha Rusununguko from Higher Achievement. Lynsey is CEO and Nyasha Director of Program Operations for the 45-year-old, Washington DC-based nonprofit serving middle-school age youth in the out-of-school-time space with a blend of academic enrichment, mentoring, and community-building, culminating in high school and ultimately college preparation. Higher Achievement serves students in communities in and around Washington, DC, Baltimore and Richmond. Lynsey, Nyasha and Jason talk about the history and program model of Higher Achievement, emphasizing literacy, social and emotional learning, and high school readiness. They look at the r...

2021-10-2646 min

Gov Innovator Podcast Lessons from New Hope for reducing poverty today: An interview with Kali Grant, Georgetown University, and Julie Kirksick, former New Hope Executive Director – Episode #191The New Hope Project was an anti-poverty program in the 1990s in Milwaukee that offered a simple but powerful pledge: If participants were willing to work full-time, they would not be poor. The program used a wage subsidy, support for child care and health insurance, and (if participants needed it) short-term subsidized employment to achieve that pledge. While the program ended more than 20 years ago, its lessons, including from a five-year randomized evaluation by MDRC and from longer-term research on impacts for children and youth, are especially important today as the nation struggles to tackle racial and e...

2021-10-1409 min

Evidence First Providing Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Recovery, and Employment Services During the PandemicPrograms that combine employment services with substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery services have faced unprecedented challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased substance misuse and overdose, dramatic increases in unemployment, and the need to quickly shift to virtual service provision. In partnership, MDRC, Abt Associates, and MEF Associates learned how some of these SUD treatment programs adapted their services early in the pandemic in response to these challenges [ link to the brief]. MDRC recently released a brief on responses to COVID-19 by seven SUD treatment programs across the country. The brief was written as part...

2021-08-2623 min

Evidence First Internships and Apprenticeships in a Newly Virtual WorkplaceWork-based learning opportunities, like internships and apprenticeships, are a critical component to many career and technical education programs. They can help participants develop critical skills for in-demand careers. The abrupt shift to virtual education caused by the pandemic hit these programs especially hard. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Hannah Dalporto, a research associate at MDRC, who recently cowrote a piece about how employers and trainers have been adapting their services during the pandemic to keep students connected to the labor market.

2021-06-0908 min

Research Minutes podcast COVID-19 and Early Childhood Education: Evidence from BostonThe COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread operational challenges and unprecedented disruption in America's early childhood education sector. But can it serve as a learning opportunity? A new policy brief from researchers and partners at the University of Michigan, the Harvard Graduate School Of Education, MDRC and Boston Public Schools highlights the impacts of COVID-19 on Boston's universal pre-K program, and shares some important lessons learned. Coauthors Christina Weiland (University of Michigan) and Annie Taylor (Boston Public Schools) join CPRE Knowledge Hub managing editor Keith Heumiller to discuss the brief, and offer some research-backed recommendations for early childhood stakeholders across the U...

2021-04-2221 min

Evidence First How One Home Visiting Model Adapted During the PandemicEarly childhood experiences of trauma and toxic stress can affect how young children develop and are associated with learning and behavior problems. Child First is a promising home visiting program that aims to mitigate or prevent these negative experiences for families to promote healthy development for kids. An initial study of Child First found that the program improved children's social-emotional skills and language development, reduced mother's depression and improved their psychological functioning, reduced family involvement with child protective services, and increased families' connections to services and support. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Mervett Hef...

2021-04-0624 min

Evidence First Rural Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities — Part IVA special series from the Rural Matters podcast This episode is the last of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. As the United States confronts the recession caused by the pandemic, the economic stability of rural areas looms large. Many rural counties never economically rebounded from the 2008 recession, even as urban and suburban communities recovered. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2019 Rural America at a Glance Report identifies three reasons for the dive...

2020-12-2146 min

Evidence First Rural Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities — Part IIIA special series from the Rural Matters podcast This episode is the third of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. Rural America is not monolithic. About 15 to 20 percent of rural individuals identify as non-white, but in many areas of the country the percentage is much higher. Even in predominantly white states, rural diversity is increasing faster than urban diversity, which is important for understanding rural issues, including promoting access to higher education and...

