EZR Consulting, LLC

Research that builds knowledge.
Knowledge that strengthens practice.

We design and lead rigorous, mixed-method research in education and workforce development — built to create substantive knowledge that helps programs, colleges, and workforce systems — and those they serve — flourish.

25+Years in education & research
$25M+In funded studies led
30+Reports & publications

Explore

About

Founded in 2025, EZR Consulting brings 25+ years of applied research experience to independent studies in education and workforce development.

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Expertise

Five core areas of research expertise spanning adult education, developmental math, community college reform, workforce development, and long-term partnerships.

Explore expertise →

Research Portfolio

Selected studies across adult education, developmental math, community college reform, and workforce development over 25 years.

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Team & Partners

Meet the research team and project partners behind EZR Consulting’s current initiatives.

Meet the team →

Advisors

Senior advisory panels for the Ready for Work and SEO Tech Developer initiatives.

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Contact

Interested in working together? We’d welcome the conversation.

Get in touch →

Recent Projects

2026–2029  ·  Active

Ready for Work

Ascendium Philanthropy  ·  $2.5M

2025–2026  ·  Active

SEO Tech Developer Evaluation

Hg Foundation  ·  $210K

2021–2025  ·  Completed

Workforce Pathways — City Colleges of Chicago

AIR PROPEL Center

2020–2024  ·  Completed

Multiple Measures Assessment

Ascendium Philanthropy  ·  $2.3M

2014–2023  ·  Completed

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways

IES / Gates Foundation  ·  $3M+

2007–2014  ·  Completed

Achieving the Dream — National Evaluation

Lumina Foundation  ·  $4.6M

View all past work →

“The best research is both rigorous and generative — building a body of evidence that endures while deepening program leaders’ understanding of their work — and its impact — from the ground up.”

About EZRC

Founded in 2025 by Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow, bringing together more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of education research and practice.

Built on 25 years of direct service and applied research.

Adult Education
Workforce Dev
Applied Research
25+ Years
Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow

EZRC was founded by Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow in 2025, bringing together more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of education research and practice. Before leading national studies, Elizabeth worked directly with the communities this research serves — as a crisis counselor, a housing advocate for homeless families, and an adult literacy instructor.

That grounding has shaped a career-long focus: understanding how education systems can better connect learning to economic opportunity. From early work in adult literacy and GED reform, to studies of developmental education and community college success, to her current focus on workforce-aligned training and the credentials that lead to good jobs — each phase of this work has built on the last.

Elizabeth holds an Ed.D., M.Ed., and M.Div. from Harvard University, and a B.A. with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia. She held senior research positions, including Managing Researcher at the American Institutes for Research, and has led or co-led more than $25 million in funded studies.

Our Expertise

Five interconnected areas built over 25 years of applied research in education and workforce development.

01

Research design & mixed methods

We design studies that build layered, cumulative knowledge — combining impact studies, qualitative research, cost analyses, and literature reviews so each finding lays groundwork for the next.

Learn more →
02

Adult education

Two decades of research on adult basic education, GED reform, ESL instruction, and developmental math has produced field-tested knowledge about what accelerates progress for learners who have the most to gain.

Learn more →
03

Community college & postsecondary education reform

From Achieving the Dream to multiple measures assessment, our work has focused on helping institutions better support students through completion and into credentials that lead to good jobs.

Learn more →
04

Workforce development & economic mobility

Our current focus: helping community colleges adopt the employer-engaged, labor-market-aligned practices of the most effective sectoral programs, so more students earn credentials that lead to real economic opportunity.

Learn more →
05

Long-term research partnerships

Sustained, multi-year engagement with national initiatives produces findings that are more honest and more useful than any single study can offer.

Learn more →
Ed.D. · M.Ed. · M.Div.

Harvard University

Certified in What Works Clearinghouse Group Design Standards 5.0. Member of AERA, SREE, and APPAM. Former senior researcher at MDRC (14 years) and American Institutes for Research (4 years).

Research Portfolio

Selected reports, evaluations, and publications across 25+ years of applied research in education and workforce development.

Current Projects

2026–2029  ·  Active

Building Ready-for-Work Colleges and Students: Adapting Effective Sectoral Practices in Community Colleges

Ascendium Philanthropy  ·  $2.5M

A 3.5-year technical assistance learning lab launched in February 2026, helping a cohort of community colleges integrate effective sectoral training practices. Paired with a mixed-method developmental research study.

