CollegeMeasures.org provides key outcome measures for 1,576 four-year public and private colleges in the US. The website makes it simple to strategically evaluate the performance of colleges and state systems in order to identify areas for further analysis and focus. Scenario modeling tools are included which make it easy to set targets using comparative data and conduct “what if” analyses in order to see the impacts of potential changes in performance.

The website focuses on seven key outcomes measures. These include: graduation rates, first-year retention rates, education-related cost per student, cost per degree, student loan default rates, and the ratio of student loan payments to earnings for recent graduates. In addition, we created a measure for “cost of attrition” which quantifies the amount of money a college spends to educate first-year undergraduate students (first-time, full-time) who do not begin a second year. Further detailed data is provided for each of the seven measures.

The Early Warning System (EWS) Tool v2.0 is an Excel-based tool that enables schools and districts to identify students who may be at risk of dropping out of high school and to monitor these students’ responses to interventions. A redesigned and enhanced adaptation of the National High School Center’s original Early Warning System Tool v1.0, released in 2008, the new tool has enhanced functionality and features, including the capability to: customize the tool settings; modify indicator thresholds; integrate pre–high school indicators; import student-level data; assign interventions to students; and produce student- and school-level summary reports.

In addition to a nationally-available version of the EWS, Matrix has also developed customized versions upon request for certain states. Matrix is continuing to work with the National High School Center to develop the next version of the Early Warning System in 2011.

In March 2008, the Youth Taskforce – set up by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) – published an Action Plan to take forward its key mission of improving the behaviour and opportunities of vulnerable young people. To achieve this, the YTF is investing £13m over the next three years, setting up 52 Challenge and Support Projects in areas where crime and anti-social behaviour are a problem. In October 2008, Matrix was commissioned to evaluate the use and effectiveness of these support measures, alongside anti-social behaviour enforcement action. The primary objectives of Matrix’s research are:

• to understand what support is provided to young people who receive different types of anti-social behaviour enforcement action and how this varies by type of behaviour and type of young person
• to measure the effectiveness of the combination of support and enforcement in reducing anti-social behaviour and young people’s progress into the criminal justice process;
• to identify and measure young people’s outcomes when they receive a combination of support and enforcement;
• to understand the relationship between the quality of support and enforcement received by young people and their subsequent outcomes.

The overarching approach is to understand ‘what works, for whom and in what circumstances’. This research is scheduled to continue until March 2011.

Matrix Insight and Horwath Consulting Ireland were commissioned to undertake a value for money study of the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF). The aim of the review was to analyse what has been achieved by public expenditure under the fund and to inform future policy making regarding continuity, development and possible expansion. The review examined the structures, effectiveness, efficiency and value for money components of the YPFSF. A series of consultations were undertaken within the department and with other funding streams. In addition, a series of site visits were completed of the more recent capital projects and quantitative analysis was undertaken to compare trends in youth crime and school attendance, and to provide preliminary unit cost estimates for YPFSF funded schemes. Finally, a value for money analysis was conducted to evaluate the ‘effectiveness’ of the fund and the interventions being provided and the unit cost of the YPFSF funded projects.