Introduction
This highlight is based on a plenary panel discussion at the State and Territory Administrators Meeting in July 20224. Teams from two states--Michigan and Rhode Island—participated in the panel and co-authored this product. Each team included a state agency lead and research partner lead.
Purpose
The purpose of this product is to share two examples of state-research partnerships to help others understand what these partnerships are like, how they can be helpful, and the challenges they face. The product also includes resources for those interested in exploring research partnerships with Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) lead agencies or research funding opportunities from the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE).
Key Findings and Highlights
The Michigan and Rhode Island state-research partnership teams described their work and shared their experiences related to these topics:
- Questions addressed
- Using research to make decisions
- Navigating challenges in conducting research studies
- Sharing research findings in a timely manner
- Partnering to plan the work
- Identifying data to answer policy questions
- Giving advice to states interested in research partnerships
Citation
Maxwell, K., Brewer-Walraven, L., Chiello, N., Graber, C., & Rosenberg, H. (2025). State-research partnerships to address policy questions about child care and early education: Voices from the field. OPRE Report #2025-051. Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.