Technical AssistanceMixed Methods
View project details →

2025–2026  ·  Active

Evaluation of the SEO Tech Developer Program

Hg Foundation  ·  $210K

Implementation study and retrospective quasi-experimental and descriptive study examining employment and earnings outcomes for past program participants compared to matched non-participant applicants.

Quasi-ExperimentalImplementation
View project details →

Workforce Development

Harvard University / AIR PROPEL Center
$150,000

Identifying the Best Community Colleges for Workforce Training ↗

Co-principal investigator. A study identifying and analyzing community colleges with strong track records of graduating students with credentials of value that lead to high-wage employment.

Co-PI$150K2025
American Institutes for Research

Ready for Work: Adapting High-Impact Workforce Training Models in Community College Settings ↗

An early report examining how community colleges can adapt the practices of high-impact sectoral training organizations into their workforce programs.

Report2024
AIR PROPEL Center
$6M portfolio

Building Toward Excellence: Strengthening Workforce Pathways at the City Colleges of Chicago ↗

A multi-year study examining how to strengthen and systematize workforce training across a large urban community college system.

Mixed MethodsSystem-level2021–2025
MDRC

Expanding Inclusion in STEM: Lessons from Growth Sector’s STEM Core Program ↗

Findings from a feasibility study of Growth Sector’s STEM Core program, examining how the model supports underrepresented students in accessing STEM careers.

Feasibility Study2021
MDRC

Advising for Opportunity: Perspectives and Considerations for Supporting Movement Across Workforce and Academic Programs in Community Colleges ↗

An examination of advising practices and structures that support students in moving across workforce and academic programs in community colleges.

Report2021
MDRC

College to Work: Findings from a Study of the Career Readiness Internship Program ↗

Final findings from a study of the Career Readiness Internship Program, examining implementation, student experiences, and early employment outcomes.

Mixed Methods2019
MDRC

An Early Look at the Career-Ready Internship Program ↗

Early implementation findings from a study of the Career Readiness Internship Program across participating community colleges.

Implementation Study2017
Kresge Foundation
$335,000

Case Study of Winning Cities in the Talent Dividend Competition ↗

A study of six cities examining strategies for increasing college completion and their connection to local labor market outcomes.

Case Study$335K2015–2017

Developmental Education & Math Reform

Institute for Education Sciences
$3M + $1.1M follow-up

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways Evaluation ↗

Nearly a decade of research on redesigned math pathways in community colleges, including impact study, implementation study, and long-term follow-up.

Quasi-ExperimentalMixed Methods$4.1M~10 years
MDRC

Building a New “Bridge” to Math: A Study of a Transition Program Serving Students with Low Math Skills at a Community College ↗

A study of a math transition program at a community college, examining implementation and outcomes for students with low math skills.

Mixed Methods2020
Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness

The Changing Landscape of Developmental Education Practices: Findings from a National Survey and Interviews with Postsecondary Institutions ↗

National survey and interview findings on how postsecondary institutions are reforming developmental education practices across the country.

SurveyMixed Methods2019
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematics

Developmental Mathematics Reforms ↗

A commissioned paper for the National Academies reviewing the state of developmental math reform and implications for policy and practice.

Commissioned Paper2019
Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness

Early Findings from a National Survey of Developmental Education Practices ↗

Early results from a national survey of developmental education practices across postsecondary institutions, documenting the pace and scope of reform.

Survey2018
Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness

Making It Through: Interim Findings on Developmental Students’ Progress to College Math with the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways ↗

Interim impact and implementation findings from the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways evaluation, examining student progress and outcomes.

Quasi-Experimental2018
Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness

Math in the Real World: Early Findings from a Study of the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways ↗

Early implementation and outcome findings from the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways evaluation at participating community colleges.

Mixed Methods2017
MDRC

Laying the Foundations: Early Findings from the New Mathways Project ↗

An early evaluation of the Dana Center’s New Mathways Project, examining implementation and initial outcomes across participating Texas community colleges.

