Evaluation of the 2019–24 Comprehensive Centers Program: Early Implementation and Interim Outcomes

State and local education agencies have faced increased responsibilities for school improvement resulting from both changes in federal law and the COVID-19 pandemic. They could choose to turn to the U.S. Department of Education-funded Comprehensive Centers for assistance in fulfilling these federal obligations. The Centers aim to provide technical assistance services and resources to help agencies close achievement gaps, with a recent emphasis on expanding capacity to use evidence-based strategies. In 2019 the Department revised the Centers’ program structure—shifting the number and focus of some Centers and encouraging greater collaboration—to promote more responsiveness and efficiency in addressing agencies’ potentially varying needs. This report is from a Congressionally mandated evaluation of the 20 Centers awarded grants at that time and describes the early delivery, reported challenges, and perceived usefulness of their technical assistance in this altered landscape. The analysis focuses on whether that assistance reflected the goals of the 2019 policy changes, drawing on both Center-reported data and a survey of technical assistance recipients.