The evaluation of the North Carolina Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grant Transformation Zone (NC RTT-ELC TZ) will examine the extent to which the TZ communities have been able to enhance their capacity to improve the quality of their early childhood systems, including policy, practice, and infrastructure changes to support successful implementation of evidence-informed practice. We will utilize a developmental evaluation approach to the work, beginning with activities that help us understand the critical questions of the funder and other stakeholders and the evaluation contexts. Our methodology will include online surveys, interviews, focus groups, field observations, administrative data review, and case studies. Quarterly reports of findings will be shared with key stakeholders to allow for continuous improvement and ongoing learning about systems change work.