2020-12-0657 min

Evidence First How Can Behavioral Science Help Programs Better Serve Clients During the Pandemic?Why don't government social services programs better serve families struggling through crises like the COVID-19 pandemic? One reason is that these systems are designed for compliance over access. Many of those who are in need and qualify for benefits are deterred by administrative burdens, including excessive steps and paperwork. Insights from behavioral science can help agencies and nonprofits find ways to streamline their processes and simplify their communications with clients. In this episode of Evidence First, Leigh Parise interviews Rebecca Schwartz, a research analyst in MDRC's Center for Applied Behavioral Science (CABS). Rebecca describes real-world examples of h...

2020-12-0215 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part IV with Matt Dunne, Leslie Daugherty, and David TandbergIn this final episode of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with three experts about innovative programs in rural higher education: Matt Dunne, founder and executive director of the Center On Rural Innovation; David Tandberg, senior vice president for policy research and strategic initiatives at the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO); and Leslie Daugherty, an education designer at the Education Design Lab. The Lab’s focus is on ensuring that learners’ needs and goals are front and center, using a human centered design approach, She describes the Lab’s latest project, called BRIDGES, which i...

2020-11-2146 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part IV with Matt Dunne, Leslie Daugherty, and David TandbergIn this final episode of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with three experts about innovative programs in rural higher education: Matt Dunne, founder and executive director of the Center On Rural Innovation; David Tandberg, senior vice president for policy research and strategic initiatives at the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO); and Leslie Daugherty, an education designer at the Education Design Lab. The Lab's focus is on ensuring that learners' needs and goals are front and center, using a human centered design approach, She describes the Lab's latest project, called BRIDGES, which is c...

2020-11-2146 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part III with Alyssa Ratledge, Deborah Santiago, Edward Smith-Lewis, and Noel HarmonIn the third of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with four experts about rural diversity, both perceptions and reality; challenges and opportunities involving diverse students in the rural higher education space; and the innovative initiatives colleges and rural communities are developing to deal with these challenges and opportunities: Alyssa Ratledge, a postsecondary education researcher at MDRC, a nonpartisan, nonprofit policy research firm; Deborah Santiago. the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Excelencia in Education; Edward Smith-Lewis, Executive Director of UNCF's Institute for Capacity Building (ICB), a team dedicated to supporting the resiliency of HBCUs...

2020-11-1657 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part III with Alyssa Ratledge, Deborah Santiago, Edward Smith-Lewis, and Noel HarmonIn the third of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with four experts about rural diversity, both perceptions and reality; challenges and opportunities involving diverse students in the rural higher education space; and the innovative initiatives colleges and rural communities are developing to deal with these challenges and opportunities: Alyssa Ratledge, a postsecondary education researcher at MDRC, a nonpartisan, nonprofit policy research firm; Deborah Santiago. the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Excelencia in Education; Edward Smith-Lewis, Executive Director of UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building (ICB), a team dedicated to supporting the resiliency of HB...

2020-11-1657 min

Evidence First Rural Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities — Part IIA special series from the Rural Matters podcast This episode is the second of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. In this episode, Rural Matters host Michelle Rathman chats with four individuals committed to improving education in West Virginia: Danielle Vetter, Senior Program Officer at Ascendium Education Group; Stephanie Hyre, Senior Program Officer of The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation; Corley Dennison, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy...

2020-11-1448 min

The Power of Career Connected Learning with Hans Meeder P-TECH, Pathways to Technology Early College High SchoolShow OverviewIn this episode, host Hans Meeder interviews Grace Suh, vice president of Education for IBM Corporate Social Responsibility. Grace and Hans discuss the Pathways to Early College High School model (P-Tech) that was developed with the active involvement and support of IBM in 2011 and is currently being implemented in 11 states. P-Tech provides an intensive education/workforce educational approach to help economically disadvantaged youth earn a two-year college degree in a STEM field. The degree is delivered through an integrated early college high school model at no cost to the student and with ongoing emp...

2020-11-0438 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part II with Danielle Vetter, Stephanie Hyre, Corley Dennison, and Paul DaughertyIn the second of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with four inviduals committed to improving education in West Viriginia: Danielle Vetter, Senior Progrm Officer at Ascendium; Stephanie Hyre, Senior Program Officer of The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation; Corley Dennison, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education; and Paul Daugherty, President & CEO of Philanthropy West Virginia. Vetter discusses Ascendium’s priorities in the rural space, including research, building capacity for postsecondary providers, and catalyzing investment and partnerships to crea...

