PODCAST · science
Evidence First
by MDRC
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.
Episodes
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Shared Housing: A Promising Strategy to Combat Homelessness and Social Isolation
Leigh Parise talks with Wendy Tippett of the Palm Beach County (FL) Community Services Department and Meghann Cotter of Micah Ecumenical Ministries, Fredericksburg, VA, to learn how they use shared housing as part of a strategy to end homelessness in expensive housing markets.
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The Role of Evidence in Ensuring Student Success: A Conversation with John B. King, Jr.
Researchers and practitioners are shaping the future of education and social policy by putting data and research evidence at the center of their decisions. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with John B. King, Jr., chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), which is the largest...
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Career and Technical Education in an Evolving World of Work
As the global economy has grown increasingly competitive, interest in career and technical education (CTE) has experienced a resurgence among policymakers and educators as a way to ensure that more students leave school prepared for well-paying jobs. Innovative new programs at both the secondary...
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Using Data and Evidence to Support Communities: A Conversation with Milton J. Little, Jr.
Using data and research evidence can help nonprofit and community-based organizations develop new programs, support existing ones, and advocate for more effective government investments. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Milton J. Little Jr., President and CEO of the United Way of Greater...
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Supporting the Workforce Development Ecosystem in Memphis
In Memphis, one in three people live near or below the poverty line. Memphis Works for Everyone (MemWorks), a partnership between MDRC and Slingshot Memphis, seeks to strengthen pathways to living-wage jobs for Memphis workers. MemWorks is using research and data to determine what local programs,...
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The Year in Review: Revisiting Episodes of Evidence First from 2025
In this year-in-review episode, Leigh Parise revisits conversations from 2025 about the power of evidence and collaboration to drive change: how data can inform decisions, how partnerships can break down barriers, and how innovative strategies can open doors for learners and workers alike.
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Partnering with College Systems to Support Students
Graduation rates at community colleges have remained low, especially for students with low incomes. One effort to help students graduate and succeed in the workforce is MDRC's Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS), a comprehensive student support program supported by...
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Improving Outcomes for Transfer Students
Transferring credits from a community college to a four-year institution remains a crucial strategy to boosting bachelor's degree attainment and improving outcomes for graduates. But transfer students often face significant challenges to having their credits accepted and, more importantly…
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Can Data Literacy Set Up Eighth-Graders for Success?
In a competitive labor market, students graduating from high school need skills that can translate into meaningful careers. PREP KC is a leading K-12 education intermediary in the Kansas City region, bringing educators and industry professionals together to give students real-world learning...
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The Long-Term Benefits of Focusing on Children's Early Math Skills
Children's early math skills are a strong predictor of later outcomes, like high school and college graduation rates, underscoring the long-term benefits of focusing on early math education. States across the country have increasingly focused on early literacy, enacting laws that require…
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Taking Evidence to Practice: A Conversation About MDRC's New Technical Assistance Initiative with John Martinez
Since MDRC's founding more than 50 years ago, evidence-building and data-driven technical assistance (TA) have been a crucial part of its work. MDRC is now launching a comprehensive and innovative approach to TA, to ensure that effective service strategies reach more people and improve lives....
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Building Evidence on Promising Sector Programs
Sectoral training programs have emerged as a promising driver of economic mobility for people with low incomes. These programs prepare people for quality jobs in specific industries where there's strong employer demand and an opportunity for career advancement. Studies find that sectoral programs...
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How to Improve College Completion Rates for Underserved Students: A Conversation with Emily Dow and Elena Serna-Wallender
Postsecondary education is a crucial factor in achieving economic mobility. However, graduation rates at community colleges remain low, particularly for students from low-income families. One effort to help students graduate and succeed in the workforce is MDRC's Scaling Up College Completion...
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Economic Mobility Through Remote Sector Training: A Conversation with Edith Yang
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...
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Fines and Fees in Jefferson County, Alabama: A Conversation with Leah Nelson and Sarah Picard
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…
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Supporting College Students in Rural Areas
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…
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Scaling Up High-Dosage Tutoring: Early Lessons from the Personalized Learning Initiative
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...
