About MDRC
Maves is a technical research assistant in the Families and Children policy area. As part of the Expanding Children’s Early Learning P-3 project, he oversees data collection activities and supports data analysis to understand how different factors might support sustained preschool gains in Boston Public Schools. He also works on a follow-up study of the social-emotional learning intervention INSIGHTS into Children’s Temperament, where he processes administrative data on New York City students from kindergarten through high school. Previously, Maves led dissemination efforts for the Measures for Early Success Initiative to reimagine early learning assessment tools.
Before joining MDRC in 2021, Maves worked as a research assistant on various projects, including an analysis of state social studies curricula and textbook standards and the University of Michigan President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality. Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, Maves has previously served on the Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Sustainability and has interned for the City of Detroit. Maves received bachelor’s degrees in sociology and biology from the University of Michigan, where he completed a thesis on the K-12 experiences of transfer students attending suburban institutions through Michigan’s interdistrict Schools of Choice program.
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MDRC Publications
Issue FocusAugust, 2022In this blog post originally published by New America, a diverse group of pre-K parents from around the country share their experiences with early learning assessments in childcare, pre-K, and Head Start settings.
Issue FocusJuly, 2022Head Start, a federal early childhood program, uses data-driven insights to enhance the quality and responsiveness of its services. The National Head Start Association’s Victoria L. Jones and MDRC’s Samuel Maves spoke with Mary Lockhart-Findling, a Head Start program director, to discuss the ins and outs of pre-K assessments.
Issue FocusJuly, 2022In this blog post originally published by New America, seven pre-K leaders—including center directors and principals—share their perspectives about how to make early education assessments more useful, equitable, and effective.
CommentaryFebruary, 2022In this commentary originally published by New America, Samuel Maves and Meghan McCormick describe the lessons that state advocates and policymakers learned from implementing pre-K assessment systems. These lessons were discussed during an event cohosted by New America, the Alliance for Early Success, and MDRC.
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Other Publications
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Projects
INSIGHTS into Children’s Temperament , a comprehensive, school-based preventive intervention, supports students’ social-emotional development in order to improve their behaviors, social-emotional well-being, and academic skills during the transition to elementary school. Prior research has found that INSIGHTS implemented in kindergarten and first grade has short- and...
JoAnn Hsueh, Amena Sengal, Caroline Schultz, Emily Hanno, Ilana Blum, Katie Beal, Mallory Undestad, Marta Benito-Gomez, Meghan McCormick, Samantha Wulfsohn, Sharon Huang, Ximena Portilla, Brenna Healy, Isabel Acosta, Katie Suppes, Samuel MavesThe Measures for Early Success Initiative aims to reimagine the landscape of early learning assessments for three- to five-year-olds in pre-K so that more equitable data can be used to meaningfully support and strengthen early learning experiences for all young children.
JoAnn Hsueh, Sharon Huang, Meghan McCormick, Michelle Maier, Rebecca Unterman, Desiree Principe Alderson, Barbara Condliffe, Amena Sengal, Sonia Drohojowska, Ilana Blum, Marissa Strassberger, Marie-Andrée Somers, Noemi Altman, Alexandra Bernardi, Mirjana Pralica, Mervett Hefyan, Jálynn Castleman-Smith, Mallory Undestad, Samantha Xia, Emily Davies, Sharon Rowser, Amy Taub, Samuel MavesWith broad support across the political spectrum, states and localities throughout the country are expanding preschool programs for low-income children. While the public will is strong and the experience to date is encouraging, there is a need for firmer evidence on the most cost-effective ways to produce lasting impacts for children, especially when programs operate...