This spring 2020 semester, our POSC 395 Policy Research Internship students researched improvements that the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) can institute to improve early childhood education. They presented their extensive research and policy suggestions to our partner, California Strategies.

Adam Jackman, a freshman majoring in Political Science, said this about his research experience, “I had the great opportunity of participating in the POSC 395 on-campus research program. I worked with four excellent student researchers, analyzing data for lobbyist Steve Cahn at California Strategies on the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Our team found community outreach opportunities, alternate funding resources, and other agencies to work with DCFS so that young children in LA County wouldn’t be left behind during the most important part of their educational development. Being able to work with the course supervisor, Professor Auerbach, on such an important topic improved my own presentation and research skills exponentially.”

Project: Los Angeles DCFS: Accountability and Sustainability

USC Students: Adam Jackman, Arman Nadim, Chris Boyd, Henry Zhao, and Victor Qiu

Research Question: What improvements can the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services institute to improve early childhood education?

Read the group’s full research presentation on Early Childhood Education.

Watch their video presentation.