Last month, Results for America announced the 2024 results for its What Works State Standard of Excellence program, noting that states “are increasingly using data and evidence to produce better, more equitable results for their residents.”

The announcement focused on 13 states that the organization has certified as high in categories of excellence based on 12 criteria that cover: “Building Evidence; Using Learning and Delivering Results.” 

Minnesota and Tennessee are now listed at the Platinum or highest level of certification with Colorado added to the next highest Gold level, and Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan and North Carolina following just below that at the Silver level. Six other states received honorable mention: New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and Utah.

In its analysis, Results for America provides a map that shows the elements that stand out as part of the organization’s assessment of “Building Evidence, Using Learning and Delivering Results”. According to the program’s website, the 2024 results show  that states have “growing momentum”  for building and using data and evidence.

The map highlights the thirteen states that it has identified as leading, based on State Standards of Excellence criteria, and provides promising examples of progress in other states, as well.

The website also offers leading examples of its 12 criteria, with a state selected to illustrate each area.

1. Evaluation Leadership: Tennessee

2. Data Leadership: Ohio

3. Investment in Capacity to Learn What Works: Tennessee

4. Evaluation Policy and Learning: North Carolina

5. Data Policy and Practices: Connecticut

6. Investing in What Works through Grants and Contracts: Michigan

7. Investing in What Works through Direct Services: Minnesota

8. Investing in What Works through Budgeting: Minnesota

9. Performance Management: Oregon

10. Results Driven Contracting: Colorado

11. Community Participation: Maryland

12. Identifying Key Outcomes and Tracking Progress: Utah

    
    

Clicking on each of these dozen categories provides a couple of paragraphs describing why the state chosen stands out.

The What Works State Standards of Excellence program was started in 2018, initially sparked by data provided by the Pew-MacArthur Results First initiative. Since then, Results for America has conducted surveys to help produce its annual results, and follows-up to refine examples “for clarity and precision”. 

The aim is to showcase “evidence-based policies and practices” across the 50 states. 

(On a personal note, Barrett and Greene, who run this website, worked for many years with Results First as advisors to the Pew Charitable Trusts.)

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