MDRC is informing the education policy debate by bringing to the evaluation of education initiatives the rigor that has made it one of the nation’s most renowned sources of authority for what works in programs targeted to meet the needs of low-income populations.  more

Making High School Students into “College Material” Too many students graduate from high school unprepared for the rigors of postsecondary education. College readiness programs seek to fill the gap. This issue focus describes some common features of these programs and outlines open research questions. Ninth-Grade Attendance Rates Predict High School Graduation MDRC’s Study of Conditional Cash Transfers in NYC Featured on NPR’s Morning Edition MDRC Study of NYC’s New Small High Schools Garners Extensive Press Coverage Brookings to Host July 12 Capitol Hill Forum on MDRC’s Study of Conditional Cash Transfers in NYC

Transforming the High School Experience How New York City’s New Small Schools Are Boosting Student Achievement and Graduation Rates Taking advantage of lottery-like features in New York City’s high school admissions process, this study provides rigorous evidence that new small public high schools are narrowing the educational attainment gap and markedly improve graduation prospects, particularly for disadvantaged students. The Implications of Teacher Selection and Teacher Effects in Some Education Experiments Middle School Mathematics Professional Development Impact Study After the First Year of Implementation New York City’s Changing High School Landscape High Schools and Their Characteristics, 2002-2008