Behavioral insights for FLN newsletter

Welcome to the June 2025 edition of the Behavioral Insights for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) Newsletter. In this newsletter series, we share behavioral science insights on a range of FLN topics. Read on to learn more!

From refugee camps to research labs: A journey in evidence-based education

Evidence-based education is a specific approach which is increasingly becoming more prominent in the broader education sector.

What NGOs like Educate! and Youth Impact can teach us about improving labor market programs

Even evidence-based design of policies and programs often follows a “best guess” approach to some extent. But there is a better way.

2022 Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prizes recipients announced

Youth Impact has been awarded a Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prize. They were recognized for ConnectEd, its remote, low-tech education program which delivers simple math tutorials by phone and text message.

Think rapid, rigorous evidence in emergency settings is impossible? Think again!

We all know that data is critical in helping to identify gaps, target interventions, monitor impact, and make evidence-based decisions. Ideally, to make real-time, data-driven action, the evidence needs to be collected and analyzed quickly.

Why we are keen on "learning implementers"

Learning implementers see implementation as an opportunity to have some impact immediately, while simultaneously learning how to become even more impactful in the future.

Reinvigorating impact evaluation for global development

IPA Philippines press release on our joint implementation of a new initiative for tutoring during school disruptions.

Podcast: Building resilient education systems: evidence from large scale randomised trials in five countries

Education systems need to withstand shocks that routinely close schools. Researchers discuss results from randomized trials evaluating the provision of education in emergency settings across 5 countries.

Increasing math skills in 5 countries: Key factors in scaling a low-tech education intervention from Botswana

In Botswana, when school closures were announced at the onset of the pandemic, Youth Impact quickly responded to the new conditions by developing and scaling an adapted version of TaRL delivered through simple technologies with its ConnectEd program.

Fast and furious: Crises call for a new kind of research

The police arriving too late is a familiar trope in fiction. Does research have the same problem? Many well-intentioned programs provide laptops in schools to improve learning among poor students.