2020-11-0348 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part II with Danielle Vetter, Stephanie Hyre, Corley Dennison, and Paul DaughertyIn the second of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with four inviduals committed to improving education in West Viriginia: Danielle Vetter, Senior Progrm Officer at Ascendium; Stephanie Hyre, Senior Program Officer of The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation; Corley Dennison, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education; and Paul Daugherty, President & CEO of Philanthropy West Virginia. Vetter discusses Ascendium's priorities in the rural space, including research, building capacity for postsecondary providers, and catalyzing investment and partnerships to create op...

2020-11-0348 min

Evidence First Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part IThis episode is the first of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. COVID-19 has caused seismic shifts for postsecondary education. For rural colleges, the pandemic exacerbated issues that have affected students and communities for decades. While 41 percent of urban adults have a college degree, only 28 percent of rural adults do. The college access gap between rural and urban areas is sizable: In most states, rural high school students achieve graduation rates similar to urban and...

2020-10-2942 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part IIn the first of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with Alyssa Ratledge. a postsecondary education researcher at MDRC; Dr. Jan Miller, Dean of the College of Education and the Director of Online Programs at the University of West Alabama (UWA); and Joe Thiel, Director of Academic Policy and Research for the Montana University System. There's a big gap between urban and rural students in higher education, Ratledge notes, with about 41 percent of urban adults attaining college degrees, while only 28 percent of rural adults have those degrees. While rural and urban areas have similar graduation...

2020-10-2042 min

Rural Matters Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part IIn the first of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with Alyssa Ratledge. a postsecondary education researcher at MDRC; Dr. Jan Miller, Dean of the College of Education and the Director of Online Programs at the University of West Alabama (UWA); and Joe Thiel, Director of Academic Policy and Research for the Montana University System. There’s a big gap between urban and rural students in higher education, Ratledge notes, with about 41 percent of urban adults attaining college degrees, while only 28 percent of rural adults have those degrees. While rural and urban areas have similar gr...

2020-10-2042 min

Evidence First How Does the Dana Center Math Pathways Improve Students' Success in Math?Too many community college students get stuck in multi-semester developmental math sequences and never progress to or complete college-level courses. To meet this challenge, the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin developed the Dana Center Math Pathways (DCMP), which diversifies the math course content that students take so it better aligns with their career interests. The curriculum also encourages student-centered learning in small group formats. Researchers from the Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness — a partnership between MDRC and the Community College Research Center — recently published an evaluation of DCMP in Texas...

2020-10-1512 min

Evidence First How Can Subsidized Jobs Help the Most Disadvantaged Workers Recover from the COVID-19 Recession?Subsidized employment uses public funds to create jobs for the unemployed and are especially useful during economic downturns. Many have argued that subsidized employment programs should be part of policymakers' response to pandemic-induced mass joblessness. MDRC has been studying subsidized employment for more than 40 years and recently completed two large-scale federal projects that rigorously tested 13 subsidized employment programs in eight states. The programs served very disadvantaged workers, such as people receiving cash assistance or people returning to the community from prison. To learn more about subsidized employment programs and how they can be designed to r...

2020-07-3016 min

Evidence First Can Schools Outside of New York City Replicate the CUNY ASAP Program?The City University of New York's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) provides comprehensive support services to community college students to help them stay enrolled and graduate. MDRC's evaluation of ASAP at CUNY community colleges found that it nearly doubled graduation rates within three years — which are some of the largest impacts found among programs for community college students. To see if the program could work beyond New York City, CUNY, MDRC, and the Ohio Department of Higher Education worked with three Ohio community colleges to implement the ASAP model. Recent findings from MDRC's evaluation show that th...

2020-06-2921 min

Evidence First What Happens When You Combine an Accelerated Academic Program with Workplace Exposure and Career Skills?New types of career and technical education programs are trying to prepare workers for an increasingly complex labor market. For high school students, this preparation can mean combining academic study with a strong career focus and hands-on work experience with an industry partner. MDRC is testing the effectiveness of this approach in an evaluation of the New York City P-TECH 9-14 school model. P-TECH 9-14 schools collaborate with local community colleges to allow students to earn high school diplomas and cost-free, industry-recognized associate's degrees at the same time. During the six-year program, employer partners support P-TECH 9-14 schools by...