Implementation Study$150K2015
MDRC

Raising the Floor: New Approaches to Serving the Lowest-Skilled Students at Community Colleges in Texas and Beyond ↗

A policy brief examining new instructional approaches for the lowest-skilled students at community colleges in Texas, with lessons for colleges nationally.

Policy Brief2017
MDRC / National Center for Postsecondary Research

Unlocking the Gate: What We Know About Improving Developmental Education ↗

A comprehensive review of rigorous research on developmental education reforms, synthesizing findings across instructional and structural interventions.

Literature Review2011
National Center for Postsecondary Research

Building Foundations for Student Readiness: A Review of Rigorous Research and Promising Trends in Developmental Education ↗

A review of rigorous research and promising trends in developmental education, with implications for improving student readiness and success.

Literature Review2010
MDRC

Promising Reforms in Developmental Education Instruction: A Case Study of Three Achieving the Dream Colleges ↗

Case studies of three Achieving the Dream colleges examining promising instructional reforms in developmental education.

Case Study2008

Multiple Measures & Placement Reform

Ascendium Philanthropy
$2.3 million

Strengthening and Scaling Multiple Measures Assessment ↗

A multi-year mixed-method study examining the implementation and scaling of alternative placement practices across community colleges.

Mixed Methods$2.3M2020–2024

Community College & Student Success

MDRC

Keeping Students On Course: An Impact Study at Guilford Technical Community College ↗

An RCT impact study of a student success course examining effects on persistence, credit accumulation, and academic outcomes.

RCTImpact Study2012
Lumina Foundation for Education
$4.6 million

Turning the Tide: Five Years of Achieving the Dream in Community Colleges ↗

A five-year, 39-college national evaluation of one of the largest community college student success reform initiatives in the country.

Mixed Methods$4.6M2007–2014
MDRC

Moving Ahead with Institutional Change: Lessons from the First Round of Colleges in Achieving the Dream ↗

Findings from the first round of Achieving the Dream colleges on how institutions changed practices, built cultures of evidence, and sustained reform over time.

Mixed Methods2014
MDRC

Investing in Change: How Much Do Colleges Spend—and from What Resources—to Become Data-Driven, Student Success-Oriented Institutions ↗

A cost study of Achieving the Dream colleges examining the resources invested in becoming data-driven institutions and what those investments produced.

Cost Study2010
MDRC

Building Student Success from the Ground Up: A Case Study of an Achieving the Dream College ↗

A case study of an Achieving the Dream college, examining how the institution built a culture of evidence and made changes to improve student outcomes.

Case Study2009

Adult Education & GED Reform

James Irvine Foundation
$226,000

Beyond the Basics ↗

A scan of promising adult basic education programs in California examining approaches to integrating workforce readiness and college preparation into ABE instruction.

Scan Study$226K2018–2019
MDRC

Beyond the GED: Promising Models for Moving High School Dropouts to College ↗

An examination of promising program models for supporting high school dropouts in accessing and succeeding in postsecondary education.

Scan Study2013
American Council on Education / Lumina Foundation

GED 21st Century Learning Pathways Pilots ↗

An evaluation of pilot programs supporting adults transitioning from GED preparation into postsecondary education.

Mixed Methods2011–2014
TESOL Resource Center

Case Studies of Promising Instructional and Professional Development in Non-Credit ESL Programs: Bunker Hill Community College

Case study examining promising instructional approaches and professional development practices in non-credit ESL programs at Bunker Hill Community College.

Case Study2008
Council for the Advancement of Adult Literacy

Torchlights in ESL: Five Community College Profiles ↗

Case studies of exemplary ESL practices at five community colleges.

Case Studies2007
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy

How Do You Teach Content in Adult Basic Education: An Annotated Bibliography ↗

An annotated bibliography reviewing research and practice on content-area instruction in adult basic education programs.

Annotated Bibliography2006

Selected Journal Articles & Book Chapters

Book Chapter

Zachry Rutschow, Elizabeth. (2019). The transition of adult literacy students to postsecondary education. The Wiley Handbook of Adult Literacy, Dolores Perin, ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. ↗

Journal Article

Brock, Thomas, Alexander Mayer, and Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow. (2016). Using Research and Evaluation to Support Comprehensive Reform. New Directions in Community Colleges, 2016 (176), 23–33.

