Search our database of 1,200+ summaries of randomized evaluations conducted by our affiliates in 99 countries. To browse key policy recommendations from a subset of these evaluations, visit the Policy Publications tab above.

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Young students do schoolwork in a classroom in Puerto Rico

Principal Training to Improve Student Achievement in Puerto Rico

Gustavo Bobonis
Marco Gonzalez-Navarro
Daniela Scur
Researchers are evaluating the impact of changes in school management practices on student outcomes over time by introducing a large-scale principal training program for school directors in Puerto Rico and testing different strategies to sustain improved management practices after the program.
A young man wearing a fit bit, black surgical mask, and white hoodie runs on the sidewalk with cars and buildings in the background.

Incentivizing Physical Activity to Improve Mental Health During Covid-19 Disruptions in the United States

Osea Giuntella
Kelly Hyde
Silvia Saccardo
Sally Sadoff
Researchers conducted a randomized intervention to measure the impact of financial incentives for reaching daily step goals on physical activity and depression risk during the Covid-19 pandemic, to better understand the association between physical activity and mental health. While program...
A parent taking their child to school.

Auditing Schools' Responsiveness to Students with Disabilities in Districts of Choice

Peter Bergman
Isaac McFarlin
Researchers sent emails to schools posing as parents of students with randomly-varied characteristics to assess if schools responded differently to different types of students. The researchers found that on average both charter and traditional public schools were less likely to respond to students...
A teacher calling on students raising their hands in a classroom.

Sending Text Messages to Parents to Improve Student Achievement in Middle and High Schools in the United States

Peter Bergman
Eric W. Chan
A randomized evaluation of the text alert program showed that the intervention reduced course failures, increased class attendance and improved in-class exam scores. The effects are larger for students with below-average GPAs and students in high school, and positive effects persist into the second...
Students participate in a Big Word Club activity

Evaluating the Impact of a Tech-Based Early Childhood Vocabulary Program in the United States

Ariel Kalil
Susan Mayer
Philip Oreopoulos
Rohen Shah
Researchers evaluated the impact of a vocabulary improvement “edutainment” program for young children, Big Word Club, on children’s receptive vocabulary. Researchers found that the Big Word Club increased students’ knowledge and retention of words included in the program without detracting from...
J-PAL logo

The Impact of In-School Application Support on College Application and Enrollment Rates in Canada

Reuben Ford
Philip Oreopoulos
Researchers studied the impact of an in-school program to provide application assistance at schools where fewer than half of high school seniors typically enter college the following year. Application fee waivers combined with an online tool that provided customized college information boosted...
A folder full of overdue medical bills.

Forgive and Forget: The Impact of Medical Debt Forgiveness on Financial Outcomes in the United States

Raymond Kluender
Neale Mahoney
Francis Wong
Wes Yin
In this randomized evaluation, researchers evaluated the impact of a medical debt relief program (that buys and relieves a portion of individuals’ medical debt) on measures of mental and physical health, health care utilization, and financial well-being—including financial distress, credit score...
A gloved hand holds a blue ORCA transit card in front of a bus stop where a bus is parked.

Can Transportation Subsidies Reduce Failures to Appear in Criminal Court?

Rebecca Brough
Matthew Freedman
Daniel E. Ho
David Phillips
Researchers partnered with local agencies in King County, Washington to evaluate the impact of providing transit subsidies on rates of FTA in court. While the study was disrupted due to Covid-19, the pilot results indicated that transit subsidies had little effect on reducing FTA.