Randomized Controlled Trials
Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard in research, driving some of the most important advances in fields like technology and medicine—and we’re using them to do the same in education.
A randomized controlled trial, or RCT, produces rigorous causal evidence about the efficacy and impact of policies and programs. RCTs randomly assign participants to either a “treatment group” that is offered the intervention or a “control group” that has access to all other services except for the intervention. Because of the way they are designed, RCTs provide the best possible counterfactual to compare against when evaluating the impact of a program.
RCTs are the FDA standard for clinical trials of drugs and medical devices, form the backbone of A/B testing methodology that companies like Google use to develop more effective technology, and are at the vanguard of the growing movement towards evidence-based policy, which calls for policy to be based on the best available research.
The Education Lab uses RCTs as our preferred method of project evaluation wherever possible. While RCTs can be time and resource intensive, they generate high-quality results to ensure that our partners and policymakers can make informed decisions about how to best support students.
Latest Updates
Making the most of tutoring: 4 strategies for success
MDRC’s Barbara Condliffe and Shira Mattera share successful strategies from the Personalized Learning Initiative, our national study of the impact of high-dosage tutoring across the country.
Leaders Asked for More Tutors, and Schools Got Them. Is That Enough?
EdSurge’s Daniel Mollenkamp highlights the preliminary findings from the Education Lab’s Personalized Learning Initiative, which suggests in-school tutoring can lead to math gains.
Anjali Adukia on restorative practices in schools
Crime Lab affiliate Anjali Adukia joins the Probable Causation Podcast with Jennifer Doleac to discuss research on the use of restorative justice practices in schools.
