Evidence-to-Action (E2A) | Workforce Innovation and Learning
Finding and applying research on workforce systems can be overwhelming. The Evidence-to-Action team at AIR gathers and simplifies research and evaluation findings to help policymakers and practitioners make better decisions and use resources more efficiently.
Our Projects
Department of Labor Evidence to Action Capacity Assessment
In support of Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, AIR conducted a strengths-based assessment of DOL’s capacity to use and produce evidence, with the aim of helping the Department and its agencies identify concrete steps for continuous improvement. AIR conducted a survey of staff in 16 DOL agencies, focus groups with select DOL staff and leadership, and a review of selected evidence products to understand DOL’s appetite and capacity to use and generate evidence. Findings from this study pointed to the need for high quality evidence products and led to AIR and CEO’s collaborative development of the Evidence-to-Action (E2A) model.
Evidence to Action (E2A) at Department of Labor: Portfolio Project & Process Study
AIR supports DOL ‘s Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) in implementing the Evidence Act Capacity Assessment project, which focusses on defining and refining approaches to translating evidence into action. Through the Evidence to Action (E2A) sub-project, the AIR team has developed written case studies of how agencies and workforce service providers have leveraged CEO evidence products and services to inform their decision-making and program operations, facilitated a workshop among CEO colleagues to gather experiences with E2A, partnered with the Employment Training Administration’s to guide their Summer Fellows’ literature review and dashboard process, and launched the E2A Toolkit that provides tips for developing actionable research products.
Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse 2.0
The Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse (Pathways), conceived and overseen by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is a federal evidence clearinghouse that serves as a one-stop shop for systematically reviewed and rated evidence on employment strategies targeted to workers and job seekers with low incomes. AIR is currently supporting ACF’s Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse 2.0 project by updating evidence standards and improving the speed at which reviews are conducted, adding new review features such as cost review standards, enhancing the Pathways web design, and lifting up information that key audiences care about most.