Journal Article

Zachry, Elizabeth. (2010). Who Needs a Second Chance?: The Challenge of Documenting K-12 School Dropout and Why Adult Educators Should Be Concerned. Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal 4(2), 75–83.

Book Chapter

Zachry, Elizabeth and Michael Nakkula. (2010). Young Adulthood. Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural School Psychology, C. Clauss-Ehlers, ed. New York: Springer Publishers.

Book Chapter

Zachry, Elizabeth and Emily Dibble. (2009). Moving Up: Transitioning from ESL and the GED to Post-secondary Education: A Case Study of a College Transitions Program. Research on English as a Second Language in the U.S. Community Colleges: People, Programs and Potential, K. Bailey and M. Santos, eds. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Journal Article

Zachry, Elizabeth. (2005). ‘Getting My Education:’ Teen Mothers’ Experiences in School Before and After Motherhood. Teachers College Record, 107(12), 2566–2598.

Team & Partners

The team behind EZRC’s research and technical assistance.

Our Team

Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow

Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow

Founder & Principal Researcher

Elizabeth has more than 25 years of experience leading applied research in education and workforce development. Beginning as a crisis counselor, housing advocate, and adult literacy instructor, she built a research career at MDRC (14 years) and the American Institutes for Research (4 years) before founding EZR Consulting in 2025. She has led or co-led more than $25 million in funded studies using a wide range of mixed methods, with a career-long focus on helping youth and adults build the skills and credentials that lead to economic mobility. She holds an Ed.D., M.Ed., and M.Div. from Harvard University, and a B.A. with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Dana Shaat

Dr. Dana Shaat

Quantitative Research Lead

Dana is an economist with deep expertise in quantitative impact evaluation across education and workforce settings. Most recently an Economist at the American Institutes for Research, she led large-scale RCTs and quasi-experimental studies funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Ascendium, the Gates Foundation, and others. Her methodological toolkit includes propensity score matching, difference-in-differences, instrumental variables, hierarchical linear modeling, and event study analysis. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Project Partners

EZRC collaborates with a range of institutional and individual partners on research and technical assistance projects.

Ready for Work — Research Partners
AG

Dr. Alexis Gable

RAND

Quantitative Study Lead

View bio →
EL

Dr. Elaine Leigh

RAND

Qualitative Study Co-Lead

View bio →
LD

Dr. Lindsay Daugherty

RAND

Senior Advisor

View bio →
Ready for Work — Technical Assistance Partners (TPMA)

Sara Tracey

TPMA

TA Lead

View bio →

Vicki Thompson

TPMA

TA Lead

View bio →

Kelly Friend

TPMA

Technical Assistance

View bio →

Jess Fortner

TPMA

Technical Assistance

View bio →
Ready for Work — Technical Assistance Partners (Red Eagle Consulting)

Sonita Lal

Red Eagle Consulting

TA Lead

Advisors

Senior advisory panels for EZRC’s current initiatives.

Ready for Work

Building Ready-for-Work Colleges and Students — Senior Advisory Panel

See full project →

A senior advisory panel of scholars, practitioners, and leading college administrators guides the Ready for Work initiative, providing strategic input on research design, technical assistance, and dissemination.

Scholar Advisors

Dr. Michelle Van Noy

Rutgers University

Director & Associate Research Professor, Education and Employment Research Center (EERC)

Dr. Zack Mabel

Georgetown University

Research Professor and Director of Research, Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)

Dr. Thomas Brock

Teachers College, Columbia University

Director & Research Professor, Community College Research Center

Dr. Kathy Hughes

Edwordian

Principal; former lead of the CTE Research Network

Dr. Elizabeth (Ty) Wilde

Robin Hood Foundation

Director, Learning and Measurement

Practitioner & Subject Matter Advisors

Bertina Ceccarelli

NPower

CEO

Chelsea Mills

TCMG

Principal (formerly at Towards Employment)

Pooja Tripathi & Kelcie Richart

Manufacturing Institute (formerly FAME)

Senior Director & Associate Director, Workforce Innovation

Meghan Cressman & Melinda Day

Merit America

VP, Development and Partnerships & Chief Academic Officer

Claire Dennison

Propel America

Chief External Affairs Officer

Felida Villarreal

VIDA

CEO

Francisco Martinez

Project QUEST

President and CEO

Melanie D’Evelyn

One Million Degrees

Executive Director, Advisory and Capacity Building

Leading College Advisors

Ben McCumber

Georgia Technical College System

Deputy Commissioner

Layla Merrifield

Wisconsin Technical College System

President

Dr. Lada Gibson-Shreve

Stark State College

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Jayda Spillers

Northwest Louisiana Technical College

Chancellor

SEO Tech Developer Evaluation

Evaluation of the SEO Tech Developer Program — Senior Advisors

See full project →

Two senior advisors provide expert review of study protocols, analysis plans, and deliverables throughout the evaluation.

