Publications

In this commentary originally published in Spotlight on Poverty & Opportunity, Clint Key describes three ways funders and policymakers can better support the scaling of sector-based workforce training programs.

In this commentary originally published in the Deseret News, Dina Israel writes that the demand for fatherhood programs is growing, but more needs to be learned about how and why these programs work.

This report presents findings from a multimethod study of racial and ethnic disparities in the pretrial processes of seven jurisdictions across the country.

This brief presents findings from a study of noncredit career and technical education programs that were implemented in Virginia community colleges.

This brief shares findings about cross-functional teams, which try to bring change to higher education by assembling departments that often work separately.

High-dosage tutoring (HDT)—or three tutoring sessions of 30 minutes or more a week—is an effective way to improve academic outcomes for K-12 students. Ellen Kim, program manager of Chicago Public Schools’ Tutor Corps, speaks about the successes and challenges of developing an HDT program.

For a decade, MDRC and its collaborators have studied multiple measures assessments, an alternative to using tests to determine whether students can succeed in college-level courses.

This report explores Addiction Recovery Care, a Kentucky-based program that combines residential treatment and employment services for individuals with substance use disorders.

This snapshot highlights three lessons that demonstrate how 10 workforce programs created opportunities for improving services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report describes two interventions informed by behavioral science to improve attendance at required activities among recipients of public assistance.

In this photovoice study, three people who were involved with New Jersey’s pretrial system as defendants explore their experiences and make recommendations for how the system can be improved.

This blog post describes eight processes and cultural shifts that the NYC Human Resources Administration and the Santa Cruz Human Services Department implemented to encourage innovation among staff members in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—and how each of the processes came to life.

As part of the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies project, researchers conducted virtual interviews with staff members at 10 workforce programs to learn how they used technology to adapt their services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog post examines five adaptations they made.

Summer youth employment programs (SYEPs) provide early work experiences to young people. This brief focuses on SYEPs’ efforts to recruit employer partners.

Summer youth employment programs (SYEPs) provide early work experiences to young people. This brief focuses on SYEPs’ training in “soft” skills.

This toolkit provides individuals and organizations with guidance, drawn from learning and experience, on how to use administrative and other data to inform program improvements. 

This brief describes a multimethod approach used to identify for rigorous testing those components of fatherhood programs associated with their success.

This report describes lessons from a series of pilot programs in data use and analysis undertaken by federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families agencies.

This report presents a scan of programs and practices relevant to young people who are furthest from opportunities in their communities.

In the next decade, the labor market is predicted to create millions of green jobs. This blog post presents the Delaware Department of Education’s response: a project to embed principles of environmental literacy—an understanding of the relationship between human and environmental systems—into statewide career and technical education pathways.