What I Learned at My Daughter’s School

Last week I spent some time in a classroom at my daughter’s school—and came away with a reinvigorated sense of appreciation for the work that crosses my own desk every day.

At Mathematica Policy Research, we work with a wide array of government agencies, among other clients, to produce research and analysis to inform decision-making in key policy areas including health, education, nutrition, employment, and family support. One of our most significant projects in recent years is the development of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) for the U.S. Department of Education, which brings the best evidence to bear on critical questions about effective education policies and practices. 

Along with my colleague Cassie Pickens Jewell, I met with teachers at the Princeton Charter School to discuss the WWC practice guide for teaching writing to elementary school students. Preparing for this discussion reminded me why I entered the policy research field—to use research to have a positive effect on people’s lives. 

The practice guide is a remarkable document, reviewing and assessing a vast body of research to generate a set of concrete recommendations that form the core of an evidence-based strategy for creating “an engaged community of writers.” The guide represents a unique intersection of the best education research with the practical needs of educators. And it exemplifies the mission of Mathematica’s work with the WWC, to help teachers and administrators use evidence in making better decisions about how to empower our children to thrive in school.

I’m proud to be a Princeton Charter School parent and to lead Mathematica. I truly valued the opportunity to engage with educators whose work directly affects my family and introduce them to the exemplary efforts of my Mathematica colleagues, who are leading the way in demonstrating how research evidence can play a practical role in improving public well-being.