This report from MDRC presents the interim impact findings from an ongoing evaluation of YouthBuild, a program that employs at-risk youth in the construction field, teaching them marketable skills while also supporting them to earn their high school…

This brief from Mathematica Policy Research highlights a newer practice in college settings called competency-based education (CBE), which allows students to work at their own pace towards a credential, often meeting workforce demands faster than…

Although the labor market has been steadily recovering since the Great Recession, younger workers have not been benefiting at the same rate as the overall workforce. The unemployment rate among adults aged 20-24 is almost double the national average…

This brief from MDRC examines whether quick employment or basic education and training better improves economic well-being of TANF participants. The authors present findings from three sites that took part in the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-…

On September 23, 2016, Mississippi held its first state data summit, “Advancing the Use of Data for a Bright Mississippi Future.” The focus of the summit was how state policymakers can use cross-program data tools to better align workforce and…

This fact sheet from the Institute for Research on Poverty and the Morgridge Center for Public Service examines ways to improve opportunity and reduce poverty for families. Policymakers should consider three main factors—family, education, and work…

In this report from the Urban Institute, the authors identify and discuss 13 building blocks that they deem fundamental to advancing the economic mobility of low-income Americans. The building blocks include: family formation and stability;…

This working paper from the U.S. Partnership on Mobility from Poverty explores a variety of approaches to help move families out of poverty. One of the building blocks explored is community building and social capital (beginning on page 36).…

Work-based learning includes workplace activities through which individuals gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for entry or advancement in a particular field. Though work-based learning provides many benefits for job-seekers, those…

This dataset from the Annie E. Casey Foundation is part of an annual series that assesses child well-being across the United States. The KIDS COUNT index uses four domains to capture what children need most to thrive: 1) Economic Well-Being, 2)…