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Evidence-Driven Innovation

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.

three adjoined gears depicting a father holding an infant a teacher watching a child play and three children raising hands in a classroom

dark blue colored gear with picture of teacher reading with young students

Developing the Workforce

Apprenticeship Program
Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver 

CCCAP Teacher Wage Increase Pilot 
MDRC 

CDA Support Specialist Program
Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver 

Child Care Stabilization & New Provider Success Grants, Workforce Sustainability Grants, and Stabilization Grant Family Financial Relief 
Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver 

Recruitment & Retention Scholarship Program, and Free 1011 and 1031 Coursework
Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver 

Staffed Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Network and Substitute Fund
Marzano Research

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.

venn diagram showing overlap of decision-maker expertise, community needs and implementation context and best available research evidence, joining at evidence based decision making
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Enhance Agency Decision-Making

Promote more equitable and transparent decision-making 

Achieve a holistic view by pairing quantitative data with stories 

Improve potential for success by using evidence within its full context

Strengthen Agency Alignment

Conduct strategic planning to achieve outcomes-based goals

Apply performance management data to strategic decisions 

Use evidence in budgeting to advance priorities

Advance Priorities Across Systems

Address priority issues across the early childhood landscape

Innovate, sustain and scale practices/programs

Drive outcomes and smart investments