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Charter School Effectiveness Topic of July Forum

Nearly 1.5 million students attend almost 5,000 charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia. A growing body of research on charter school effectiveness has accompanied this expansion, and decision makers are trying to put key findings from these studies into context. Mathematica's Center for Improving Research Evidence hosted a forum on Friday, July 23, to discuss findings from this mounting research evidence and implications for policy and further study. Webinar recording. -
Effectiveness of Mandatory-Random Student Drug Testing
A new report presents findings from an evaluation of the mandatory-random student drug testing programs in 36 high schools from seven districts that received grants in 2006. Students subject to mandatory drug testing reported less substance use than similar students in high schools without the testing. Read the release.
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Center on Health Care Effectiveness Launched
Mathematica's recently launched Center on Health Care Effectiveness, a resource for policymakers, the public, and other stakeholders, offers broad-based expertise to provide objective evidence to inform today's difficult health care decisions. The center's first issue brief discusses comparative effectiveness research challenges. Read more.
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Charter School Study Shows No Significant Overall Impacts on Achievement

Findings from the largest charter school study of its kind to date to use an experimental design show that, on average, charter middle schools that hold lotteries are neither more nor less successful than traditional public schools in improving student achievement, behavior, and school progress. However, impacts varied widely across schools. Read the press release and Q&A.