Research Advisors

Dr. Beth Boulay

Annenberg Institute, Brown University

Expert in quantitative research design; president-elect of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness; editor, Journal for Research of Educational Effectiveness.

View bio →

Dr. Melinda Karp

Phase Two Advisory

Expert in qualitative research and community college advising practices; former Assistant Director, Community College Research Center, Columbia University.

View bio →
← Research Portfolio

Building Ready-for-Work Colleges and Students

Adapting Effective Sectoral Practices in Community Colleges — a technical assistance learning lab and developmental research study.

Funder

Ascendium Philanthropy

Award

$2.5 million

Period

February 2026 – 2029

Role

Principal Investigator & Study Lead

About the initiative.

The Ready for Work initiative is a 3.5-year technical assistance learning lab helping a cohort of community colleges integrate the employer-engaged, labor-market-aligned practices of the most effective sectoral training programs. It launched in February 2026 with funding from Ascendium Philanthropy.

The initiative is paired with a mixed-method developmental research study that examines how colleges implement these practices, what barriers and facilitators they encounter, and what early outcomes emerge for students and employers.

The research design.

The developmental research study combines qualitative implementation research, cost analysis, and early outcome tracking across the cohort colleges. Findings are used formatively — to improve the technical assistance — and cumulatively, to build a stronger evidence base for sectoral practices in community college settings.

The advisory panel of 15 practitioners, college leaders, and scholars provides strategic input on research design, TA design, and interpretation of findings.

Project Team

EZRC — Principal Investigator
Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow

Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow

EZRC

PI & Qualitative Study Lead

RAND — Research Partner

Dr. Alexis Gable

RAND

Quantitative Study Lead

View bio →

Dr. Elaine Leigh

RAND

Qualitative Study Co-Lead

View bio →

Dr. Lindsay Daugherty

RAND

Senior Advisor

View bio →
TPMA — Technical Assistance Partner

Sara Tracey

TPMA

TA Lead

View bio →

Vicki Thompson

TPMA

TA Lead

View bio →

Kelly Friend

TPMA

Technical Assistance

View bio →

Jess Fortner

TPMA

Technical Assistance

View bio →
Red Eagle Consulting — Technical Assistance Partner

Sonita Lal

Red Eagle Consulting

TA Lead

Ready for Work

Senior Advisory Panel

A senior advisory panel of scholars, practitioners, and leading college administrators guides the Ready for Work initiative, providing strategic input on research design, technical assistance, and dissemination.

Scholar Advisors

Dr. Michelle Van Noy

Rutgers University

Director & Associate Research Professor, Education and Employment Research Center (EERC)

Dr. Zack Mabel

Georgetown University

Research Professor and Director of Research, Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)

Dr. Thomas Brock

Teachers College, Columbia University

Director & Research Professor, Community College Research Center

Dr. Kathy Hughes

Edwordian

Principal; former lead of the CTE Research Network

Dr. Elizabeth (Ty) Wilde

Robin Hood Foundation

Director, Learning and Measurement

Practitioner & Subject Matter Advisors

Bertina Ceccarelli

NPower

CEO

Chelsea Mills

TCMG

Principal (formerly at Towards Employment)

Pooja Tripathi & Kelcie Richart

Manufacturing Institute (formerly FAME)

Senior Director & Associate Director, Workforce Innovation

Meghan Cressman & Melinda Day

Merit America

VP, Development and Partnerships & Chief Academic Officer

Claire Dennison

Propel America

Chief External Affairs Officer

Felida Villarreal

VIDA

CEO

Francisco Martinez

Project QUEST

President and CEO

Melanie D’Evelyn

One Million Degrees

Executive Director, Advisory and Capacity Building

Leading College Advisors

Ben McCumber

Georgia Technical College System

Deputy Commissioner

Layla Merrifield

Wisconsin Technical College System

President

Dr. Lada Gibson-Shreve

Stark State College

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Jayda Spillers

Northwest Louisiana Technical College

Chancellor

← Research Portfolio

Evaluation of the SEO Tech Developer Program

A two-part evaluation examining program implementation and employment outcomes for underrepresented students in technology careers.

