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Strengthening randomized evaluations through incorporating qualitative research, Part 1

J-PAL North America reflects on using qualitative research methods in randomized evaluations, and summarize a few practical tips for those interested in integrating a qualitative approach into their studies.
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Beyond causality: Additional benefits of RCTs for improving health care delivery

J-PAL affiliates Marcella Alsan and Amy Finkelstein highlight four key benefits of randomized evaluations that are useful for addressing pressing health policy questions, drawing from their recent Milbank Quarterly article.
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Building research partnerships to address the opioid crisis in Minnesota

Adam Sacarny (Columbia University) and Weston Merrick from the Minnesota Management and Budget share insights on the process of launching a randomized evaluation of the state’s prescription monitoring program (PMP). The ongoing study seeks to evaluate the impact of sending informational letters on...
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Reflecting on the benefits of evaluating a health care delivery program: A recap from the HCDI @ 8 Convening

This spring, the US Health Care Delivery Initiative (HCDI) hosted its second convening, HCDI @ 8. We reflect on these discussions, highlighting why an organization may want to evaluate their program with a randomized evaluation.
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Lessons learned in collecting data for government and randomized evaluations

Laura Feeney, Associate Director of Research and Training for J-PAL North America, recounts how her time as an economist at the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics helped prepare her for the realities of implementing randomized evaluations.
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Alumni Voices from Government: Kelly Bidwell '15, Office of Evaluation Sciences, US General Services Administration

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  • Kelly Bidwell
Formerly a senior policy manager at J-PAL North America, Kelly Bidwell '15 now leads the Office of Evaluation Sciences within the United States General Services Administration. She describes her work to drive evidence generation and use across US government agencies in this post in the Alumni Voices...
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Pursuing evidence-based policymaking during crisis

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In this blog post, members of a research-practice partnership with the Puerto Rico Department of Education reflect on their strategies to improve education outcomes and to persevere during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Taking action on state and local policy priorities

This past fall, the J-PAL North America State and Local Innovation Initiative hosted a series of webinars to discuss how state and local governments can use lessons from randomized evaluations to address these timely policy challenges. The initiative seeks to take action on the conversations from...