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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?. Anne R. Gordon NCEE REL Directors’ Meeting February 8, 2008. Why Study Costs?. Decision-makers Want to Know… What do effective programs cost? Which ones offer the most “bang for the buck”?. ?. REL RCTs Offer Unique Opportunity. Cost analysis is rare in education

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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

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  1. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Anne R. Gordon NCEE REL Directors’ Meeting February 8, 2008

  2. Why Study Costs? Decision-makers Want to Know… • What do effective programs cost? • Which ones offer the most “bang for the buck”? ?

  3. REL RCTs Offer Unique Opportunity • Cost analysis is rare in education • Costs can be difficult to measure • Requires different skills • RCTs provide rigorous impacts for well-defined interventions • Cost analysis builds on REL RCT implementation analysis

  4. Key Cost Questions • Cost Feasibility: What does it cost to implement and run a specific program? • Cost Effectiveness: Among effective programs, what is the least costly way to improve student achievement by XX?

  5. Framework for Cost Analysis • Resources have alternative uses (opportunity costs) • Consider perspectives of stakeholders • Include important but difficult-to-measure costs • Examine sensitivity to key assumptions

  6. “Ingredients” Approach to Cost Analysis • Describe ingredients of program • Assess the amount of each ingredient used • Determine market prices or estimate “shadow prices”

  7. Staff Involved Teachers Administrators Technology Staff Mentors Volunteers Purchased Products Professional development Texts, workbooks Software and licenses Space or Facilities Used Describe Cost Ingredients

  8. Number of Teacher Hours PD Meetings Prep for Class In Class Hours for Others Administrators Technology staff Mentors Volunteers Extent of PD How many materials purchased How often used equipment or space Collect Data on Resources Used

  9. Costs of PD if paid for commercially Costs of materials purchased Cost of space or equipment if purchased or rented Value Resources with Market Prices

  10. Determine Shadow Prices for Other Resources • Alternate uses of staff hours—pro-rate staff salaries and benefits per hour • Space or equipment available in the schools—cost of renting equivalent space

  11. Combining Cost and Impact Data • Standardize cost per student per unit of impact • Compare interventions with same outcome measure • = Cost Effectiveness (“Bang for Buck”)

  12. Applying this Framework to the RCTs • “Elements of Cost” data collection from study staff (see handout) • You probably know more than you think! • Form also asks for information about site visits, surveys, classroom observations • What is currently planned?

  13. Applying this Framework, continued • IES/ATS will work with RELs to develop data and analysis strategy • Resource amounts and prices may be collected from: • Site visits/Focus groups • Developers • Surveys (?) • National or regional published data

  14. Applying this Framework, continued • Your feedback is very important! • Please e-mail completed forms by Feb.29 to Anne Gordon, agordon@mathematica-mpr.com or call 609-275-2318.

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