Coming Soon

Project details are on the way.

Full study details, team information, and findings will be available here soon. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with any questions.

Contact us →

Contact

We’d welcome a conversation about your research or evaluation needs.

Interested in working together? Reach out to start the conversation.

PrincipalDr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow
Email[email protected]
LocationEastville, VA (working nationally)
Areas of InterestEducation research & evaluation, workforce development studies, technical assistance, mixed-method research design, and long-term research partnerships.
← Our Expertise

01

Research Design & Mixed Methods

Studies tailored to programs’ needs — from descriptive studies that measure promise, to qualitative studies that tell you why, to impact evaluations that assess program effects.

Our approach to research design.

Rigorous research begins with the right design. EZRC brings experience across the full spectrum of research and evaluation needs — from working with practitioners from the ground up to articulate a theory of change to rigorous large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies that include assessments of program implementation and costs.

We are certified in What Works Clearinghouse Group Design Standards 5.0 and bring deep expertise in quasi-experimental methods, randomized controlled trials, propensity score matching, and difference-in-differences designs — alongside qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews, focus groups, observations, and case studies.

Why mixed methods?

Quantitative methods tell us whether something worked. Qualitative methods tell us how and why — and for whom. Combined, they produce findings that program leaders can actually use. Our mixed-method studies are designed so the two strands reinforce each other: qualitative data informs quantitative analysis plans, and quantitative findings prompt deeper qualitative inquiry.

Cost analysis is a third strand we integrate wherever possible, helping funders and practitioners understand not just whether programs work, but whether they represent a sound use of resources.

Methods We Use

Quantitative

Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs (propensity score matching, difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity), descriptive analyses, and trend analyses using administrative and survey data.

Qualitative

Semi-structured interviews, focus groups, site observations, document review, and case studies. Rigorous coding and analytic memo processes with attention to trustworthiness and transferability.

Cost & Other

Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses using the ingredients method. Literature reviews and evidence syntheses. Survey design and analysis. Mixed-method integration planning.

A Sampling from the Research Portfolio

Randomized Controlled Trials

MDRC

Keeping Students On Course: An Impact Study at Guilford Technical Community College ↗

An RCT impact study of a student success course examining effects on persistence, credit accumulation, and academic outcomes.

RCT2012
Institute for Education Sciences

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways Evaluation ↗

A large-scale RCT and long-term follow-up study examining the impact of redesigned math pathways on student outcomes across community colleges, funded over nearly a decade.

RCT$4.1M~10 years

Quasi-Experimental Studies

Hg Foundation

Evaluation of the SEO Tech Developer Program

A retrospective quasi-experimental and descriptive study examining employment and earnings outcomes for past program participants compared to matched non-participant applicants.

Quasi-ExperimentalDescriptive$210K2025–2026

Implementation Studies

Lumina Foundation

Evaluation of the New Mathways Project ↗

An early implementation study of the Dana Center’s New Mathways Project, examining rollout and initial outcomes across participating Texas community colleges.

Implementation Study$150K2012–2013
AIR PROPEL Center

Building Toward Excellence: Strengthening Workforce Pathways at the City Colleges of Chicago ↗

A multi-year implementation study examining how to strengthen and systematize workforce training across a large urban community college system.

Implementation StudyMixed Methods2021–2025
Lumina Foundation / MDRC

Achieving the Dream — National Evaluation ↗

A five-year, 39-college national evaluation of one of the largest community college reform initiatives in the country, including a comprehensive implementation study across all participating colleges.

Implementation StudyMixed Methods$4.6M

Case Studies

Ascendium Philanthropy

Strengthening and Scaling Multiple Measures Assessment ↗

A multi-year mixed-method study including in-depth case studies of colleges implementing alternative placement practices, examining adoption, adaptation, and outcomes.

