Policy Labs: Research Partnerships for More Effective Government

POLICY LABS: RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT

CITIZENS COUNT ON THEIR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DELIVER CRITICAL PUBLIC SERVICES AND ENSURE THAT TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT WISELY. Government officials face a variety of challenges but often have limited resources to address the pressing needs in their communities. This makes it especially important for governments to take a step back and consider whether programs designed to target problems such as homelessness, recidivism, poverty, and other issues are having a positive, measurable impact for those they are intended to serve.

Programs that are shown to be effective can be replicated and scaled to extend their benefits, while those that do not deliver the hoped-for effects can be improved or replaced with new approaches.

IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN THEIR STATES AND CITIES, A GROWING NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE EMBRACING AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH TO DECISION MAKING. Policymakers and government agency leaders are asking questions such as: How can we identify more effective solutions?

What tools and processes are in place to evaluate the economic and social impacts of our programs?

What evidence do we have—other than select anecdotes—that existing programs are producing the intended outcomes?

Are we funding certain programs simply because they’ve been in existence for a long time, or because we know they are the best way to meet specific needs?

Are the various departments and agencies working together to provide targeted, streamlined services to citizens?

To help answer these questions, some forward-thinking governments have developed strategic partnerships with research institutions through the creation of policy labs.

A POLICY LAB IS AN INNOVATIVE GOVERNMENT-RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP MODEL THAT CAN HELP TO MAKE PUBLIC SERVICES MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT. In a policy lab, government officials collaborate with experienced researchers to study problems, learn about the effectiveness of existing programs, and test new approaches.

Officials can apply what they learn to improve services over time, significantly benefitting individuals and the community as a whole. This approach can help to create a culture of continuous evaluation, innovation, and improvement inside government.

POLICY LAB MODEL COLLABORATE

Government officials and researchers work together to determine the most important issues for a jurisdiction.

They develop a shared agenda that prioritizes key areas of focus.

REFINE

Partners commit to a process of continual evaluation and learning in order to make meaningful progress in addressing challenging social issues.

PILOT

Partners identify potential improvements to existing policies and programs or create entirely new ones.

They then test those new models, evaluate the impacts, and make modifications as needed.

HOW CAN GOVERNMENT BENEFIT FROM A POLICY LAB? Government and program staff often do not have the resources or capacity to conduct rigorous data analysis and research studies on their own; however, a policy lab makes it possible for officials to develop a deeper understanding of issues in their communities and identify the most promising ways to solve those problems.

A policy lab is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Both parties commit to learning about what has worked, what hasn’t, and how improvements can be made.

Together they build the data and research infrastructure needed to support the learning agenda. They study the populations of interest and the impact of current programs. Governments then design and test new programs or make changes to existing ones. Finally, researchers rigorously evaluate the impact that those innovations have on key outcomes.

WHERE ARE POLICY LABS CURRENTLY IN PLACE? There are several policy labs that are working with governments to study a variety of issues including unemployment, juvenile crime, and academic achievement gaps.

Examples include: RHODE ISLAND INNOVATIVE POLICY LAB

A first-of-its-kind partnership between the state of Rhode Island and Brown University, the Rhode Island Innovative Policy Lab is helping state leaders develop policies based on data and scientific studies in an effort to provide meaningful improvements for Rhode Island families. Policy areas include strengthening early childhood education, improving public safety, and creating robust job training programs.

HOUSTON EDUCATION RESEARCH CONSORTIUM, DALLAS EDUCATION RESEARCH CONSORTIUM, EDUCATION RESEARCH ALLIANCE AT TULANE UNIVERSITY

The Houston Education Research Consortium at Rice University, the Dallas Education Research Consortium at the University of Texas at Dallas, and the Education Research Alliance at Tulane University are partnerships where researchers are working with local school leaders in Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans, respectively. These longterm alliances are focused on designing and conducting studies that evaluate the impact of district programs.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE A POLICY LAB? The foundation of a successful policy lab is a shared desire to use research and evidence to guide decision making. The primary components are committed government leaders and high-quality researchers. Data-sharing agreements and a plan for long-term sustainability are also critical. For more information about how to implement a policy lab, please contact Michelle Welch (MWelch@arnoldfoundation.org) or Erica Brown (Erica.brown@arnoldfoundation.org) at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.

LAU RA AN D JO HN ARNOLD FOUNDATION WWW.ARNOLDFOUNDATION.ORG @LJA_FOUNDATION