In a competitive labor market, students graduating from high school need skills that can translate into meaningful careers. PREP KC is a leading K-12 education intermediary in the Kansas City region, bringing educators and industry professionals together to give students real-world learning opportunities and prepare them for in-demand careers.

Responding to increasing demand for data literacy across all industries, PREP-KC launched its Data in Action course in 2023 to give eighth-grade students early exposure to data analytics. It aims to prepare students for high-demand careers and develop their interest in math and science fields.

MDRC will conduct an evaluation to test whether this course can help boost academic achievement and whether more students will opt for a high school pathway in science, technology, engineering, or math.

In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with Doug Elmer, vice president of PREP KC and Zeest Haider, research associate at MDRC, to learn more about the program and the evaluation.