Case StudyMixed Methods$2.3M2020–2024
Kresge Foundation

Case Study of Winning Cities in the Talent Dividend Competition ↗

A study of six cities examining strategies for increasing college completion and their connection to local labor market outcomes.

Case Study$335K2015–2017

Cost Studies

Institute for Education Sciences

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways — Cost Analysis ↗

A cost-effectiveness analysis integrated into the DCMP evaluation, examining the per-student cost of implementing redesigned math pathways relative to outcomes achieved.

Cost Analysis2014–2023
Lumina Foundation / MDRC

Achieving the Dream — Cost Study ↗

A cost analysis embedded within the Achieving the Dream national evaluation, examining the resources invested by colleges in reform efforts and their relationship to student outcomes.

Cost Analysis$4.6M2007–2014
See the full Research Portfolio →

Explore the other areas of expertise

Each area builds on the others — research design is foundational to everything we do.

Back to Expertise →
← Our Expertise

02

Adult Education

Two decades of field-level research on what helps adult learners progress — from literacy and GED to college and career pathways.

A career built alongside the field.

Before leading national research studies, Dr. Zachry Rutschow worked directly in adult education — as an adult literacy instructor and community advocate. That direct experience has animated more than two decades of research on adult basic education, GED reform, ESL instruction, and developmental math.

EZRC’s adult education research has examined what works for the learners who have the most to gain from education: adults who didn’t finish high school, immigrants building English skills, parents seeking to move into better jobs. The research is designed to produce knowledge that helps programs, systems, and policymakers make better decisions about how to serve these learners.

Key research themes.

Transitions to postsecondary: How can adult education programs better prepare and connect students to college? What supports are most effective for adult learners navigating postsecondary entry?

GED and credential reform: What do the new GED and high school equivalency pathways mean for learners and for workforce readiness? How have reforms changed who earns a credential and what it leads to?

ESL and immigrant learners: What instructional and programmatic practices best support English learners seeking economic opportunity?

Related Studies

Council for the Advancement of Adult Literacy

Torchlights in ESL: Five Community College Profiles ↗

Case studies of exemplary ESL practices at five community colleges, identifying instructional and support features that distinguish high-performing programs.

Case Studies2007
American Council on Education / Lumina Foundation

GED 21st Century Learning Pathways Pilots ↗

An evaluation of pilot programs supporting adults transitioning from GED preparation into postsecondary education.

Mixed Methods2011–2014
James Irvine Foundation
$226,000

Beyond the Basics ↗

A scan of promising adult basic education programs in California examining approaches to integrating workforce readiness and college preparation into ABE instruction.

Scan Study$226K2018–2019
Publication

Zachry Rutschow, Elizabeth. (2019). The transition of adult literacy students to postsecondary education. The Wiley Handbook of Adult Literacy.

Explore the other areas of expertise

Adult education connects closely to community college reform and workforce development.

Back to Expertise →
← Our Expertise

03

Community College & Postsecondary Education Reform

From large-scale national evaluations to placement reform and math pathways — a decades-long focus on helping institutions serve students better.

A sustained focus on student success.

Community colleges are the primary gateway to postsecondary credentials for millions of students — yet too many students who enroll don’t complete. EZRC’s work in this area spans some of the largest reform initiatives of the past two decades, from the Achieving the Dream national evaluation to studies of placement reform and mathematics pathways.

The through-line across all of it: a commitment to understanding what helps students — especially those who face the greatest barriers — persist, complete credentials, and move into economic opportunity.

Key research areas.

Developmental education reform: What happens when colleges move away from traditional developmental math sequences? How do students fare in co-requisite support, accelerated pathways, and alternative sequences?

Student support: Do enhanced student supports — such as intensive advising or student success courses — improve students’ advancement in college?

Institutional reform at scale: What does it take for multi-campus systems to shift practices? How do reform initiatives spread, change, and sustain over time?

Related Studies

Lumina Foundation
$4.6 million

Achieving the Dream — National Evaluation ↗

A five-year, 39-college national evaluation of one of the largest community college student success reform initiatives in the country.

Mixed Methods$4.6M2007–2014
Ascendium Philanthropy
$2.3 million

Strengthening and Scaling Multiple Measures Assessment ↗

A multi-year mixed-method study examining the implementation and scaling of alternative placement practices across community colleges.

