Economic Evaluation of Policies and Programs (EEPP) Methods Hub
Welcome to the AIR Economic Evaluation of Policies and Programs (EEPP) Methods Hub. We use our expertise to promote and conduct rigorous economic evaluations for projects led by AIR and our external partners. We also focus on raising the standards of economic evaluation to provide policymakers and practitioners with the essential information they need to make informed investment decisions.
Our focus is on producing three types of economic evaluations:
- Cost Analysis – A detailed input-based cost analysis using the ingredients approach to support a firm understanding of the resources necessary to implement a program and the corresponding costs.
- Cost-Effectiveness Analysis – A measure of the magnitude of the costs to implement a program relative to the outcomes that it produces.
- Cost-Benefit and Return-on-Investment Analysis – A determination of the dollar value of the outcomes associated with a program in relation to the cost of implementation.
Highlighted Work
Cost Analysis Standards Project (CASP)
The CASP standards were developed for the field to ensure that economic evaluations of educational and social programs are both rigorous and comparable. The standards provide clear guidelines for researchers designing and conducting economic evaluations of educational and social policies and programs, and allow practitioners to evaluate the quality of evidence.
Pennsylvania Full-Day Kindergarten Cost Study
AIR worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to investigate the impacts and costs associated with part-day kindergarten programs transitioning to full-day programs.
Cost-Effectiveness of a Literacy Intervention for Spanish Speaking Students (Descubriendo la Lectura)
AIR evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the Spanish-language reconstruction of Reading Recovery known as Descubriendo la Lectura.
Costs and Benefits of Early College High Schools
AIR conducted a rigorous investigation of the costs and benefits associated with 10 Early College High Schools across 5 states that allow students to earn college credit while pursuing a high school diploma.
About the EEPP Hub
Goals
The goals of the EEPP Methods Hub at AIR are to:
- Ensure rigorous economic evaluations are conducted using the latest standards and methods;
- Support proposals and existing economic evaluations for projects undertaken by AIR and our external partners; and
- Continually build the capacity of AIR and our partners to perform rigorous economic evaluations.
Services
In addition to supporting economic evaluations conducted by AIR, the EEPP Methods Hub regularly works with external clients and partners on projects that vary in scope and content area.
Services we offer include:
- Working with external partners to propose and conduct economic evaluations that serve as a study centerpiece or as a compliment to other types of investigations (e.g., impact, implementation, or fidelity analyses);
- Providing consultation on all phases of implementing an economic evaluation including planning, data collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination;
- Assisting clients developing a Request for Proposal or reviewing incoming proposals that include an economic evaluation; and
- Providing technical assistance and facilitating training opportunities to build capacity to conduct rigorous economic evaluations.
Rigor and Quality of Our Work
All of our research efforts strive to meet the highest level of rigor and follow the Standards for the Economic Evaluation of Educational and Social Programs. Published by AIR as part of the Cost Analysis Standards Project, the document is listed by the U.S. Department of Education Institute for Education Sciences as a key resource under its Standards for Excellence in Education Research.
In working with our partners we emphasize the importance of understanding the audience for whom the results are intended (e.g., policymakers, practitioners, researchers, or other stakeholders) and tailor reported findings appropriately to maximize understanding. Finally, we approach all projects with a spirit of collaboration and spend time to understand the client’s objectives to develop a plan that generates deliverables to address their needs.
Leadership Team
Jesse Levin
Co-Director
Tammy Kolbe
Co-Director
Associate Director
Our Work
The EEPP Methods Hub has partnered with various entities to conduct or consult on economic evaluations:
Current Projects
Ohio Department of Education Study of Special Education
The Ohio Department of Education recently awarded AIR a contract to identify and cost out best practices for providing services to students with disabilities. In addition to informing Ohio on how its special education funding policy might be improved, this work also relies on AIR’s technical assistance expertise to support the development of policy to encourage the adoption of best practices identified by the study.
Kentucky Mathematics Achievement Fund Cost-Effectiveness Study
Through a partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education, AIR is evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a state effort to promote mathematics achievement of K-3 Kentucky public school students through the provision of intervention services.
Michigan Childcare Cost Study
AIR has been commissioned by the Michigan Department of Education to estimate the costs of high-quality childcare across the state to inform the rate at which providers should be subsidized for their services. The analysis findings will be used to create a funding simulation tool for estimating the subsidy rate required to support the provision of high-quality childcare.
Medical Legal Partnership with the New York City Legal Aid Society
AIR is performing an analysis of the return-on-investment of the efforts of the New York City Legal Aid Society (LAS) Medical Legal Partnership (MLP). The MLP is an initiative that evaluates the special education needs of students who are being treated clinically for mental health issues. The LAS provides appropriate legal support and advocacy to families navigating the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.
Txt4College
AIR is currently investigating the costs associated with the use of text messaging systems aimed at increasing community college student enrollment and persistence in Kentucky, Arizona, Alabama, and New Mexico.
Completed Projects
Costs and Benefits of Early College High Schools
AIR conducted a rigorous investigation of the costs and benefits associated with 10 Early College High Schools across 5 states that allow students to earn college credit while pursuing a high school diploma.
Cost-Effectiveness of A Literacy Intervention for Spanish Speaking Students (Descubriendo la Lectura)
AIR evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the Spanish-language reconstruction of Reading Recovery known as Descubriendo la Lectura.
Special Education Expenditure Project (SEEP)
As a national leader in the area of special education fiscal policy for decades, AIR established the Center for Special Education Finance. Through the Center, we conducted the SEEP study, a comprehensive, nationally representative study of special education spending. The expenditure figures established by SEEP represent the most accurate measures of spending on services for students with disabilities to date.
Pennsylvania Full-Day Kindergarten Cost Study
AIR worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to investigate the impacts and costs associated with part-day kindergarten programs transitioning to full-day programs.
Costs and Benefits of Texas Dual-Credit High Schools
AIR undertook an in-depth study of the costs and benefits of dual-credit high school programs in Texas, which allow students to take courses that simultaneously award high school and college credits to students who enroll in college-level coursework.
The Duke Endowment Summer Literacy Initiative
AIR led a study of the costs associated with a summer literacy program held in rural North Carolina churches.
Kentucky Targeted Intervention Program Cost Study
AIR partnered with the Kentucky Department of Education to investigate the costs of a state policy requiring high schools to identify students struggling in math, reading and/or writing and deliver intervention services to improve their college and career readiness.
Safe Public Spaces in Schools Cost Study
The New York City school system implemented a program to provide safe spaces in public schools by increasing monitoring behavior of teachers and SEL skills for students.
National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Network to Transform Teaching Cost Study
Through a partnership with the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards AIR performed a cost study of the efforts of five sites of its networked learning community (Network to Transform Teaching) to recruit and support teachers to obtain national board certification.
