Publications

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Showing 1 - 25 of 71 results
Annual Report

Youth Policy Lab FY 2025/26 Annual Report

September 10, 2026
10 years ago, it all started with an idea and a clear message: We're data experts who believe that government can and must do better for the people of Michigan. ​We're also parents and community members who dream of a brighter future for all of our c...
Brian Jacob, Robin Jacob, Megan Foster Friedman, Carrie Hammerman
Journal Article

The Effects of School Phone Bans: National Evidence from Lockable Pouches

May 4, 2026
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Hunt Alcott, E. Jason Baron, Thomas Dee, Angela L. Duckworth, Matthew Gentzkow, Brian Jacob
Schools across the U.S. have sharply restricted student use of phones during the school day. We evaluate one type of restriction—lockable phone pouches—using nationwide data combining large-scale surveys, GPS pings, standardized test scores, and scho...
Kid in class looking at cell phone under the desk
Report

Impact of a School-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program on Student Mental Health and Academic Outcomes: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial

April 15, 2026
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Robin Tepper Jacob, Catherine Asher, Chihiro Tanigawa, Milagros Chocce, Megan Jagolinzer, Shawna N. Smith, Sara Moss-Pech, Emily L. Bilek, Maureen Smith, Tyler C. Hein, Natalie Rodriguez-Quintana, Triana Kazaleh Sirdenis, Katja Robinson, Mario Mercado-Diaz, Elizabeth Koschmann
Accessible text version of reportInfographicThis study took place in a large urban school district located in the Midwest. The district serves nearly 50,000 students across over one hundred schools. Its student population is diverse, with a majority ...
Stock photo of a group of high school students talking in counseling session
Project Summary

Michigan School Cellphone Policy Study: Project Summary

December 15, 2025
The University of Michigan Youth Policy Lab, along with the School of Public Health and the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, is examining the impact of school cellphone policies in Michigan. This study will identify variability in district ce...
a classroom with a teacher and students
Report

Understanding Michigan’s Reconnect Program Applicants

October 30, 2025
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Alex Bartik, Brad Hershbein, Brian Jacob, Kevin Stange, Bryan Stuart
The Michigan Reconnect Program was launched in 2021, providing free community college tuition to Michiganders who are 25 or older and who have not already earned a college degree. In this report, the authors summarize the characteristics of individua...
cover photo of reconnect 2025 report: a young female checking information on a laptop
Annual Report

Youth Policy Lab FY 2024/2025 Annual Report

September 3, 2025
For nearly a decade, the University of Michigan Youth Policy Lab has been deeply committed to exploring and analyzing the critical issues facing youth and families. We are thankful to our partners that turn to us for our evaluation and research exper...
Interior look of the Atrium in the Institute for Social Research Thompson Building
Report

K-12 Education Governance in Michigan

July 23, 2025
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Youth Policy Lab, Education Policy Initiative, Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, Brian Jacob, Sarah Cohodes, Stephanie Leiser, Anna Erickson, Deb Hubbard, Katja Robinson, Natalie Fitzpatrick, Jasmina Camo-Biogradlija
This report presents the findings from a year-long study of K-12 educational governance in Michigan commissioned by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). The research was conducted by researchers and staff at the University of Michigan affiliat...
a teacher giving whole class instructions with three students by her side in an elementary classroom