REL Mid-Atlantic explored whether kindergarten entry assessments can provide states and districts with a useful measure of progress toward proficient reading for cohorts of children.

Schools across the country have closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and states have cancelled their spring assessments. These cancellations mark the first interruption of the annual testing cycle since the No Child Left Behind Act passed nearly 20 years ago.

Paul Decker talks about the important steps Mathematica is taking to ensure we are fostering a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work and among our staff.

In the United States, a range of social issues can negatively impact parenting, which in the worst of circumstances results in children entering the child welfare system.

Behind the scenes, technology has been playing an important role in developing models that are informing how public health officials track COVID-19 cases, respond to potential hot spots, and prepare policymakers for the next stages in our collective response.

Blue Door is proud to announce its very own Super Thursday. Yes, that’s right, today we release not one, not two but three fantastic novels. First up is Rachel Trezise’s wonderful Sixteen Shades of Crazy. Tipped as the Valleys’ answer to Trainspotting, here’s Rachel giving us an insight into why she decided to dissect the morals and mores of life in ex-mining towns:
Already popular on the literary festival circuit you can catch Rachel this summer at Hay, Latitude and Green Man. You can also catch up with all of her news at her website www.racheltrezise.com. Recognised by the Orange Futures list (amongst the likes of Zadie Smith and Sarah Waters) we are very proud to be publishing her first novel.

Next up is something completely different. Meg Gardiner’s thrillers have been praised by Stephen King, Jeffery Deaver and Tess Gerritsen which is a pretty impressive roll call of fans. Her Evan Delaney series of novels was a hit with adults and teens alike and was regularly in the top ten of teen thrillers on Amazon.com. Her new super sleuth, Jo Beckett, is a forensic psychiatrist, investigating a person’s life to discover why they died. The Memory Collector (released early May) tells the story of Ian Kanan, a passenger on board a flight to San Francisco, who has been restrained by crew members for his erratic behaviour. Jo is immediately called in when it is established that Kanan has no memory of who he is or where he has been. Convinced that he holds the key to a potential terrorist plot (and may have been exposed to a deadly biological agent himself), Jo must race against time to unravel a series of clues and save her beloved city. Meg’s next Jo Beckett thriller, The Liar’s Lullaby will be released in June so watch out for some guest blogging on the site soon.

Last but by no means least is Warren Fitzgerald’s The Go-Away Bird. Perfect for fans of Chris Cleave’s The Other Hand, this is a heart-wrenching story of how friendship can develop in the most unlikely of places between the most unlikely of people. Fourteen-year-old Clementine arrives in London from war-torn Rwanda, having witnessed horrendous cruelty and unimaginable loss during the 1994 genocides. Lonely, grieving and displaced in a daunting new city, she flees her abusive uncle and befriends Ashley, a middle-aged, loner for whom teaching singing is the only escape from his London life. The story that unfolds is deeply moving and at times sad but throughout is a positive and uplifting tale of how two utter strangers can collide, bond and ultimately save each other. Here’s Warren telling us about the novel:

Dewey Library - JZ1242.Z34 2019

Online Resource

Online Resource

Dewey Library - JZ1305.E85 2019

Dewey Library - JZ6368.S735 2018

Dewey Library - PN1995.9.C543 M37 2020

Varela, Nina, author

Rogerson, Margaret, author

Doescher, Ian, author

Doescher, Ian, author

Natusch, Amber Lynn, author

Gonzales, Kathryn, author

The employment rate among people with disabilities has consistently been low. People with disabilities face many barriers to securing competitive, integrated employment, such as lack of access to transportation, difficulty finding a job, and needs for workplace accommodations. Mathematica is evaluating the SourceAmerica Pathways to Careers program, a customized employment service model designed to help people with intellectual or developmental disabilities or autism obtain competitive integrated employment that matches their skills, interests, strengths, and abilities. This webinar featured a panel of experts who will discuss how Pathways promotes competitive integrated employment, give an employer’s perspective on partnering with Pathways and hiring its participants, present interim evaluation outcomes, and report on SourceAmerica’s plans to expand the customized employment service model.

Through the Parents and Children Together evaluation, Mathematica researchers are contributing to the evidence base regarding approaches to increase positive father involvement in children’s lives. At a forum on December 7, researchers, program administrators, and program participants shared their experiences and what they learned.

The Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium (CCEEPRC) provided a forum for researchers and policymakers to investigate emerging research findings, questions, and methods that relate to improved outcomes for children and families. Several Mathematica researchers presented on topics such as: child care quality measures, support for home-based care providers, and research on coordinated services for children and their families.

Child welfare agencies regularly make crucial program decisions that can impact the health and well-being of children and families across the country. Agency leaders and line staff alike can benefit from current, high quality data and evidence to inform their decisions. However, systemic challenges at play in the realm of child welfare—including, for example, short deadlines, limited resources, and high staff turnover—can make it difficult for program leaders to draw on relevant research and encourage a culture of evidence. At the same time, research evidence can be difficult to access or interpret, or it may not fully address the needs of practitioners and other decision makers.

Mathematica and OPRE hosted a webinar on September 17, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Presenters shared insights into strategies for developing trauma-informed systems of care and lessons from programs that address trauma among fathers.

Hear from ACOs about their approaches to improving care delivery, and from CMS about new policy opportunities.

The March 2020 issue of Health Affairs, “The Affordable Care Act Turns 10,” offers must-read analyses of the ACA.

Mathematica will launch a groundbreaking new quality measurement observation tool, now available to the early childhood community (including program administrators, professional development providers, researchers, and others) during a webinar.

Carey, Patrick, 1961-

Pilloton, Emily

Feyerabend, Paul, 1924-1994, author

Ferrarin, Alfredo, 1960- author

Online Resource

Hayden Library - HQ755.8.J46 2018

Hayden Library - HQ503.C64 2018

Hayden Library - BD418.3.P4842 2019

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Hayden Library - B4215.E5 Z37 2019

Hayden Library - B2430.F724 M3513 2018

Dewey Library - B2799.C58 H65 2018