About

Meg Franko, Ph.D.

Meg is an established researcher in early childhood policy, program implementation, and systems building. She has years of experience producing and communicating knowledge that has advanced innovative programs, practices, and policies for young children and their families.

Prior to forming ECE Insights she worked in roles as Director of Research and Policy at Early Milestones, Director of Research and Evaluation for the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver (DU), and Research Associate Professor with the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) at DU. She continues to hold appointments as Scholar-in-Residence with GSSW and Non-Resident Senior Research Fellow with Early Milestones Colorado.

Meg has served as Principal Investigator on a wide range of early childhood program, policy, and workforce studies in Colorado and across the country. Previously, Meg conducted the cross-site evaluation efforts for Colorado’s early childhood councils at the Colorado Department of Education and directed the Denver Early Childhood Council.

Meg holds a Ph.D. from the University of Denver, an M.S. from the Heinz School for Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, and a B.A. from Kenyon College. She is also a long-time member of the American Evaluation Association.

ECE Insights

ECE Insights launched in 2021 to serve a key need in the early childhood sector: reliable data delivered on a real-world schedule and communicated in a digestible and compelling way. After years of working on state and local early childhood policy, conducting evaluations for early childhood programs, and leading research for an academic institute, founder Meg Franko understood that the early childhood sector needed another option: A trusted and accessible partner who understands the field to help answer key questions, use data to drive decisions, and translate data into powerful stories that inspire action.

ECE Insights is committed to:

Operating with the highest professional standards
Using best practices in research and evaluation
Approaching project participants with respect, gratitude, and humility
Collaborating closely with our partners to achieve their goals

We Offer

A deep understanding of the early childhood sector and early childhood policy
Trusted methodological approaches applied within real world timelines
Independence from outside influences
The ability to communicate complex information in understandable and accessible ways
A personal touch and commitment to helping you achieve your policy and program goals