# Proving Ground ## Proving Ground Find What Works, Act on Evidence, Improve Results Proving Ground works with school districts to help them identify and test solutions to specific challenges, such as chronic absenteeism, that are obstacles to student achievement. [ Visit the Proving Ground website arrow\_circle\_right ](https://provingground.cepr.harvard.edu/) ![Audience listening](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-06/CEPR%20Website_Hero%20Images%20%285%29.png?itok=EX1p7WB8) Proving Ground supports partner districts in continuous improvement through data analysis, strategic advice, hands-on assistance, and peer networking opportunities. Through these diverse supports and strategic interactions, Proving Ground helps districts to: - identify potential solutions to relevant issues, - quickly and reliably assess the impact of their chosen solutions, - act on evidence to continuously improve implementation; and, - learn to use new and better evidence to make decisions about how to invest resources and improve student achievement By joining a growing network of districts committed to addressing similar challenges, partners amplify their actionable insights and peer support. ### Resources Proving Ground works with partners on a range of focus areas, and you can find our resources below: Open all sections Close all sections ### Engaging Families From a Distance expand\_more ## Engaging Families From a Distance [### Engaging Families From a Distance ](/resource/engaging-families-distance)View the best practices for using strategic automated messaging to communicate from a distance. ![front cover of this resource](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2026-07/engaging_parents_from_a_distance_infographic_0.png?itok=ckIMQNxo) ### Chronic Absenteeism expand\_more [### Student User Profile ](/resource/student-user-profile)A resource that can be used to get to know your students, particularly in the case of designing student interventions. ![front cover of this resource](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2026-07/Screenshot%202026-07-03%20131928.png?itok=vsJ2uuP8) [### Your child missed learning the alphabet today: A randomized trial of sending teacherwritten postcards home to reduce absences ](/resource/your-child-missed-learning-alphabet-today-randomized-trial-sending-teacherwritten)This randomized trial evaluates the effectiveness of sending teacherwritten postcards home to reduce absences. ![front cover of this resource](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2026-07/Screenshot%202026-07-03%20133338.png?itok=MNRMwEWZ) [### Reduce Absences in Early Grades with Personalized Postcards ](/resource/reduce-absences-early-grades-personalized-postcards)Proving Ground built a series of guides designed to share lessons learned through successful interventions piloted by its member districts to decrease chronic absenteeism. This is a step-by-step guide for districts who are interested in implementing a ![front cover of this resource](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2026-07/pg_postcard_brief_cover_0.png?itok=RwqCdTkc) [### Reduce Absences in Early Grades with Personalized Postcards: Technical Appendix ](/resource/reduce-absences-early-grades-personalized-postcards-technical-appendix)This technical appendix provides more detail about the methods and analytic approach outlined in the step-by-step guide. ![front cover of this resource](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2026-07/Screenshot%202026-07-03%20143142.png?itok=ENvne8vD) ### Educational Software Reports expand\_more ### Proving Ground partners see measurable results. During the 2018-19 school year, two Proving Ground network partners piloted a postcard intervention designed to reduce absenteeism by addressing parents’ misconceptions about the value of education in early grades and their child’s total number of absences. The intervention reduced absences by nearly 8% across the districts. That’s an estimated 7,000 instructional days gained over the course of one school year! Learning from these two partners, another three partners piloted these postcards in 2019-20, with similarly promising results. [ Read the brief arrow\_circle\_right ](https://cepr.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/2026-07/proving_ground_postcard_guide_march2020.pdf) ![front cover of this resource](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2026-07/pg_postcard_brief_cover.png?itok=mCXkr3u0) Proving Ground differs from our other researcher-practitioner partnerships in that many of them are focused on simply the efficacy of a particular program. Proving Ground answers that, but then says, ‘What are you going to do about it in an actionable way? And how can we leverage other partners across the country to really take your implementation to the next level?' John Rice District of Columbia Public Schools ## In the News [### 5 lessons as urban school district reform continues ](/news/2025/09/5-lessons-urban-school-district-reform-continues) September 29, 2025 Despite decades of reform initiatives, school districts struggle with a significant achievement gap between children from low-income households vs. middle-class and affluent children. Socio-demographics are the most powerful predictors of a school... [### Kindergarten’s Overlooked Absenteeism Problem ](/news/2025/05/kindergartens-overlooked-absenteeism-problem) May 15, 2025 Gabrielle Pobega knows kindergarten is more than just kids coloring, playing and singing songs, so she made sure her daughter made it to kindergarten at Lincoln Park Academy in Cleveland every day. “They teach you ABCs,” Pobrega said as he picked up her... [### An NFL Franchise Is Tackling Chronic Student Absenteeism. Here’s How ](/news/nfl-franchise-tackling-chronic-student-absenteeism-here%E2%80%99s-how) March 