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Promoting Equity in Developmental Education Reform: A Conversation with Nikki Edgecombe and Michael Weiss
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....
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Building Impact Through Partnership: A Conversation About Per Scholas and MDRC
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...
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Training Workers When Employers Hire Based on Skills: Lessons from Connecticut and Virginia
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...
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Implementing an Evidence-Based and Domain-Specific Pre-K Curriculum: A Conversation with Cheryl Ohlson and Michelle Maier
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…
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When Employers Hire Based on Skills: A Conversation with Matt Sigelman
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…
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Lessons about Tutoring and Addressing Learning Loss from Reading Partners
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…
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Adapting a Wraparound Student Support Program for College Students in Rural Areas: A Conversation with Crystine Miller and Alyssa Ratledge
Montana 10 is a scholarship program offered by the Montana University System that offers wraparound academic, social, and financial supports to students from rural areas, first-generation college students, and Native American students. MDRC is partnering with the Montana University System on an...
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From Doubling Graduation Rates to Increasing Earnings: Replicating the City University of New York's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (CUNY ASAP) in Ohio
In 2014, three Ohio colleges set out to adapt a student support model pioneered by the City University of New York called Accelerated Study in Associate Programs, or ASAP. The program requires students to attend college full time and provides them with support services for three years, including...
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Nondegree Credential Programs in Higher Ed: A Conversation with Paul Fain and Betsy Tessler
Nondegree credentials are typically certificates or licenses earned in a short period of time that confer some kind of professional or industry-recognized skill. They're not new to the world of higher education, but they have received a lot of attention in the last few years as a "faster " way to...
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Reflections on the Evidence-Building Movement
In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with MDRC President Virginia (Ginger) Knox and Naomi Goldstein, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) at the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services....
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How Can Data Science Tools Better Represent Participant Experiences? A Conversation with Ahmed Whitt and Alissa Stover
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides wrap-around support and employment services to people returning home from incarceration. While participant feedback was always important to their work, CEO was looking to better understand the range of their participants' experiences and use…
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Can Market Value Assets Better Prepare Students for College and Career?
Through its Real World Learning initiative in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is working to ensure that all students in participating districts graduate from high school with a diploma and at least one market value asset (or MVA). MVAs are designed to…
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How Can State Government Agencies Increase Their Use of Data Analytics? A Conversation with Michael Meotti, Isaac Kwakye, and Rick Hendra
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) is a state government agency with a goal of increasing educational opportunity and attainment for Washington residents. WSAC has partnered with the MDRC Center for Data Insights (CDI) to create manageable data-analytics tools for the agency to use...
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Do Industry-Recognized Credentials Help Students Transition to College and Careers? A Conversation with Matt Giani
Industry-recognized credentials, or IRCs, are an increasingly common strategy used to demonstrate that high school students have learned skills or competencies in a specific industry or occupation. But what do we know about their impact on student outcomes? And do they help students succeed in...
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Promoting Equity in College Completion: An Interview with Amanda Janice Roberson and Jinann Bitar
While the percentage of adults with a postsecondary degree has increased over the past several decades, there are large gaps in degree attainment by race, ethnicity, and income. In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with two higher education experts—Amanda Janice Roberson at the Institute for…
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Bringing Procedural Justice Principles to Child Support Programs
Child support agencies aim to secure payments from noncustodial parents to support the well-being of their children. When noncustodial parents fall behind on child support, they may face consequences, such as driver's license suspensions, civil contempt, and even jail time. These enforcement...
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Is Individualized Instruction the Answer to the Pandemic's Unfinished Learning? A Discussion with Andy Rotherham and William Corrin
The pandemic has had devastating effects on students' learning. One strategy to help students is individualized instruction, which includes interventions like tutoring. In this lively episode, Leigh Parise talks with Andy Rotherham, cofounder of Bellwether, a national education nonprofit...
