The Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab receives multi-million dollar grant from Colorado Department of Early Childhood
In 2017, when joined the (Colorado Lab) as director of data integration and analytics, it was in its infancy stage 鈥 a mere eight weeks old. Five years later, the innovative government-research partnership is flourishing, having recently secured a nearly $5 million grant from the (CDEC) to evaluate early care and education stimulus funding.听
In late 2021, Colorado received nearly $500 million in stimulus funds from the American Rescue Plan to support the early care and education sector. With an influx in cash, CDEC had quick decisions to make, LeBoeuf says, distributing the funds in a way that would have the greatest impact on those affected most by the pandemic. To date, the money has helped fund 60鈥75 activities.听
When CDEC needed an organization to evaluate the programs, it looked to its trusted partner, the Colorado Lab, which was created under then-Governor John Hickenlooper鈥檚 administration and funded through a $4.5 million grant from private donors.
The Colorado Lab is the first of its kind in the state and is part of an ongoing effort to help make the government more effective by conducting rigorous research and using the best available evidence to inform policy and practice.听
鈥淭he Colorado Lab has helped the state to create depth to building evidence鈥nd what step of evidence should you be aiming to achieve at each stage in maturity of programs,鈥 LeBoeuf says.听
While it鈥檚 a natural reaction to ask if a new strategy works, it鈥檚 not always helpful, says LeBoeuf. In fact, she says, by taking a summative approach too soon, you "cut it off at its knees."听
She explains, 鈥淵ou want to give things a chance before you prematurely kill a program before it gets off the ground. Still, you have to ask questions that are meaningful and actionable for improving programs, so it doesn鈥檛 get you off the hook.鈥澨
For LeBoeuf, it鈥檚 not just about the data; it鈥檚 about the partnership and figuring out the pieces of each unique puzzle, or challenge.听
鈥淚 love hearing the questions that keep [government partners]鈥痷p at night, or their information gaps that we can help resolve,鈥 she says.听
In the five years since the Colorado Lab鈥檚 inception, the team has grown and so has its responsibilities to its partners. Every month, the Colorado Lab is represented at the Governor鈥檚 early childhood cabinet group.听
LeBoeuf says she鈥檚 proud of the work the Colorado Lab has accomplished.听
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 just talked the talk. We鈥檝e walked it in terms of the partnership model we strive to achieve in the lab,鈥 LeBoeuf says.听
Related Articles
