The Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) was selected as the external evaluator for an extensive new education initiative of Twin Cities Strive in partnership with Greater Twin Cities United Way. The United Way and Strive received a $5 million grant to support a portfolio of replicable, evidence-based youth programs designed to improve kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading proficiency, ninth-grade readiness for upper-level math, four-year graduation rates, and college enrollment rates for between 1,500 and 2,000 low-income youth each year.
This grant was awarded as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s national Social Innovation Fund (SIF) competition. CAREI will provide evaluation services for the overall project, as well as for each of the to-be-awarded subgrantee programs. Dr. Michael Michlin will be the principal investigator for this evaluation project.