2020-06-0515 min

Evidence First Accelerating Student Success Through Summer EnrollmentCommunity colleges graduation rates remain low. Some studies have shown that students who enroll in summer courses are more likely to stay on track and graduate, yet despite these benefits most college students do not attend during the summer. So why don't students attend, and how can colleges encourage more of them to enroll in the summer? To answer these questions MDRC launched the Encouraging Additional Summer Enrollment — or EASE — project in partnership with the Ohio Association of Community Colleges and 10 community colleges in Ohio. MDRC designed, implemented, and tested two interventions to encourage summer enrollment, using insi...

2020-05-1315 min

The Marketing Your Movement™ Show MYMS 16: Your Relationships reflect onto your movementSometimes we don't realize it, but the way we interact with our families & friendships will become a mirror into your business life... and your business relationships will reflect into you business. One of the most important things you get in life are the relationships you enjoy in life. In an interview with Dr. Michelle Deering she shares about how Mothers, dads and daughters can intentionally pause to create a life of meaningful relationships. Lead amazing relationships at home and discover great leadership in your movement! About Dr. Michelle Deering ...

2020-04-2343 min

Evidence First Testing a Successful Employment Model in a New ContextIndividual Placement and Support (IPS) is a model for helping people who have serious mental illness find employment. There is a good deal of evidence showing the model's success, but less is known about the model's effectiveness with those who have other types of disabilities and health conditions, such as physical disabilities or less severe types of mental illness. Between 2016 and 2018, MDRC led an evaluation of Breaking Barriers, a program in San Diego County that implemented the IPS model. Breaking Barriers served individuals who had a wide range of disabilities, not only serious mental illness. An initial...

2020-04-2012 min

Evidence First MDRC's K-12 Education Research: Past, Present, and FutureIn the beginning, MDRC was known primarily for evaluations of state welfare-to-work programs. Since then, MDRC has brought its unique approach to an ever-growing range of policy areas and populations. Recently, MDRC celebrated 25 years of working in the field of K-12 research – collaborating with teachers, school leaders, and districts to improve students' prospects for success. Join Leigh Parise as she talks with Fred Doolittle, MDRC Senior Fellow, and William Corrin, Director of K-12 education research at MDRC, about how the organization expanded into education and the lessons they've learned from 25 years of research.

2020-03-1018 min

On the Evidence 21 | Policy Labs: Research for State and Local GovernmentState and local governments often lack the capacity to clean, manage, and analyze administrative data that could be useful for achieving political and policy objectives. Some places have established policy labs to leverage researchers' skills to identify trends in the data, evaluate programs, and provide insights for improving public policies. On this episode of On the Evidence, we talk about the policy lab model with Kristin Klopfenstein, director of the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab, and Melissa Wavelet, a senior fellow at MDRC and the former director of the Office of Performance and Strategic Outcomes at the Colorado Department of...

2019-11-1938 min

For the EVOLution of Business From Prison to Contribution with The Center For Employment Opportunities[1:00] Sarah's path from career counselor in Brooklyn to the Center for Employment Opportunities in Rochester[3:00] The founding of the Center for Employment Opportunities and opening of the Rochester office[5:45] The process for a person leaving prison and re-entering the workforce with the help of CEO[8:45] Work crews of 5/6 plus a supervisor looking for work in painting, snow removal, landscaping, gardening, highway cleanup - contact Sarah if you'd like to learn more about hiring a work crew![11:00] Setting goals and measuring success as an organization and helping individuals define their own success

2019-10-0300 min $My Dad\'s Record Collection$

My Dad's Record Collection My Dad's Record Collection - Episode 211 Year old Melbourne schoolboy and music fan, Elis is introduced to new tracks by his grumpy old, music-producer Dad. Will he like them enough to add them to his playlist...?(MDRC playlist: spotify:playlist:40fv432AUONDvvUH5XuwVJ)

2019-09-3015 min

Evidence First Using Data-Driven Strategies for Program ImprovementGovernment agencies work hard to help the people they serve, whether it's helping individuals find jobs or improve family well-being. But despite best efforts, some participants still don't succeed. What are some ways government agencies can improve services and ensure participants remain on the right track? In this episode, Kate Gualtieri, MDRC's Director of Strategy, talks with MDRC Senior Fellow Melissa Wavelet, the former director of the Office of Performance and Strategic Outcomes in the Colorado Department of Human Services, about her experience implementing a variety of data-driven strategies that help city and state government agencies meet...