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Training Students for the Green Jobs of Tomorrow
Green jobs in diverse industries, such as transportation, construction, environmental management, and agriculture, have grown in recent years and are predicted to further increase in the future. Filling these jobs will require a skilled workforce, yet federal investments in training for green…
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Improving Pre-K Assessments: An Interview with Preschool Teachers
The majority of children in the United States now attend some type of formal pre-K program before starting elementary school. Pre-K assessments—or short tests and activities that measure early skills—are an important tool for understanding children's learning and development in these settings. In...
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Improving Pre-K Assessments: An Interview with School Administrators
The majority of children in the United States now attend some type of formal pre-K program before starting elementary school. Pre-K assessments—or short tests and activities that measure early skills—are an important tool for understanding children's learning and development in these settings. In...
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Considerations for Jurisdictions Seeking Pretrial Reform
As part of the criminal justice system, the pretrial system is set up to ensure individuals appear in court to maintain public safety and maximize pretrial release. But over the last few decades, a more punitive approach to pretrial justice has evolved, in which jailing individuals who haven't…
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THE-RCT Database: A New Resource for Analyzing Studies of Postsecondary Education Interventions
Improving outcomes for community college students has long been the focus of rigorous research studies by MDRC and others. Through a project called The Higher Education Randomized Controlled Trial, or THE-RCT, MDRC has created a broadly accessible database that compiles student-level data from…
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Providing Comprehensive Support Services to College Students: An Interview with SUCCESS Students and Coaches
A growing body of research shows that comprehensive student support programs can increase graduation rates for students from low-income backgrounds and students of color. But what do these programs look like on the ground? And what are the experiences of students participating in them? In this...
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An Innovative Workforce Program: An Interview with Two Coaches from the MyGoals for Employment Success Program
Too many people in the United States struggle to achieve economic mobility. With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting vulnerable populations the most, gaining financial stability became even harder. Workforce programs that focus on helping people find jobs may not be enough to advance in the labor…
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Providing Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Recovery, and Employment Services During the Pandemic
Programs that combine employment services with substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery services have faced unprecedented challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased substance misuse and overdose, dramatic increases in unemployment, and the need to quickly shift to virtual...
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Internships and Apprenticeships in a Newly Virtual Workplace
Work-based learning opportunities, like internships and apprenticeships, are a critical component to many career and technical education programs. They can help participants develop critical skills for in-demand careers. The abrupt shift to virtual education caused by the pandemic hit these...
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How One Home Visiting Model Adapted During the Pandemic
Early childhood experiences of trauma and toxic stress can affect how young children develop and are associated with learning and behavior problems. Child First is a promising home visiting program that aims to mitigate or prevent these negative experiences for families to promote healthy...
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Rural Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities — Part IV
A special series from the Rural Matters podcast This episode is the last of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. As the United States confronts…
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Rural Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities — Part III
A special series from the Rural Matters podcast This episode is the third of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. Rural America is not…
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How Can Behavioral Science Help Programs Better Serve Clients During the Pandemic?
Why don't government social services programs better serve families struggling through crises like the COVID-19 pandemic? One reason is that these systems are designed for compliance over access. Many of those who are in need and qualify for benefits are deterred by administrative burdens,...
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Rural Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities — Part II
A special series from the Rural Matters podcast This episode is the second of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. In this episode, Rural Matters...
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Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities — Part I
This episode is the first of a special four-part series about issues facing rural higher education from our colleagues at the Rural Matters podcast. It is coproduced by MDRC and supported by Ascendium Education Group. COVID-19 has caused seismic shifts for postsecondary education. For rural...
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How Does the Dana Center Math Pathways Improve Students' Success in Math?
Too many community college students get stuck in multi-semester developmental math sequences and never progress to or complete college-level courses. To meet this challenge, the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin developed the Dana Center Math Pathways (DCMP), which...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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.
HOSTED BY
MDRC
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Evidence First have?
Evidence First currently has 75 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Evidence First about?
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.
How often does Evidence First release new episodes?
Evidence First has 75 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Evidence First?
You can listen to Evidence First on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Evidence First?
Evidence First is created and hosted by MDRC.
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