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Pittsburgh

As the home of one of RAND's principal North American offices, the Pittsburgh region is understandably the focal point of significant RAND interest. Research studies have focused on topics ranging from child health and well-being and the structure of Pittsburgh Public Schools to the region's government and infrastructure.

  • Frames of new houses on a construction site

    Research Brief

    Community Development Can Improve Health

    Community improvements—a new supermarket and new housing—were associated with health and economic gains among the residents of an underserved, primarily African-American neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

    May 1, 2018

  • A young teacher spending some one-on-one time with her students

    Report

    Summer Learning in Pittsburgh: Exploring Programming Gaps and Opportunities

    This report investigates summer program opportunities in Pittsburgh, focusing on free or low-cost programs that provide academic instruction for at least five weeks during the summer.

    Sep 6, 2017

  • Filling up a glass with water from a kitchen faucet

    Commentary

    Getting the Lead Out of Pittsburgh's Water

    Without an aggressive long-term strategy for replacing service lines, and collaboration among the water authority, public officials, and residents, lead in Pittsburgh's water will persist.

    Jul 3, 2017

  • Water line repair in a city street

    Report

    Pittsburgh's Options to Address Lead in Its Water

    Pittsburgh is struggling to manage and improve its aging water system, with a focus on elevated lead levels for many customers. What steps could help steer the city toward a permanent solution and protect future generations?

    Jun 27, 2017

  • A view of downtown Pittsburgh, the Sixth Street Bridge, and the Allegheny River

    Report

    Robust Stormwater Management in the Pittsburgh Region

    The city of Pittsburgh and its surrounding region face significant—and potentially growing—stormwater management challenges. Analysis can help better understand the system's vulnerabilities and identify solutions.

    Apr 24, 2017

  • Roberto Clemente Bridge and Andy Warhol Bridge over the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Blog

    Pittsburgh's Annual Day of Giving

    All funds that RAND raises on September 21 through Pittsburgh's Day of Giving will be devoted to RAND's work taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania.

    Sep 21, 2016

  • Grade school students working at their desks in a classroom

    Commentary

    Pittsburgh Schools Are Making Progress

    Pittsburgh Public Schools can reach new levels of excellence if its leadership boldly and wisely chooses initiatives that will serve all children and if it uses data to decide which initiatives should continue.

    Jul 11, 2016

  • A teacher helps a high school student work on a laptop

    Commentary

    Helping Pittsburgh Stay on the Cutting Edge of Education Innovation

    Local organizations, educators, and leaders are creating remarkable learning experiences for Pittsburgh's young people, and other cities around the country are striving to replicate their innovations.

    May 8, 2016

  • The Duquesne Incline operates in front of the downtown skyline of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Blog

    In Pittsburgh, a Day of Giving

    All funds that RAND raises on May 3 through Pittsburgh's Day of Giving will be devoted to RAND's work taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania.

    Apr 27, 2016

  • A young man learns as an apprentice in a manufacturing setting

    Project

    The Appalachia Partnership Initiative

    The Appalachia Partnership Initiative seeks to support long-term, sustainable economic growth in the Pittsburgh tri-state area by preparing K-12 students and local workers for jobs in the energy and advanced manufacturing sectors.

    Mar 9, 2016

  • Neighborhood dignitaries gathered in 2013 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the Shop 'n Save supermarket

    Essay

    The Surprising Ways That a Supermarket Changed a Food Desert

    The arrival of a new grocery store in a “food desert” neighborhood delivered some obvious health benefits. But the benefits had nothing to do with whether residents shopped there.

    Feb 24, 2016

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Using a Merit-Based Scholarship Program to Increase Rates of College Enrollment in an Urban School District: The Case of the Pittsburgh Promise

    This study assesses whether the introduction of the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program directly influenced changes in rates of college enrollment among students graduating from Pittsburgh public high schools in years immediately following the launch of the program.

    Dec 28, 2015

  • Vegetables in a supermarket

    Journal Article

    New Findings on Food Deserts

    In a neighborhood where a full-service grocery store opened after decades of absence, residents reported eating fewer calories and less sugar, perceived better access to healthy foods, and were more satisfied with their neighborhood. Yet, the changes in dietary intake were not related to use of the new store.

    Nov 10, 2015

  • The grand opening of a Shop 'n Save grocery store in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh, October 2013

    Research Brief

    What Happens When a Food Desert Gets a Supermarket?

    Introducing a new supermarket into a Pittsburgh “food desert” led to some improvements in residents' diets. However, most improvements were not linked to supermarket use.

    Nov 3, 2015

  • Events @ RAND Audio Podcast

    Multimedia

    Education Policy: Challenges in Implementing New Standards and Assessments

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, a panel of educators and policy experts discuss Pennsylvania's approach to standards and assessment, what challenges remain, and what the future holds.

    Oct 8, 2015

  • Woman consulting shopping list in grocery store

    Journal Article

    Using a Grocery List May Lead to Better Health Outcomes

    A shopping list may be a no-cost, easily implemented tool to help high-risk, low-income individuals living in a food desert make healthier food choices.

    May 12, 2015

  • Police stopping on a crowded street

    Blog

    Examining Police, Community Relations

    The “Strengthening Police-Community Trust” panel held Wednesday at RAND's Pittsburgh offices felt ripped from the headlines, and from the outset the discussion was focused on what the moderator called “the intersection between the community and the police.”

    May 8, 2015

  • Events @ RAND Audio Podcast

    Multimedia

    Strengthening Police-Community Trust

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, Pittsburgh Chief of Police Cameron McLay joins Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle and RAND's director of Safety and Justice, Brian Jackson, for a conversation about why building and maintaining trust between police and the public is critical for the health of American democracy.

    May 6, 2015

  • Downtown Pittsburgh

    Commentary

    Building the Best Pittsburgh Possible

    Pittsburgh's journey toward its bright future has only just begun. To realize its potential, the city needs a vision as well as an innovative, inclusive, and data-driven approach to community development.

    Apr 9, 2015

  • Events @ RAND Audio Podcast

    Multimedia

    Building Urban Resilience: A Look at Challenges Facing the Pittsburgh Region Today and Tomorrow

    RAND's Board of Trustees joined RAND donors and partners, as well as local Pittsburgh civic and community leaders, to discuss urban resilience efforts. Pittsburgh is at the forefront of municipalities considering how to develop resilience as a framework for managing change.

    Apr 8, 2015

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