18, 2025 The Cleveland Browns are partnering with Ohio schools to improve attendance Since the pandemic, chronic absenteeism has loomed large. Educators are seeking strategies and partners who can help tackle it. Well, getting kids back to school is one place... [### Stay in the Game! Member Districts Show Progress Keeping Students in School ](/news/stay-game-member-districts-show-progress-keeping-students-school) October 31, 2024 Proving Ground's work with the Stay in the Game! Attendance network is making a difference in Ohio. COLUMBUS, Ohio (Oct. 31, 2024) – Ohio faces a chronic absenteeism crisis. While the latest data shows progress, school districts in the Stay in the Game... [### When Attendance Gets Personal ](/news/when-attendance-gets-personal) August 22, 2024 Two CEPR projects, Harvard Proving Ground and the National Center for Rural Education Research Networks (NCRERN), were highlighted in the ASCD EL Summer Issue for their effective, low-cost strategies to combat chronic absenteeism. "Individualized messages... [### Spring 2024: CEPR Newsletter ](/news/spring-2024-cepr-newsletter) April 04, 2024 It was a busy winter at CEPR, as we released the latest edition of the Education Recovery Scorecard and welcomed onboard our new executive director, Dr. Christina Grant. As the Scorecard revealed, the COVID-19 pandemic has had lasting impacts. Students in... [ View All Proving Ground News arrow\_circle\_right ](https://prod-cepr.drupalsites.harvard.edu/news?f%5B0%5D=hwp_c_projectname%3A104536) ## Meet the Proving Ground Team [### Kriti Chopra ](/people/kriti-chopra) Network Manager, Proving Ground Kriti is a Network Manager for Proving Ground (PG). She completed the Masters’ in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education with a focus on learning design and education policy. She has over 8 years of experience as a teacher, learning designer... ![Kriti Chopra](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/cepr/files/kriti_1_0_0_0.jpg?itok=wxrRIdiT) [### Amber Humm Patnode ](/people/amber-humm-patnode) [amber\_humm-patnode@gse.harvard.edu](mailto:amber_humm-patnode@gse.harvard.edu)Acting Director, Proving Ground Amber Humm Patnode is the Interim Director for Proving Ground at the Center for Education Policy Research. Prior to joining the Center for Education Policy Research, Amber was the Associate Director for Innovation and Outreach of an education research... ![Amber Humm Patnode](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/cepr/files/img_2087_facetune_02-12-2019-15-53-44.jpg?itok=jQs_7Zej) [### Thomas J. Kane ](/people/thomas-j-kane)Faculty Director Walter H. Gale Professor of Education and Economics, Harvard Graduate School of Education Member, Yidan Prize Foundation Council of Luminaries Thomas Kane is an economist, Walter H. Gale Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, member of the Yidan Prize Foundation Council of Luminaries, and faculty director of CEPR. Between 2009 and 2012, he directed the Measures of... ![tom_kane_2022_revised_pic_1.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/cepr/files/tom_kane_2022_revised_pic_1.jpg?itok=tVJBFxVr) [### Micaela Keating Sharp ](/people/micaela-keating)Research Analyst II Micaela Keating Sharp is a Research Analyst II on the Arkansas High-Impact Tutoring and States Leading States projects. She previously worked on the Road to COVID Recovery and Proving Ground Projects at CEPR. Prior to joining the team, Micaela was an... ![Micaela Keating](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/cepr/files/screenshot_2024-07-26_at_9.36.00_am.png?itok=oaLl8YB6) [### Atsuko Muroga ](/people/atsuko-muroga) Atsuko Muroga is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR). Her research focuses on understanding the effectiveness and costs of programs and policies designed to improve the well-being and educational equity of K–12... ![Atsuko](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-05/atsuko.png?itok=Cr6iNL3r) [### Ashley Snowdon MacDonough ](/people/ashley-snowdon) [ashley\_snowdon@gse.harvard.edu](mailto:ashley_snowdon@gse.harvard.edu)Deputy Director of Finance, Strategy, and Operations Ashley Snowdon MacDonough is Deputy Director of Finance, Strategy, and Operations at CEPR. Ashley previously served in a number of different roles at CEPR, including Director of Finance and Proving Ground Manager. Prior to that, she worked at City Year as... ![Ashley Snowdon](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/cepr/files/ashley-snowdon_01_0.jpg?itok=504z2bce) [### Douglas Staiger ](/people/douglas-staiger)Co-Principal Investigator; CEPR Advisory Board Member John Sloane Dickey Third Century Professor of Economics Department of Economics, Dartmouth College Dr. Douglas Staiger is the John Sloan Dickey Third Century Professor in the Social Sciences at Dartmouth College. Before joining Dartmouth in 1998, he was a faculty member at Stanford and Harvard. Dr. Staiger is a member of the National Academy of... ![staiger2007_1.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum9881/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/staiger2007_1.jpg?itok=kv5SlJOn) ## You may also like - [Strategic Data Project](/strategic-data-project "Strategic Data Project") - [National Center for Research in Policy and Practice](/national-center-research-policy-and-practice "National Center for Research in Policy and Practice") See also:- [ School Improvement & Redesign ](/focus-areas/school-improvement-and-redesign) - [ Project ](/page-type/project) - [ District of Columbia Public Schools ](/partners/district-columbia-public-schools) - [ IDEA Public Schools (TX) ](/partners/idea-public-schools-tx) - [ Uplift Education ](/partners/uplift-education) - [ Current ](/project-status/current)