Allan Porowski

Allan Porowski joined the Social and Economic Policy Division of Abt Global in 2014 as a principal associate. He is a leading expert in the design, execution and analysis of randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies and national cross-site evaluations of education, health and other social interventions.

He is the co-lead methodologist on the literacy reviews for the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse. He is also a member of the Analysis and Reporting team for the National Evaluation of Investing in Innovation (i3) and principal investigator of a formative evaluation of Pay for Success grants for the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Prior to joining Abt, Porowski was a fellow at ICF International, conducting national evaluations for federal and state government agencies including the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Corporation for National and Community Service, Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Texas Education Agency. He has served as principal investigator on several high-profile evaluations. including the Drug-Free Communities, Communities In Schools, Social Innovation Fund, and Accelerating Connections to Employment national evaluations.

Expertise

• Research design
• Data analysis
• Research synthesis
• Dropout prevention
• Substance abuse prevention
• Workforce development
• Social finance

Key Projects

• National Evaluation of Investing in Innovation (i3), U.S. Department of Education
• What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education
• Process Evaluation of the Social Innovation Fund Pay for Success Grant Initiative, Corporation for National and Community Service
• Effectiveness of Promising Strategies in Federal College Access Programs, U.S. Department of Education

Selected Publications

• Porowski, A., O’Conner, R., & Luo, J. L. (2014). How do states define alternative education? (REL 2014–038). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic.
• Porowski, A., O’Conner, R., & Passa, A. (2014). Disproportionality in school discipline: An assessment of trends in Maryland, 2009–12. (REL 2014–017). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic.
• Porowski, A. & Passa, A. (2011). The effect of Communities In Schools on high school dropout and graduation rates: Results from a multiyear, school-level quasi-experimental study. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 16(1), 24-37.
• Burgdorf, K., Chen, X., Walker, T., Porowski, A., & Herrell, J.M. (2004). The prevalence and prognostic significance of sexual abuse in substance abuse treatment of women. Addictive Disorders and Their Treatment, 3(1), 1-13
• Chen, X., Burgdorf, K., Dowell, K., Roberts, T., Porowski, A., & Herrell, J. (2004). Factors associated with retention of drug abusing women in long-term residential treatment. Evaluation and Program Planning, 27(2), 205-212.
• Greenfield, L., Burgdorf, K., Chen, X., Porowski, A., Roberts, T., & Herrell, J. (2004). Effectiveness of long-term residential substance abuse treatment for women: Findings from three national studies. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 30(3), 537-550.
• Porowski, A., Burgdorf, K., & Herrell, J. (2004). Effectiveness and sustainability of residential substance abuse treatment programs for pregnant and parenting women. Evaluation and Program Planning, 27(2), 191-198.