
Host: Leigh Parise
Producers: Katya Manna and Jonny Poilpré
Policymakers talk about solutions, but which ones really work? MDRC’s Evidence First podcast features experts—program administrators, policymakers, and researchers—talking about the best evidence available on education and social programs that serve people with low incomes.
Latest Episode
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 evidence-based strategies that state education leaders can implement to strengthen early mathematics instruction and learning.