Search our database of 1,200+ summaries of randomized evaluations conducted by our affiliates in 100 countries. To browse key policy recommendations from a subset of these evaluations, visit the Policy Publications tab above.

Informal Math Games to Improve Children's Readiness for Learning School Mathematics in India

Joshua Dean
Moira Dillon
Esther Duflo
Harini Kannan
Elizabeth Spelke
By the time they reach primary school, disadvantaged children often lag behind their more advantaged peers in the skills and concepts of formal math. To address this issue, researchers examined the impact of math games, played in preschools and exercising early emerging, universal and intuitive...
Young girl in pink jacket and hat outside in rural Peru

Changing Pedagogy to Improve Math Skills in Preschools in Peru

Mariana Alfonso
Francisco Gallego
Emma Naslund-Hadley
In Peru, researchers evaluated the impact of a tailored inquiry- and problem-based learning approach on preschoolers’ performance in math. The program improved overall mathematics outcomes, which persisted for some content areas even one year after the program ended.
Hindi writing in white chalk on floor

Maternal Literacy and Participation Programs for Child Learning in India

James Berry
Researcher evaluated whether mothers’ literacy classes and home-learning participation trainings could improve children’s learning outcomes. The interventions had small positive impacts on mother and child learning levels.
Female teacher standing in front of young students using her hands to describe a concept

Combining In-School and Out-of-School Programs to Improve Learning in India

Andrea Guariso
Martina Björkman Nyqvist
Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to test the impact of the combination of an in-school learning program with an out-of-school learning program on primary school math and reading levels. The combination of the two programs led to a significant increase in children's test scores in both...
three children holding pencils and working on assignment

Improving Guidelines for an Early Childhood Development Program in Rural Colombia

Orazio Attanasio
Raquel Bernal
Costas Meghir
Researchers partnered with the Colombian Family Welfare Agency to evaluate how providing enhanced curriculum guidelines and larger nutritional supplements for the Family, Women, and Infancy Program impacted child development. Compared to children receiving the traditional FAMI program, the enhanced...
Young boy pauses in thought while writing on the floor in chalk

Improving Learning Outcomes through the Government School System in India

James Berry
Esther Duflo
Shobhini Mukerji
Marc Shotland
Researchers evaluated the impact on student learning outcomes of two programs introduced by the Government of Haryana. While the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) program did not have any effect on test scores, the Learning Enhancement Program (LEP), which focused on basic literacy and...
A young child reads among onlookers in India.

Searching for a Better Way to Teach Children to Read in India

Fang He
Leigh Linden
Margaret McLeod
In three related evaluations in India, researchers introduced an early childhood reading and comprehension program (Shishuvachan) in different contexts—integrated into first-grade classes in Mumbai public schools, implemented in preschools that were specifically designed to implement this program...