Government agencies collect vast amounts of administrative data in their day-to-day activities, primarily for program operations. But the information is less often used as a research tool or fully harnessed for its evidence-building potential. This brief is the fourth in a series of publications from MDRC about the Temporary Assistance for Needy…

There is overwhelming evidence that traumatic experiences in childhood--such as physical or sexual assault, gang violence, domestic violence, or sudden loss of a loved one--can lead to poor outcomes in adulthood. Research has identified evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for these children and families, and there has been a push at the…

Early math skills are a strong predictor of later achievement for young children, not only in math, but in other domains as well. Exhibiting strong math skills in elementary school is predictive of later high school completion and college attendance. To that end, the Making Pre-K Count and High 5s studies set out to rigorously assess whether…