Our Work

Members of the National Evaluation Partner team at FPG collaborate with and serve our Educare partners in a variety of ways. 

We Lead the Educare National Evaluation

The Educare National Evaluation ensures a common set of data collection tools across all Educare schools  to document the features of Educare and how implementation of the model contributes to program quality and links to child and family outcomes. These data can be useful in the local research-practice partnerships, at the Network level, and for the national conversation about young children, families, and schools.

Local Research-Practice Partnership

Network Research-Practice Partnership

National Research

Our longitudinal dataset with common data across 25 schools uniquely positions the Educare Network to contribute to national-level early care and education research.

A battery of common measures is selected with input from LEPs, school leaders and staff, and the Educare National Office. Each LEP collects parent, staff, classroom, and child data for their local Educare school (including but not limited to the common measures required for the Educare National Evaluation).

FPG’s Role

FPG serves as a data center for the Educare National Evaluation, including:

  • advising on study design, measure selection, analysis, and interpretation,
  • creating systems for data sharing by LEPs,
  • developing protocols,
  • overseeing reliability and other quality control,
  • managing and analyzing longitudinal and cross-site data, and
  • disseminating results within and outside the Educare Network. 

.

We Participate in Educare Network Collaborative Structures

The Educare Network utilizes various structures to facilitate collaboration and provide guidance to the Educare President and Educare National Office Leadership. 

FPG and an Executive Director of a local Educare school co-lead the Educare Research, Evaluation and Data Strategy (EREDS) Workgroup. Members include representatives from the National Office, the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, practice leaders from local Educare schools, and LEPs. The EREDS Work Group is the first point of contact for new proposals to study innovative practices or interventions, add measures to the battery of common measures, or disseminate results that include two or more Educare sites (papers, presentations, Insights, etc.).  EREDS helps Educare leaders and researchers gather useful data that might have both internal data strategy uses and external field impact.

FPG Participation

FPG co-leads the Committee on the Assessment of Race, Equity and Socialization (CARES) to address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the National Evaluation protocol.  CARES includes Educare school leaders (e.g., school directors, family support supervisors) and LEPs. 

FPG contributes to the planning and content of the annual Educare Network Meeting.  Each year, an Educare school welcomes parents, school leaders and staff,  and local evaluation partners from across the network as well as national partners to share their work and learn from one another.  Educare research and data feature prominently in these convenings.

FPG participates in other collaborative structures within the Network, including the Educare Policy Workgroup and various ad hoc planning and steering committees. 

We Facilitate a Community of Practice for Educare Researchers

FPG supports our local and national research partners through daily technical assistance, monthly virtual convenings, and an annual in-person meeting. In addition, FPG researchers participate in a convening of Educare Executive Directors and local evaluation partners prior to the Educare Learning Network annual meeting, and FPG analysts and programmers provide technical assistance to support collaboration among LEPs on cross-site studies.

FPG Community

FPG organizes monthly virtual community of practice meetings to support researchers across the Educare Network in:

  • advancing racial equity through their research practice partnerships and field impact;
  • participating fully in the Educare National Evaluation; and
  • engaging effectively with Network partners.  

Data Camp

Local evaluation partners for Educare schools convene in Chapel Hill annually with national partners to collaborate on research-related activities, including planning studies, co-authoring publications, and sharing best practices for local research-practice partnerships with their schools and communities.  Read more about the annual Data Camp.  

In addition, FPG researchers participate in a convening of Educare Executive Directors and local evaluation partners prior to the Educare Learning Network annual meeting, and FPG analysts and programmers provide technical assistance to support collaboration among LEPs on cross-site studies.

Educare National Evaluation Partner