5 Strategies that government leaders everywhere should adopt

Build Back Better

5 strategies for Government
to Build Back Better

Strategy #1: Allocate government dollars based on a track record of success

Strategy #2: Build and share evidence about what works

Strategy #3: Use Data to Reimagine Public Services

Strategy #1

Recommendation:

Allocate government dollars based on a track record of success

Actions:

First, define the level of evidence needed to get funding.

Second, prioritize funding higher-impact solutions.

Rationale:

This is an important strategy to help government scale programs that work.

Examples:

Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board

Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board unanimously voted to adopt definitions of evidence for its public workforce system for the first time in its history.

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) prioritizes evidence of effectiveness in the allocation of its AmeriCorps funds.

Tools and Templates from the Field:

Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board
Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

Strategy #2

Recommendation:

Build and share evidence about what works

Actions:

Setting aside dollars specifically to build an evidence-base and scale solutions that work.

Spotlighting and making more accessible evidence that will address immediate needs.

Rationale:

This is an important strategy to help governments scale programs that work. For policymakers to allocate dollars based on evidence (Strategy #1) there needs to be a critical mass of programs with evidence. By creating a structure that funds both existing evidence-based programs and promising, innovative new strategies policymakers can develop that evidence base and scale programs that are already making a positive impact on people’s lives.

Examples:

U.S. Department of Education’s Education and Innovation Research (EIR) program

EIR helped KIPP develop rigorous evidence showing that its schools produced meaningful, positive effects on reading and math achievement for their students.

Ohio Department of Education

Ohio Department of Education launched its Empowered by Evidence campaign to help school districts determine what works, for whom, and under what circumstances.

Tools and Templates from the Field:

U.S. Department of Education’s Education and Innovation Research (EIR) program
Ohio Department of Education’s Empowered by Evidence campaign
Ohio Department of Education Evidence Based Clearinghouse

Strategy #3

Recommendation:

Use Data to Reimagine Public Services

Actions:

First, combine government data.

Second, use the combined data to track what works.

Rationale:

As government leaders shift from crisis management to recovery, policymakers can leverage new data tools to reimagine the delivery of a wide range of public services, from food and housing assistance to small business loans and job training.

Examples:

Virginia

Virginia announced a series of new data tools to help workers and job seekers, including a new Virginia Career Works Referral Portal that connects data across 6 different state agencies (with 3 more planned) and offers a statewide platform to connect residents to job training, certification, education, and employment services.

Virginia

Virginia also unveiled its new Virginia Career Works Dashboard, which offers policymakers and the public real-time information on labor market conditions and the state's workforce system, as well as an internal performance dashboard for state agency leaders and frontline staff to track their progress in helping residents acquire new skills and jobs.

Tools and Templates from the Field:

Virginia Career Works Referral Portal
Virginia Career Works Dashboard
Smart Data and Smart Workforce Development Lead to Better Outcomes (Results for America)

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5 Strategies that government leaders everywhere should adopt

Build Back Better

5 strategies for Government to Build Back Better

Strategy #1

Recommendation:

Actions:

Rationale:

Examples:

Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

Tools and Templates from the Field:

Strategy #2

Recommendation:

Actions:

Rationale:

Examples:

U.S. Department of Education’s Education and Innovation Research (EIR) program

Ohio Department of Education

Tools and Templates from the Field:

Strategy #3

Recommendation:

Actions:

Rationale:

Examples:

Virginia

Virginia

Tools and Templates from the Field:

5 strategies for Government
to Build Back Better