A randomized experiment that measures the impact of a social policy in a sample of the population reveals whether the policy will work on average with universal application. An experiment that includes only the subset of the population that volunteers for the intervention generates narrower "proof-of-concept" evidence of whether the…

Since 1995, publicly funded pre-K with universal eligibility has proliferated across the U.S. Universal pre-K (UPK) operates at great scale and serves children with a wide range of alternative childcare options. Because these programs are relatively young, very little is known about their long-run impacts on children. In this paper, I use a…

This technical supplement to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) evaluation final reports presents details of the technical approach used for creating analysis variables and estimating impacts of treatment group services on outcomes, including employment, earnings, and SNAP participation. It also…

Despite the use of earned value management (EVM) techniques to track development progress, federal information (IT) software programs continue to fail by not meeting identified business requirements. The purpose of this logistic regression study was to examine, using IT software data from federal agencies from 2011 to 2014, whether a relationship…

The FNS Research Corner provides a continuing series to summarize recently completed and current research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in the area of child nutrition. Summaries of recently completed research projects and in-progress research are provided in this article.

This hearing is the third in a series examining critical issues in postsecondary education as the committee looks to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The topic discussed is of paramount importance and is arguably the bedrock of Federal higher education policy, that is, the Federal financial aid programs and their effectiveness in providing…

The "Personnel Development Program to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities" is authorized under Section 662 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and is known as the Personnel Development Program (PDP). The PDP is administered by the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) Office of Special…

Multilevel programs--that is, programs with multiple levels of administration, funding, and implementation--present dynamic and challenging environments for the conduct and use of evaluation. The challenges include questions, priorities, audiences, and purposes that vary at each level. This chapter discusses the challenges as well as the…

THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF A CONFERENCE WHICH MET TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION SHOULD UNDERTAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF ITS TITLE VII PROGRAM ON AMERICAN EDUCATION. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT SUCH AN EFFORT INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE FIELD OF EDUCATION, WITH FOCUS ON THE FIELD OF EDUCATIONAL MEDIA.…

The purpose of this Guide is to advise researchers, policymakers, and others on when it is possible to conduct a high-quality randomized controlled trial in education at reduced cost. Well-designed randomized controlled trials are recognized as the gold standard for evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention (i.e., program or practice) in…

To evaluate the effects of the 1988 Hawkins-Stafford Amendments on Chapter 1, the U.S. Department of Education is conducting several analyses of the program's new accountability features and other provisions. Current evaluation projects focus on early education, effective practices for at-risk children, and integrated services for preschool and…

The U.S. Office of Education, charges Congresswoman Green, is a never-never land of poor business judgment with incredible laxity in letting, monitoring, and evaluating contracts and grants. (Author)

The commissioner's defense against Congresswoman Green's charges of mismanagement in the U.S. Office of Education. (JF)

Researchers, economists, and campus administrators who have followed federal student aid programs worry that businesses have turned the Guaranteed Student Loan Program into a lucrative industry that doesn't always have the students' interest in mind, and a congressional study group is also concerned about aspects of the program. (MSE)

Two anti-poverty programs--investment in education and in highways and other public facilities--should increase earnings and employment through an increase in production possibilities and a fuller utilization of existing resources. In evaluating training programs, there is considerable evidence that training expenditures have a return at least…