Presentation by Molly Irwin, Chief Evaluation Officer, U.S. Department of Labor, at the event on Governing better through evidence-informed policy making, 26-27 June 2017. The event was organised by the OECD Directorate for Public Governance in cooperation with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the Campbell Collaboration and the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA). For further information please see http://www.oecd.org/gov/evidence-informed-policy-making.htm

1. Using Evidence to Inform Policy
Examples and Experience from the US
Molly Irwin
Chief Evaluation Officer
U.S. Department of Labor
June 27, 2017

2. Focus on Evidence and Results
• Examples of Evidence-based Policymaking at the Federal Policy
Level
• The President’s FY18 budget
• The Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking
• Tiered-Evidence Grantmaking (and Evidence Reviews)
• Examples of Using Evidence and Evaluations for Policy
Implementation and Program Improvement
• Using a Learning Agenda Approach
• Behavioral Insights
• Evidence Clearinghouses

3. DOL’s Chief Evaluation
Office
• Established in 2010 to coordinate, manage, and implement
the DOL's evaluation program
• Independent evaluation office in the Department of Labor
• Works closely with DOL offices and agencies to develop and
implement evaluations that advance evidence about DOL
programs and priorities
• Funding is authorized each year through legislative
appropriations
• Principles of Rigor, Relevance, Independence, Transparency
and Ethics

4. FY18 Budget Proposal
• The President’s FY18 budget, “An effective and
efficient Federal government requires evidence—
evidence about where needs are greatest, what
works and what does not work, where and how
programs could be improved…”
• Chapter 6 of the Analytical Perspectives:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb
/budget/fy2018/ap_6_evidence.pdf
• The Budget Blueprint for the DOL, “Expands Reemployment
and Eligibility Assessments, an evidence-based activity that
saves an average of $536 per claimant in unemployment
insurance benefit costs by reducing improper payments and
getting claimants back to work more quickly and at higher
wages. “

5. The Commission on Evidence-
Based Policymaking
• Established by the bipartisan Evidence-Based Policymaking
Commission Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-140),
• Jointly sponsored by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)
• Signed on March 30, 2016
• Goal: to develop a strategy for increasing the availability and
use of data in order to build evidence about government
programs
• See: https://www.cep.gov/

6. Tiered-Evidence Grantmaking
(and Evidence Reviews)
• Directs the majority of funding to programs backed by
rigorous evidence of effectiveness
• Invests some funds in promising, new, or innovative
approaches
• Requires the use of rigorous evaluation to determine impact
and inform future funding
• Examples:
• Home Visiting
• TAA Community College & Career Training (TAACCCT)
• The Investing in Innovation Fund (i3)

7. Using A Learning Agenda Approach
• Five-year learning agenda, updated each year, with each
operating agency in DOL
• Highlight priority questions that the agencies would like to
address
• Help to plan, build, and use a body of evidence (performance,
implementation, impact, etc.)
• Help strengthen a
partnership of learning
between research staff
and program and policy
decision makers

8. Using Behavioral Insights
• Application of behavioral science to improve the design of
public policies and programs
• CEO is testing the application of behavioral insights, with the
goal of improving performance and outcomes in DOL
programs and populations, for example:
• Improving retirement savings among DOL employees
• Improving employer responsiveness to DOL enforcement
activities
• Improving participant engagement in the REA program

9. Evidence-based Clearinghouses
• Clearinghouse for Labor Evaluation and Research - CLEAR -
http://clear.dol.gov/)
• What Works Clearinghouse - https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
• Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness -
https://homvee.acf.hhs.gov/
• Employment Strategies for Low Income Adults Evidence
Review - https://employmentstrategies.acf.hhs.gov/
• Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review -
https://tppevidencereview.aspe.hhs.gov/StudyDatabase.aspx
• Crime Solutions - www.crimesolutions.gov

10. Thank You!
For more information:
irwin.molly.e@dol.gov
www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation