This presentation is from the UK Alliance for Useful Evidence launch at NESTA on 24 October 2011.

1. Evidence-Based Policymaking
Ron Haskins
October 25, 2011

2. 2
Three Approaches to
Evidence-Based Policymaking
• Evidence-based grant making:
– Fund programs supported by rigorous
evidence
– Tiered: Scale-up, validation, development
– Continuous evaluation
• What Works Clearinghouses
• Systematic Reviews of Agency Portfolios

3. 3
Grant-Making: Obama Initiatives
Name Status Description
Investing in Grants Awarded Three tiers of grants – development, validation and scale-up – to
Innovation fund a broad array of education interventions
Home Visiting Grants Awarded Tiered system of competitive and formula grants to states
Teen Pregnancy Grant Awarded Tiered system of competitive grants to public and private program
Prevention operators
Social Grants Awarded Community-based programs on economic opportunity, healthy
Innovation Fund futures, and youth development
Community Grants Awarded Community college programs for dislocated workers
College
Challenge Fund
Workforce Currently Test and scale strategies to improve workforce skills
Innovation Fund Soliciting Grant
Proposals;
Awards Winter
2012

4. 4
Role of Coalition in
Supporting Obama Initiatives
• Worked with Congressional and Executive Branch
staff to:
Identify programs supported by rigorous evidence
Develop provisions to advance use of rigorous
evidence
• Conducted seminars for agency staff of evidence-
based approaches/concepts
• Created written materials on programs backed by
rigorous evidence
• Where does educating end and lobbying begin?

5. 5
What is a Clearinghouse?
• A trusted website with information about social
programs supported by rigorous evidence
• Examples: Reading, math, second-chance,
teen pregnancy, parenting
• Public access

6. 6
Why Are Clearinghouses Important?
• Provide information on programs that have been
proven effective
• Help policymakers, researchers, and practitioners
sort through research on social intervention
programs
• Promote high standards for evidence

7. 7
Example: Department of Education’s
“What Works Clearinghouse”
• Searchable and easily navigable database of
education research
• Reviews of education literature on math and
science, dropout prevention, English language
learners, other interventions
• Programs that produce impacts on important
education outcomes
• Assists educators and policymakers aiming to fund
evidence-based interventions
• Open to public

8. 8
Agency Portfolios
• Requires a respected government budget
agency with power to supervise administrative
agencies
• Budget agency devise systematic annual
review process of agency programs
• Clear goals, well-defined outcome
measures, standards of evidence
• Additional funds to agencies based on
outcomes

9. 9
Program Assessment Rating Tool
(PART)
• Purpose
• Goals: Annual and long-term
• Agency oversight and program
improvement
• Results

10. 10
Uses of PART
• Budget decisions
• Program improvement
• Agency accountability
• Continual improvement
• Inform public