In July 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor announced CLEAR, their online clearinghouse of research and evaluation publications and reports. This clearinghouse will compile outside research as well as research sponsored by the DOL, and will include summaries, main findings, and for someof the research, a rating of the quality of the study and its results.
CLEAR’s mission, according to the website, is to “make research on labor topics accessible to practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and the public more broadly.” Access to this kind of data through clearinghouses like these is essential to achieving the goal of using data to better invest in what works. With increased access to available data and evaluation, together we can improve outcomes for children, their families and communities across the US.
Current CLEAR topics include:
- Opportunities for Youth: With a focus on youth aged 14-24, DOL examines the research on intervention designed to provide opportunities for these youth to improve their own personal labor market outcomes.
- OSHA Enforcement: Summary of studies that examine the effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) enforcement activities.
- Career Academies: A look at studies on Career Academies, a high school intervention model originally started in 1969 that serves 1 million student sin 7,000 schools in the US.
This announcement is an exciting sign that the power of data and evidence is increasingly being recognized by policymakers and leaders throughout the federal government.
To learn more, visit the CLEAR website.