Determining whether a state's young people are on track for a life of opportunity is a difficult task for governors and state leaders. States can be both awash in data and unable to easily access and use that data to inform policy. State longitudinal data systems that meaningfully connect workforce, higher education, K-12, and early childhood…

Characteristics of evaluative studies used by California state legislators are discussed: specificity in addressing particular policy decisions; factors which contribute to or hinder the accomplishment of educational objectives; balanced studies with a range of indicators; and attention to local concerns, and to fiscal and legal issues. (MH)

This research report describes an analysis of the ways state legislative policy makers in Arizona, California, and Oregon engage in the process of turning political interests and pressures into public policies. The purpose is to provide insights into the overall processes of social science utilization within state legislatures, using a behavioral…