Building a stronger early childhood system requires getting below the surface by figuring out what’s working, where challenges exist and how communities can better support families. When early childhood leaders have a clearer picture of available preschool options and what families need, they can make more informed decisions about where to focus resources and investments–not just for preschool, but for all types of early care and education.
A new resource is helping communities do just that.
The Preschool Supply and Demand Toolkit, developed by the Strategic Data Project at Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research, provides practical tools to help communities use data to better understand their preschool landscape, identify gaps and find opportunities to improve access for families.
The toolkit was developed through a two-year fellowship that brought together early childhood leaders from eight agencies across the country, including Denver Preschool Program’s Cristal Cisneros, Ed.D., Vice President of Evaluation and Learning, who contributed insights from the program’s 20 years of helping Denver families access preschool.
Drawing on experiences from Denver and other communities, the toolkit offers a five-stage process for gathering and using data to identify gaps in preschool availability, better understand family preferences and make more informed decisions about future investments.
Why This Matters for Denver
Denver has spent nearly two decades investing in early childhood education, building strong programs, partnerships and resources to help families access quality preschool. But creating a more accessible early childhood system means looking at the bigger picture.
That’s why First Step Collective exists.
First Step Collective is focused on bringing together the people, programs and resources that support Denver’s youngest children and their families. By building on what’s already working and identifying opportunities to better connect and strengthen existing efforts, we can help create a more coordinated early childhood system that meets families’ needs.
And data is an important part of that work.
Understanding preschool supply and demand can help communities like Denver answer questions including:
- Where are preschool options limited, and what are the biggest barriers families face?
- Do available programs meet families’ needs for location, hours and affordability?
- Where are there opportunities to strengthen existing programs or expand access?
- How can community partners use data to guide investments and work together more effectively?
Improving access isn’t just about having more preschool options. It’s about making sure families can find and use options that work for them.
Tools like the Preschool Supply and Demand Toolkit can help communities move from understanding challenges to taking meaningful action. They also reinforce an important part of First Step Collective’s vision: creating a stronger early childhood system by connecting existing resources, sharing knowledge and working together toward common goals.
Denver already has a strong foundation. By combining local experience, community partnerships and tools like this one, we can continue building a more connected and responsive early childhood system for children, families and educators.
Explore the Preschool Supply and Demand Toolkit and learn more about Dr. Cristal Cisneros’ participation in Harvard’s Strategic Data Project fellowship.
