Utilization-Focused Evaluation in State-Funded Preschool Decision-Making: Community-Engaged Design, Process, and Implementation

Most large-scale evaluations of publicly funded preschool programs are summative studies designed to assess program effectiveness. They use various experimental and quasi-experimental designs to compare program participants’ outcomes with those of a comparison group of similar children. The products are written reports and articles. The results have been mixed, and the application of study data to meaningful decisions about program implementation has been limited. Our evaluation of Michigan’s state-funded prekindergarten program for low-income 4-year-old children added a different approach. Following principles of community-engaged scholarship, our evaluation focused on use of data for continuous improvement and decision-making, in an approach aligned with Patton’s (2011) utilization-focused evaluation framework. We listened to and collaborated with the intended users of our evaluation to produce data they could use immediately to improve program quality, facilitate equitable access, and guide policy decisions. Using big data—not only program and school student data but also community data such as census information and Child Opportunity Index scores—we produced a series of online maps and data dashboards that display information in ways program leaders and policy-makers can easily understand. This article illustrates how evaluators can provide data beyond child outcomes and products beyond aggregated written reports to facilitate vital policy and program decisions.