"Pathways to Implementation" highlights innovative strategies and effective models in career pathways policy, implementation, and programming, as well as challenges states encounter in this work. This seven-part series addresses the key elements of Bellwether's framework for career pathways policy implementation. Each brief defines the…

Most program evaluation efforts concentrate on assessments of "program implementation" and "program outcomes." However, another area of programs that has not received sufficient attention in the literature is evaluating the plan of the program. Since the quality of the plan and planning process can influence program…

Staff and faculty at every institution could share stories about how they have seen some initiatives spectacularly succeed and others completely fail--leading to feelings of frustration and fatigue. Too often, a "good idea" or new institutional policy is developed in a vacuum or with little thought as to how professionals on campus will…

Free school meal access has become increasingly intertwined with federal social safety net programs--including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)--to reduce duplicative paperwork for schools. The changes to SNAP that House Republicans have proposed would have downstream effects on free school meal access. The proposed changes to…

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is the Nation's second-largest food and nutrition assistance program, providing billions of meals to tens of millions of children and adolescents each year. USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) periodically reports on NSLP policies and program operations, often after major changes to the program's rules…

State law requires the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to annually report to the Legislature the number of schools participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The report must identify barriers to participation and make recommendations to increase participation. The CEP…

"Pathways to Implementation" highlights innovative strategies and effective models in career pathways policy, implementation, and programming, as well as challenges states encounter in this work. This seven-part series addresses the key elements of Bellwether's framework for career pathways policy implementation. Each brief defines the…

User experience (UX) internships generate ideas for usability projects, improve the design of existing and new services, investigate users' motivations and behavior, and build transferable skills for interns. This case study proposes a micro-internship model, grounded in the design cycle, that institutions can adapt to address their libraries and…

"Pathways to Implementation" highlights innovative strategies and effective models in career pathways policy, implementation, and programming, as well as challenges states encounter in this work. This seven-part series addresses the key elements of Bellwether's framework for career pathways policy implementation. Each brief defines the…

In 2022, the Center for the Study of Social Policy and Project SPARC conducted research to better understand the barriers experienced by parenting students participating in CalWORKs, California's cash assistance program for families with children. This brief highlights findings from the research on who parenting students are and their experiences…

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows. (1) Examine whether secondary and tertiary interventions delivered outside of the criminal justice system are effective at countering the cognitive and behavioural radicalisation of children and adolescents by synthesising evidence relating to relevant primary…

Physical activity and healthy eating are instrumental to a child's overall healthy development, resulting in a number of positive outcomes, like better academic performance and lower risk of depression. Yet, most young people are not meeting the recommended daily amount of physical activity, are not eating enough vegetables or fruits, and are…

Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) offer parents a publicly funded, government-authorized savings account they can draw on for certain K-12 educational expenses. As these programs have expanded in recent years, they have become a flashpoint in education policy debates. For some, ESAs are an extension of existing private school choice programs'…

School consultants often use problem-solving consultation when working with educators and caregivers to support the behavioral and academic outcomes of students. Considering some of the well-known limitations to in-person service delivery, consultants have increasingly relied on telecommunications as a medium through which to deliver…

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps people with low incomes avoid hunger and afford food. It stimulates the economy, improves individuals' success at school and work, and promotes better health. At the federal level, SNAP is operated by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. SNAP's…