Hub Overview

The Colorado Lab’s Evidence-Building Hubs help the state build an effective evidence base by aligning evidence-building investments, reducing evaluation burden and duplication, and translating findings into policy and practice actions. The Colorado Lab has served as an Evidence-Building Hub for the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) since its inception in 2022. The Stimulus Evaluation Hub built evidence for stimulus-funded activities and conducted initial planning activities for the evaluation of the Colorado Universal Preschool Program (UPK).

House Bill 22-1295 requires continuous evaluation and improvement of UPK and public communication of evaluation results. In October 2024, CDEC contracted with the Colorado Lab to serve as the Universal Preschool Evidence-Building Hub to support the program’s evaluation and continuous improvement efforts.  Activities include:

• Supporting the selected UPK process evaluation vendor, Child Trends, to develop and execute a rigorous evaluation plan and ensure deliverables are relevant and actionable;
• Supporting evidence-informed design activities to prepare key program components for evaluation; and
• Leading an advisory group of national subject matter experts to guide evidence-building efforts. 

The Universal Preschool Evidence-Building Hub (Hub) produces an annual strategy report for evidence building that provides updated priorities and recommendations for CDEC and an annual evidence report that summarizes progress and findings for CDEC. The ongoing Hub work recognized in these reports includes:

• Strategic visioning for evidence building within UPK;
• Coordination and oversight of evidence-building teams and efforts;
• Provision of overarching data and technology advisory support; and 
• Dissemination of findings with CDEC leadership, UPK team, and key community partners.