Monday Data Moment

Performance Based Budgeting Committee
2/15/2016

Last week's data moment

We talked about data-driven decision making in general.

It's not hard, but it's not the same as “following your gut” either.
People's intuition is bad at probability and even worse at causation! Remember the Moneyball scene.
Fortunately, Mississippi has explicit standards to help, and they're very strong standards.

Evidence-based programs defined

MS Code § 27-103-159 (2014) sets out the following conditions for evidence-based programs:

Multiple-site
Randomized
Controlled
Trials
Across heterogeneous populations
Demonstrating effectiveness

Research-based programs defined

From the same section, a research-based program:

Has some research demonstrating effectiveness
Does not yet meet the standards of evidence-based programming

Promising practices defined

From the same section, a promising practice:

Presents, based on preliminary information, potential for becoming a research-based or evidence-based program or practice.