Evaluations

Policy Publications

Search our database of policy briefcases, bulletins, and evidence reviews. Briefcases summarize the results and policy recommendations from one randomized evaluation, while bulletins synthesize the broader policy lessons emerging from multiple evaluations on the same topic. Evidence reviews summarize an existing academic literature review, like a handbook chapter or white paper, for a policy audience.

Displaying 10-16 of 16

Community Grants for the Next Generation

Last Updated:
Last Updated:
May 19, 2014
Community block grants improved health and education in Indonesian villages, and adding performance incentives sped up improvements in health.

Truth-Telling in Third-Party Audits

Last Updated:
Last Updated:
October 9, 2013
Changing the market for environmental audits to incentivize accurate reporting in Gujarat, India made auditors more likely to report the truth about industrial plants’ pollution levels. In response, industrial plants polluted less.

Giving the People What They Want

Last Updated:
Last Updated:
May 1, 2012
Choosing local infrastructure projects by direct election, rather than through representatives, had a small effect on the types of projects selected but a large impact on citizen satisfaction in Indonesia.

Raising Female Leaders

Last Updated:
Last Updated:
April 1, 2012
A quota system for female village leaders in India changed perceptions of women’s abilities, improved women’s electoral chances, and raised aspirations and educational attainment for adolescent girls.

Absenteeism: Showing Up is the First Step

Last Updated:
Last Updated:
November 16, 2009
A range of studies have examined alternative ways to reform health and education systems and address what is perhaps the most important failure in these systems. No simple answer emerges but some general lessons do stand out.

Solving Absenteeism, Raising Test Scores

Last Updated:
Last Updated:
September 1, 2008
On an average day in rural Udaipur, India, 44% of teachers are absent from school. While Udaipur’s problem was especially severe, teacher absence is all too typical of schools in poor countries. This briefcase summarizes the implications from the evaluation of one highly successful program to reduce...

Women as Policy Makers

Last Updated:
Last Updated:
January 6, 2001
Local leaders in India invest more in public goods directly relevant to the needs of their own gender.