New Mexico was awarded a Preschool Development Grant Birth-5 (PDG B-5) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This project was a collaborative effort between the Region IX Education Cooperative, on behalf of CYFD, PED, and the state Department of Health. The purpose of the grant was to assist states to build quality early learning systems with a strong emphasis on conducting a statewide early learning needs assessment and resulting statewide early learning strategic plan. In partnership with Insight Allies, Apex was selected through a competitive process to conduct the evaluation using a principles-focused approach. The project’s three principles were Collaboration & Coordination, Equitable Access, and Quality. The evaluation used surveys, interviews, observations, and secondary data to evaluate the needs assessment and strategic planning process and to pilot project implementation.