2019-09-2419 min

Evidence First Replicating CUNY's ASAP Model in Ohio: Interview with Dr. Marcia BallingerNationwide, only 25 percent of full-time, first-time students at community colleges earn a degree within three years. To increase graduation rates for low-income community college students, the City University of New York (CUNY) launched Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) — a comprehensive program that provides wrap-around support services to students, including one-on-one advising, help covering transportation and book expenses, and tutoring. MDRC's evaluation of the CUNY ASAP model found that the program doubled graduation rates in New York City. Three community colleges in Ohio successfully replicated the ASAP model as part of the ASAP Ohio Demonstration, and MDRC's ev...

2019-09-1213 min

Evidence First Can Aligned Instruction Prevent Pre-K Fadeout?High-quality preschool education can have substantial positive impacts on children's early learning and development, as well as longer-term outcomes like graduating from high school and attending college. But the boost in skills young children experience can fade out as they move on to kindergarten and elementary school, exacerbating the achievement gap between children from more- versus less-advantaged backgrounds. This fadeout pattern has drawn greater attention to students' experiences after preschool, in early elementary school, and helped increase support for improving curricular alignment from preschool to third grade. Alignment refers to the range of policies and practices designed...

2019-07-2524 min

Evidence First The Story of a Practitioner-Researcher Partnership: Studying the Effects of the Grameen America ProgramCan giving small loans to low-income people to start or grow their businesses help lift them out of poverty and improve overall well-being? That's the idea behind microlending – a promising approach implemented by institutions worldwide. But only limited rigorous evidence is available on the model's effectiveness, especially in advanced economies. MDRC is evaluating Grameen America, a program that provides small loans to groups of low-income women in the U.S. using a model designed by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus for the original Grameen Bank program in Bangladesh in the 1970s. But carrying out th...

2019-05-1611 min

Evidence First Steps to Upward Mobility: Lessons from Three Youth Employment ProgramsOne out of every 10 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 is neither working nor in school. These "disconnected" young people face an uphill battle finding work and are at risk of economic hardship well into adulthood. Although there are many programs that aim to reconnect young people to education and employment, findings from evaluations of these programs have been mixed. The evidence base has grown substantially in the past several months, though, as studies of three programs — YouthBuild, Year Up, and New York City's Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) — have released new findings. MDRC's Dan Bloom and Cynthi...

2019-03-0605 min

Research Minutes podcast Doubling Two-Year Graduation Rates in OhioThree Ohio community colleges grew enrollment and more than doubled two-year graduation rates following implementation of the CUNY-developed Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP). MDRC senior associate Colleen Sommo joins guest host Peter Horn to discuss her team's new multi-year study of the initiative, and its potential implications for colleges, policymakers, and researchers across the U.S.

2019-01-2311 min

Evidence First How to Improve College Placement Using Multiple MeasuresStudents who are placed into developmental (remedial) courses often fail to complete them, and many colleges and states are therefore interested in reforming developmental education. But what if students are not accurately placed into developmental courses in the first place? What if some of the students placed into developmental courses could have succeeded in college-level courses? Research suggests that standardized tests — the traditional method for placing students — actually does misplace substantial numbers of them. An alternative strategy is to place students using multiple measures of college readiness, including grade point averages, instead of a single test score. Join Katie Beal...

2019-01-1110 min

Evidence First After the Hurricane: Youth Employment in Puerto RicoHow should policymakers address the long-standing youth unemployment problem in Puerto Rico, which only worsened in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria? With support from the W. T. Grant Foundation, MDRC partnered with Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud, or the Youth Development Institute, to develop recommendations that can create pathways into the workforce for young people and that are supported by evidence-based and promising practices relevant to the current situation in Puerto Rico. Join Katie Beal as she talks to John Martinez, Director of Program Development at MDRC, about those recommendations and the challenges of implementing them.

