Elizabeth Groginsky serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Early Learning for the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education. She has a 16-year track record leading multi-sector collaborations at the national, state and local levels to develop innovative solutions that shape and transform early childhood systems. Her early learning leadership, management and development experience includes serving as the early childhood advisor to a Colorado governor; leading an international organization’s school readiness partnership; directing a county-wide early childhood collaborative; administering a Head Start agency; and evaluating the quality of early care and education in a large urban setting. She has particular expertise and background in developing and communicating about early childhood services and linking them to improved outcomes for young children.
Most recently, Groginsky served as Chief Operating Officer of Earth Force, a national nonprofit that engages young people as active citizens to improve the environment and their communities. Groginsky facilitated cross sector partnerships with school districts, nonprofit agencies, higher education, government and corporate sector partners to create meaningful opportunities for youth to engage in hands on, inquiry based problem solving. She developed and implemented professional development opportunities for Earth Force staff and community partners as well as optimized the operational efficacy of the organization.
The Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) supports state policymakers’ development and use of coordinated state early care and education data systems to improve the quality of early care programs and the workforce; increase access to high-quality early care programs; and improve child outcomes. As the first Executive Director of the Collaborative, Groginsky led a national effort to improve state policies and practices in the development and use of early childhood data systems across the United States. She managed fundraising efforts and established strategic communications and technical assistance practices for state leadership.
Prior to ECDC, Groginsky was Director of Early Childhood Education for United Way Worldwide, an international nonprofit that advances the common good around the world with a focus on education, income and health. She led a national school readiness initiative that provided technical assistance and support to 24 geographically and ethnically diverse communities by using a data-driven improvement process to enhance outcomes for children from birth to age eight.
As Director of Head Start State Collaboration for Colorado, Groginsky was a prime architect of the state’s early childhood data system strategy and co-chair of the governor’s Early Childhood Data, Needs Assessment and Insights Subcommittee, she led the effort to systematically identify the structure and characteristics of early childhood data systems in four state departments. Through a collaborative partnership, Groginsky led the effort to develop the state’s comprehensive professional development system for professionals working with children birth to third grade. In addition, she laid the groundwork for the inaugural Report on Head Start in Colorado, which included child outcome data analyzed by the Colorado Department of Education.
Elizabeth holds a Masters of Social Science from University of Colorado, Denver, and a Bachelor of Arts from University of Maryland, College Park. She lives in the District of Columbia with her husband, Scott Groginsky, and their dog and two cats.