Evidence First

Jan 24 2025 62 ep. 23 mins 23

Evidence First Podcast artwork

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.

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Economic Mobility Through Remote Sector Training: A Conversation with Edith Yang

Jan 24 2025 13 mins

Sector-based training programs prepare people for jobs in specific industries where there is strong local demand and an opportunity for career advancement. Several models for technology jobs have been found to be effective in improving long-term earnings for workers with low incomes. But for many people, the programs are too expensive and too far from home. With support from the

Fines and Fees in Jefferson County, Alabama: A Conversation with Leah Nelson and Sarah Picard

Dec 03 2024 34 mins

Every year, courts across the United States impose millions of dollars in fines, fees, and restitution charges on people for traffic violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. In theory, these assessments are intended to punish and deter unlawful behavior, compensate victims for financial losses, and raise money for the justice system. However, they don’t often accomplish those goal

Supporting College Students in Rural Areas

Nov 13 2024 17 mins

Both college-going and college completion rates are far lower in rural areas than in other geographical settings. To learn what works to help rural students enroll in and complete college, MDRC, supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), has launched the National Rural Higher Education Research Center. The center will work with college systems to conduct eight rese

Scaling Up High-Dosage Tutoring: Early Lessons from the Personalized Learning Initiative

Sep 17 2024 24 mins

Many states and school districts are eager to expand high-dosage tutoring programs, a proven way to accelerate student learning by providing personalized instruction in small group settings several times a week. But there are challenges to getting these programs successfully off the ground, like recruiting tutors in a tight labor market, fitting sessions into already packed schoo

Promoting Equity in Developmental Education Reform: A Conversation with Nikki Edgecombe and Michael Weiss

Jul 03 2024 36 mins

Developmental education, also known as remedial education, refers to courses that some entering college students will have to take if they are deemed unprepared for college-level courses. However, studies have shown that developmental education can actually hinder students’ progress in college. Additionally, students of color, adults, first-generation students, and those from lo

Building Impact Through Partnership: A Conversation About Per Scholas and MDRC

Apr 25 2024 32 mins

Sector-focused employment programs aim to improve the economic mobility of people with low incomes by training them for quality jobs in sectors that have strong local demand and opportunities for advancement. By partnering with local employers, these programs provide them with a skilled and able workforce. As part of MDRC’s 50th anniversary celebration, this episode of Evide

Training Workers When Employers Hire Based on Skills: Lessons from Connecticut and Virginia

Feb 14 2024 32 mins

As the cost of higher education climbs, skills-based hiring has gained traction. It’s a labor market trend in which employers hire based on applicants’ skills, with the understanding that degrees are not the only way to acquire competencies. In a follow-up to an earlier episode on skills-based hiring, Rachel Rosen, who leads MDRC’s Center for Effective Career and Technical

Implementing an Evidence-Based and Domain-Specific Pre-K Curriculum: A Conversation with Cheryl Ohlson and Michelle Maier

Jan 22 2024 23 mins

Most pre-K classrooms use a whole-child approach to educational curricula, which focuses on the broad development of children’s academic skills. By contrast, domain-specific curricula focus more on specific areas of learning, such as math, literacy, or science. MDRC has partnered with the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) to implement a new domain-specific curriculum in

When Employers Hire Based on Skills: A Conversation with Matt Sigelman

Dec 21 2023 24 mins

As the cost of higher education climbs, skills-based hiring has gained traction. It’s a labor market trend in which employers hire based on applicants’ skills, with the understanding that degrees are not the only way to acquire competencies. Skills-based hiring has the potential to increase equity in the hiring process, providing avenues to socio-economic mobility for histo

Lessons about Tutoring and Addressing Learning Loss from Reading Partners

Dec 08 2023 24 mins

Many schools are expanding tutoring services and personalized instruction to address learning loss caused by the pandemic. This episode features Reading Partners, a successful national nonprofit that mobilizes community volunteers to provide one-on-one tutoring to students who struggle with reading in under-resourced elementary schools. MDRC has been working with Reading Partners