2018-11-1505 min

Evidence First CareerWise Colorado: A Modern Youth Apprenticeship ModelCareer and technical education programs have taken on many different forms, but one that has been gaining in popularity is apprenticeships. Join Katie Beal as she talks to Noel Ginsberg, CEO of CareerWise Colorado, and Gretchen Morgan, former president of CareerWise Colorado, about the initiative that seeks to enlist hundreds of employers from many sectors to employ thousands of high school students in the nation's first large-scale youth apprenticeship program. MDRC is currently working with CareerWise Colorado to help its leaders understand the factors that either impede or promote the smooth implementation of this complex initiative, so that the...

2018-10-1110 min

Evidence First Career and Technical Education: Past, Present, and Future This summer Congress passed the long-awaited reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which governs the federal investment in career and technical education (CTE). But what do CTE programs actually do? And how have they evolved over time? Join Katie Beal as she talks to Mary Visher, a senior research associate at MDRC, about CTE programs — including their development and challenges. They also discuss MDRC's two-decade history of constructing and evaluating CTE programs, including the landmark study of Career Academies, and the other CTE programs MDRC is currently partnering with to build evidence and inform policy a...

2018-09-0410 min

Evidence First What kinds of programs can improve children's early math abilities?Early math ability is one of the best predictors of children's math and reading skills into late elementary school. Children with stronger math proficiency in elementary school are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college. But most early childhood programs don't focus on math instruction. What kinds of math programs can improve children's early math abilities? And can they lead to positive impacts for other longer-term outcomes? The Making Pre-K Count and High 5s demonstrations were designed to rigorously assess whether providing high-quality math instruction, aligned across prekindergarten (pre-K) and kindergarten, could lead to...

2018-07-1208 min

Evidence First Predicting Risk in Social Service and Education ProgramsSocial service and education programs aim to help the people they serve achieve positive outcomes (for example, completing a degree or getting a job). But some participants still don't succeed. Could predicting who is more at risk of not meeting important milestones allow programs to intervene with supports for those who most need them? Predictive analytics is a tool that can help programs use existing data to make predictions of risk for their clients. Program staff can identify milestones, which, if not met, can prompt action. For example, if a child is not reading at grade level...

2018-05-1509 min

Gov Innovator Podcast Two promising strategies to promote college success for disadvantaged students: An interview with Lindsay Page, University of Pittsburgh, and Michael Weiss, MDRC – Episode #167Low-income and first-generation students enroll in and complete college at much lower rates than their more advantaged peers. This is particularly problematic because of the strong link between educational attainment and subsequent earnings, underscoring the need to find effective strategies that promote persistence and degree attainment. We profile two such programs that are making an important difference, as shown by rigorous program evaluations. They are the City University of New York’s (CUNY’s) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) and the Dell Scholars program. We are joined by two researchers who helped lead the respective evaluations of th...

2018-03-2011 min

Evidence First Enhancing College Promise Programs to Support Student SuccessCollege Promise is a widespread college access movement in the United States, with more than 200 programs across the country. Although these programs help students access college by covering the cost of tuition and fees, they do not typically address barriers to student success. The Detroit Promise Path, administered by the Detroit Regional Chamber, is a program that allows high school graduates to attend local colleges tuition-free and provides evidence-based support strategies to students to help them stay in school and graduate. The program was developed by MDRC and the Detroit Regional Chamber, and MDRC is conducting an...

2017-09-0612 min

Evidence First Lessons on Making School Choice Easier for FamiliesSchool choice can be an arduous process and can prove especially challenging for low-income or recent-immigrant families. Offering supports, simplifying the process, and personalizing information, among other things, can help families navigate decisions about school choice. In this podcast, MDRC researcher Barbara Condliffe considers how lessons from other policy arenas can help improve school choice process.

2017-09-0113 min

Evidence First Sector-Focused Training That Meets the Needs of Job Seekers and EmployersCan working closely with employers make job training programs more effective? Although many training programs exist, low-income individuals often cannot afford them, do not complete them, or do not obtain a marketable credential. At the same time, many employers claim that they cannot easily find people with the right occupational skills to meet their needs.

2017-02-2207 min

Evidence First Using "Nudges" to Improve Social ProgramsCan small changes based on the insights of behavioral science improve the effectiveness of social programs? Research has shown that small changes in the environment can facilitate behaviors and decisions that are in people's best interest. For example, a change in the way messages or requirements are worded may increase the likelihood that program participants make positive choices. However, there has been relatively little exploration of the potential application of this science to complex, large-scale human services programs. With funding from the Administration for Children and Families, MDRC has been testing low-cost behavioral science interventions that can m...

