Challenge:
In 2022, new legislation established Colorado's Universal Preschool Program (UPK) to provide up to 30 hours of free preschool. The newly formed Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) had to launch this statewide program by the 2023-2024 school year, presenting significant technical and logistical hurdles.
Solution:
CDS embedded a team of four Digital Service Experts in product management, human-centered design, and engineering. This multidisciplinary team led CDEC through design research, vendor selection, and system implementation. By late 2022, CDS had developed a product allowing preschools to enter the UPK marketplace, families to apply and receive eligibility decisions, and children to be matched with providers using an algorithm that reduced cultural biases.
Impact:
Over 40,000 children enrolled in UPK for the '23-'24 school year, with high parent satisfaction rates. The program saw a 98% year-over-year provider retention rate in its second year. CDEC established its first Chief Product Office with CDS's assistance, becoming the first Colorado agency to have a Chief Product Officer.
"Having a Chief Product Officer is a 'game changer,'" said Julie Chavez, the UPK program manager at CDEC. "We now have the expertise to work within our vendor's technology boundaries – and push those boundaries - to create better experiences for families."
Key Learnings:
- Legislative deadlines can drive innovation, but require careful navigation.
- Aligning technology with evolving policy is crucial, but challenging.
- Embedded CDS teams can better understand stakeholder needs and are more incentivized to deliver flexible, sustainable solutions than external vendors.
- Staying connected to the people being served keeps teams motivated during difficult times.