1. State Driven Research to Answer Key Policy Questions
August 9, 2017

2. Session Overview Introducing two newly-funded ACF projects
CCDBG Implementation Research and Evaluation Planning Grants
Center for Supporting Research on CCDBG Implementation
Roundtable with CCDBG Research and Evaluation Planning Grantees
Discussion with audience

3. Panelists Meryl Barofsky, OPRE Lesli Blazer, Oklahoma
Randy Hudgins, Georgia
Patti Oya, Nevada
Dawn Woods, Oregon
Monica Rohacek, Urban Institute

4. CCDBG Implementation Research and Evaluation Grants &
Brief Introduction to
CCDBG Implementation Research and Evaluation Grants
&
Center for Supporting Research on CCDBG Implementation

5. CCDBG Implementation Research and Evaluation Grant Program
Timing of CCDBG Act of 2014 offers unique opportunity for lead agencies to evaluate key policies
Provide lead agencies opportunity to plan for and implement a rigorous, policy relevant evaluation of the implementation of policies in response to CCDBG Act of 2014
Two phases
Planning
Implementation

6. Phase I: Planning Develop a research plan
Work with cohort of grantees and Center
Increase capacity of lead agencies to conduct and use research
Solidify or build research partnerships

7. Phase II: Implementation
Forecasted funding opportunity end of summer
Competitive application
Only open to current grantees
Fund implementation of research plan developed under Phase I

8. Phase I Grantees Cohort 1 Cohort 2 Georgia Cook Inlet Tribal Council
Illinois
Massachusetts
Nevada
Northern Mariana Islands
Oklahoma
Oregon
Washington
Cohort 2
Cook Inlet Tribal Council
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin

9. Center for Supporting Research on CCDBG Implementation
Housed at the Urban Institute, through a contract with OPRE
Launched in Fall 2016
Initial funding through Spring 2019
Possibility of extension through Spring 2021

10. Center for Supporting Research on CCDBG Implementation
Goals
Support CCDF Lead Agencies in building research capacity
Facilitate learning from state and territory research
Activities
Assess needs and existing resources
Evaluate two-phase grant structure
Disseminate research findings
Capacity-building support

11. Center for Supporting Research on CCDBG Implementation
Supports for Grantees
Monthly web conferences
Annual in-person meeting
Ad hoc peer learning groups
Private resource site
Supports for All Lead Agencies & Broader Research Field
Written products
Conference sessions
Webinars
Publicly accessible resource site

12. CCDBG Research and Evaluation Planning Grantees
Planning Grant Goals

13. Nevada Departments of Education and Health and Human Services
Develop a rigorous research-based evaluation of new training policies for FFN providers
Hypothesis  By increasing health and safety and early education and child care training for FFN providers through this new policy, it is expected that the quality of care received by children through FFN providers will increase

14. Nevada Departments of Education and Health and Human Services
Determine how to measure the effects of the new FFN training policy on child outcomes
Develop processes for
Data collection
Analysis
Data sharing

15. Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Establish a researcher-practitioner partnership with researchers at Georgetown University
Examine how parents use information about subsidized programs to select care
Explore possibilities for supporting providers as they self-assess program quality to promote continued quality improvement
Refine a data system to connect subsidy and licensing data, and explore opportunities for linking with other ECE programs serving low-income children

16. Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Key aspects to be examined
Understanding multiple features of access (Objs. 2 & 4)
Supporting quality improvement through self-assessments (Obj. 3)
Regulatory requirements (CCDF Plan) to be examined
Consumer education (Obj. 2)
Continuous quality improvement (Obj. 3)

17. Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
Develop a coherent research agenda for Georgia’s CCDF plan
Use administrative data to conduct preliminary research and data analyses on select CCDF goals
Implement specific process evaluations of key CCDF initiatives
Plan for a large-scale, rigorous CCDF evaluation to measure impact of CCDF policies and programs on access to high quality

18. Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
Five topics under consideration
Access to care: Family Child Care Learning Homes
Supply and quality of teachers working with special populations
Providers who serve many children who receive subsidized care
Family support
Support for families experiencing homelessness

19. Oregon Early Learning Division
Build state data and research capacity
Identify who the CCDF program affects
Children and families from traditionally underserved populations
Providers, specifically the factors that predict how home-based providers respond to the changes

20. Oregon Early Learning Division
Understand home-based provider participation in professional development and support activities (PD/Support) to increase retention
What brings providers to a particular PD/Support?
What engages them once they are there?
Which of these activities maximizes the quality of the care they provide?

21. CCDBG Research and Evaluation Planning Grantees Roundtable Discussion

22. Audience Discussion What questions do you have for the panelists?
What research projects related to CCDF are you working on in your state/territory?
What research questions do you have that would help you make policy decisions right now?
If you are not engaged in research, do you want to be? What would help you get your foot in the door?
What barriers do you see to the research process?
Are we asking the right questions and collecting the right data in order to answer the policy questions you care about most? (answer in the app)

23. For additional information:
Meryl Barofsky Federal Project Officer, OPRE
Monica Rohacek Co-Director, Center for Supporting Research on CCDBG Implementation Urban Institute
Thank you!