Mixed Methods$2.3M2020–2024
IES / Gates Foundation
$3M + $1.1M follow-up

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways Evaluation ↗

Nearly a decade of research on redesigned math pathways in community colleges, including impact study, implementation study, and long-term follow-up.

Quasi-ExperimentalMixed Methods$4.1M
MDRC

Keeping Students On Course: Guilford Technical Community College ↗

An RCT impact study of a student success course examining effects on persistence, credit accumulation, and academic outcomes.

RCT2012

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Community college reform connects directly to workforce development and economic mobility.

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04

Workforce Development & Economic Mobility

Helping community colleges and workforce programs connect education to real economic opportunity — at scale.

From credentials to careers.

The most effective workforce programs — sectoral training organizations like Project QUEST and Year Up — produce strong, sustained earnings gains for participants. But these programs serve a fraction of the workers who need them. Community colleges, which already enroll millions, have the scale — but historically haven’t had the employer connections, labor market alignment, or intensive student supports of the best sectoral programs.

EZRC’s current work is focused on that gap: helping community colleges adopt the practices that make sectoral programs work, through the Ready for Work technical assistance initiative and paired developmental research study.

What we study.

Sectoral and employer-engaged training: What practices distinguish the most effective sectoral programs? How can community colleges adopt them at scale without losing what makes them work?

Credentials of value: Which community college credentials actually lead to high-wage employment? How do we identify the colleges and programs producing the strongest labor market outcomes?

System-level change: How do multi-campus systems like the City Colleges of Chicago strengthen and align workforce pathways across campuses and programs?

Related Studies

Ascendium Philanthropy
$2.5 million · Active

Building Ready-for-Work Colleges and Students →

TA learning lab and developmental research study helping community colleges adopt effective sectoral training practices. Launched February 2026.

ActiveMixed Methods$2.5M
View project details →
Harvard / AIR PROPEL Center
$150,000

Identifying the Best Community Colleges for Workforce Training ↗

Co-principal investigator study identifying community colleges with strong track records of graduating students into high-wage employment.

Co-PI2025
AIR PROPEL Center
$6M portfolio

Building Toward Excellence: City Colleges of Chicago ↗

Multi-year study examining how to strengthen and systematize workforce training across a large urban community college system.

Mixed Methods2021–2025
Kresge Foundation
$335,000

Case Study of Winning Cities in the Talent Dividend Competition ↗

Study of six cities examining strategies for increasing college completion and their connection to local labor market outcomes.

Case Study2015–2017

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Workforce development is EZRC’s current primary focus — see the active projects.

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05

Long-Term Research Partnerships

Sustained, multi-year engagement produces findings that are more honest, more useful, and more grounded than any single study can offer.

Why long-term engagement matters.

The most honest and useful research findings don’t come from a single study — they come from sustained engagement with a program, system, or reform effort over time. Researchers who stay with a project across multiple years develop the contextual understanding needed to ask the right questions, interpret unexpected findings, and catch the implementation problems that a one-time visit would miss.

EZRC is built around this model. Dr. Zachry Rutschow spent a decade studying the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways, nearly a decade on Achieving the Dream, and multiple years on multiple measures placement reform — building knowledge that compounds.

What long-term partnerships look like.

Developmental research: Using early findings to refine the program or intervention being studied, producing knowledge in real time rather than only at study end.

Embedded advisory roles: Serving as a trusted research advisor to program leaders and funders — helping them ask better questions, design better programs, and use evidence more effectively.

Multi-phase studies: Building from an implementation study to an impact study to a follow-up — so each phase of research stands on the shoulders of the last.

Selected long-term engagements

Each of these studies involved sustained multi-year research partnerships with funders, programs, and reform networks.

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways

~10 years · IES & Gates Foundation

Achieving the Dream Evaluation

7 years · Lumina Foundation

Multiple Measures Assessment

4 years · Ascendium Philanthropy

City Colleges of Chicago

4 years · AIR PROPEL Center

Ready for Work (active)

3.5 years · Ascendium Philanthropy

Interested in a long-term partnership?

Get in touch

EZRC welcomes conversations with funders, programs, and systems interested in sustained research and evaluation partnerships. We work best with organizations that want to build knowledge together over time — not just receive a report at the end.

Contact us to start the conversation →

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Long-term partnerships bring together all five areas of EZRC expertise.

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