Evidence-Driven Innovation

Creating and sustaining an equitable, accessible, high-quality child care system in Colorado requires an understanding of individual policy and practice solutions, as well as those that work together, such as recruiting more qualified professionals to increase access to early childhood programs. 

The Early Childhood Evaluation Hub (the Hub) aligns evaluations of differing stimulus-funded activities. With leadership from the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab, the Hub: 

• Streamlines and shortens the time required to provide insights 
• Reduces evaluation and administrative burdens for the state 
• Harnesses the knowledge and expertise of a network of seasoned evaluators 
• Improves the ability to translate findings into policy and practice actions in a timely way 
• Develops an evidence base to strengthen Colorado’s early childhood system

A synthesis of evidence building in 2023 is now available.

Using Evidence in Decision Making

CDEC is a champion of using data for action and an early adopter of Colorado’s 5-year vision for Evidence-Based Decision-Making (EBDM) in policymaking. This aligns with our values of excellence and innovation. We prioritize building and using research evidence in context, pairing data with family voice and professional expertise. We then apply this comprehensive view of evidence throughout our planning and decision-making to bolster efforts across state systems that more fully support the health and well-being of children, families and early childhood professionals. Learn more about how CDEC applied EBDM to sustainability decisions for stimulus-funded activities.