Insight and Expertise

Asking the Right Questions
CREDO regularly helps state education departments structure research and evaluations for new programs. In addition, the organization advises legislative staff in states and the U.S. Congress on program performance, accountability and evaluations. Foundations often seek CREDO's help in evaluating initiatives they sponsor.

Advocating for Sound Evaluation of Education Policy
CREDO staff speak at national conferences on education policy or program evaluation. This exposure has led to work with numerous local, state and national entities. This work is designed to give the organizations the skills they need to perform their own research and evaluation. In all cases, the goal is to help policy makers learn how to turn empirical evidence into good decision-making.

Developing Credible Evaluation Studies
CREDO designs and executes evaluation of significant education reform programs and policies. While the majority of studies focus on rigorous analysis of the impact of education programs on student achievement, CREDO also has undertaken formative and process evaluations to assist clients to examine implementation or better manage their programs.

Linking Education Initiatives to Practitioner Performance
CREDO is particularly interested in improving ways to measure teacher quality and impact. To that end, CREDO also is engaged in creating new metrics about teachers and testing their validity and reliability.

Critiquing Evaluation Proposals
CREDO provides strategic critiques of evaluation proposals that funders receive solicit other researchers or consulting groups. Combining strategic planning and evaluation consultation, CREDO has helped achieve greater clarity on the key research issues to be addressed and the alignment of proposals to them.