2016-10-0511 min

Gov Innovator Podcast Lessons in applying behavioral insights to human services from the Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency (BIAS) project: An interview with Lashawn Richburg-Hayes and Nadine Deshausay, MDRC – Episode #136In 2010, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a project to explore how programs could advance their goals, and address specific challenges, by applying insights from behavioral sciences, including behavioral economics. It is called the Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency (BIAS) project. Now, six years later, it has results from 15 randomized experiments conducted across seven states on the topics of employment, child support and childcare. To get an overview and hear implementation lessons for human services agencies that might want to use these types of interventions — or “nu...

2016-08-1010 min

Evidence First Gordon Berlin Interviewed About the Role of Research Evidence in Shaping Social PolicyIn April, MDRC President Gordon Berlin was interviewed by Denver Frederick, host of the "Business of Giving" radio show in New York City, about the role of rigorous research evidence in informing how government and philanthropy invest in education and social programs. The podcast was also featured on the Chronicle of Philanthropy website. Berlin describes MDRC's experience evaluating existing programs and developing demonstrations of new interventions. He highlights a number of current projects, including the Paycheck Plus demonstration of an enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit for single adults, the evaluation of the City University of New York's ...

2016-04-2619 min

Gov Innovator Podcast Lessons from the nation’s first Social Impact Bond, aimed at reducing recidivism among adolescent offenders at Rikers Island: An interview with Gordon Berlin, President, MDRC – Episode #120A Social Impact Bond (SIB) uses private funds – from philanthropy or other investors — to pay for a social, educational, or health programs. Importantly, the government only repays investors, plus a return, if pre-specified results are achieved. A new report by Gordon Berlin, the president of the nonprofit social policy research firm MDRC (@MDRC_News), reflects on the experience of SIB (also called pay for success) projects to date, including the nation’s first SIB at Rikers Island jail in New York City for which MDRC was the intermediary. As the report notes, while SIBs are the social sector’s hottest “imp...

2016-04-2019 min

Gov Innovator Podcast Three strategies to promote relevance in program evaluations so that findings are useful to policymakers and practitioners: An interview with Evan Weissman, Senior Associate, MDRC – Episode #117In program evaluation, using the most rigorous methods possible is essential for producing credible research findings. But beyond the goal of rigor, relevance is important too. In particular, the more that evaluations are able to address specific research or implementation questions that are of interest to practitioners and policymakers, the more likely that the findings will actually get used. A rigorous evaluation (using a randomized controlled trial) of a student-aid initiative, called Aid Like a Paycheck, recently took three additional steps, beyond typical program evaluation, to ensure that the study produces information that is relevant to end user...

2016-04-0411 min

Gov Innovator Podcast Doubling community college graduation rates through CUNY’s ASAP program: An interview with Donna Linderman, Dean for Student Success Initiatives, City University of New York – Episode #104Increasing the graduation rates at community colleges is an important national challenge. Nationally, less than 40 percent of community college students attain a degree or certificate — and students who come to campus underprepared for college-level work (those needing developmental or remedial classes) have graduation rates below 30 percent. The City University of New York (CUNY) launched the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) in 2007 with the goal of doubling the graduation rates of community college students as well as encouraging timely graduation within three years. A rigorous, random assignment evaluation by MDRC found that ASAP nearly doubled the percentage of stud...

2016-01-0809 min

Evidence First Keeping Girls out of the Justice SystemGirls are making up a larger share of the juvenile justice system than ever before. One program that’s trying to address this issue is the PACE Center for Girls in Florida.

2015-12-1514 min

Evidence First Transitioning to Adulthood How do young adults fare after they age out of the foster care or juvenile justice systems? And are there services that can help these young people make a successful transition to adulthood? With funding from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, MDRC just released results from an evaluation of the Transitional Living Program (now called YVLifeSet) run by the organization Youth Villages. The program provides intensive, individualized, and clinically focused case management, support, and counseling. This is one of the few rigorously studied programs in this area and the first to find positive results for young...

2015-09-0414 min

Evidence First Tackling Youth UnemploymentWhat's worked to help disadvantaged youth get jobs? And how can we get more employers actively engaged in this issue? Therese Leung talks with Farhana Hossain, a researcher at MDRC, about the problem of youth unemployment.

2015-04-0609 min