Early Childhood and Child Development

Preschool kids eating applesResearch shows that children are more successful in school and beyond if they are given a strong foundation in the earliest years of their lives. We work with early childhood service providers and policymakers nationwide to find solutions to practical challenges in early childhood education and care. We address major questions in the early childhood field, such as:

  • How can the quality of early educator practices and early education and care programs be improved?
  • How do early learning experiences and school readiness approaches affect young children’s language, literacy, early mathematics, and social-emotional skills?
  • What types of professional development best support teachers’ and caregivers’ needs?
  • Do kindergarten entry assessments measure children’s school readiness in intended domains?
Our Work

Early Childhood brochureOur work includes technical assistance, measurement and data collection, and research and evaluation where we work closely with clients, states, and school districts to define key policy areas, build content understanding, translate research to practice, and identify opportunities for technical support and growth. We also work with clients across the entire range of study planning, implementation, and interpreting data.  

AIR offers a range of services:

Research and Evaluation

  • Experimental and quasi-experimental impact studies
  • Formative and implementation evaluation
  • Policy analysis
  • Literature reviews and meta-analysis
  • Cost analyses and cost estimates

Technical Assistance

  • Translation of research to practice
  • Strategic planning
  • Training facilitation
  • Program standards articulation and alignment
  • Support child-serving agencies

Measurement and Data Collection

  • Integration of existing data sources
  • Development of child assessments
  • Validation of quality rating systems and child assessments
  • Large-scale data collection, including classroom observations and child assessments

Latest Work

30 Oct 2019
Report

Children’s Knowledge and Skills at Kindergarten Entry in Illinois

At least half of states administer or are developing kindergarten entry assessments. In fall 2017 the Illinois State Board of Education began requiring teachers to report data on every child’s skills at kindergarten entry using the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey.
30 Sep 2019
In the Field

Southeast Comprehensive Center Impact Stories

The Southeast Comprehensive Center developed a series of impact stories to highlight key technical assistance support and positive outcomes related to improving teaching, learning, and capacity building in the five states served in its region: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
9 Aug 2019
Presentation

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Professional Development Materials - South Carolina

Southeast Comprehensive Center (SECC) staff presented an Overview of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), including evidence-based MTSS practices and resources, to South Carolina school districts and schools and assisted with planning for implementation of MTSS.
Infographic: Three-year olds enrolled in early childhood services
29 Mar 2019
Q & A

In Conversation: AIR Experts Discuss Early Childhood Systems Around the World

Research has firmly established that the first five years of a child’s life are critical for future success in school and in life, yet a September 2018 report shows that young children’s educational experiences are inconsistent across the U.S. and around the world. The Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators report includes findings on how early childhood education and care varies around the world in terms of approach, enrollment, quality, and teachers’ salaries. Three AIR experts discussed those variations, and excerpts of their conversation appear below.
Image of UNICEF Think Piece report cover
31 Jul 2018
Brief

Quality and Equitable Access Grounded in Local Knowledge: Bringing Pre-primary Education to Scale

The authors of this UNICEF Think Piece explain why focusing on quality and equitable access to pre-primary education is imperative in Eastern and Southern Africa and why it unfortunately does not happen, and explore the implication of the increased focus on access on the provision of quality pre-primary education.
1 Jul 2018
Report

English Language Program Participation Among Students in the Kindergarten Class of 2010-11: Spring 2011 to Spring 2012

Providing English language instruction has important implications for millions of children nationwide. This Statistics in Brief report uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, focused on the Kindergarten Class of 2010-11, to examine students who participated in English language programs.
Image of infographic thumbnail
19 Jun 2018
Q & A

In Conversation: Insights on Early Childhood Care Costs and Choices

The annual Condition of Education 2018 provides new insight into the costs and availability of child care options. Spotlight author Jijun Zhang, AIR senior psychometrician and statistician, recently discussed the findings with Susan Muenchow, AIR principal researcher in early learning and care.
25 May 2018
Infographic

Condition of Education 2018: Early Childhood Care Costs

Between 2001 and 2016, the cost of child care rose by nearly 50 percent or more for children under 6 years old who were not yet enrolled in kindergarten, according to The Condition of Education 2018. This infographic depicts the rising cost of center-based care, the most expensive childcare arrangement.
22 May 2018
Brief

The Summer After Kindergarten: Children’s Experiences by Socioeconomic Characteristics

This Statistics in Brief analyzes student's participation in summer activities compared by two socioeconomic characteristics - household poverty status and parents' highest level of education. Data for socioeconomic characteristics was gathered from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 while data related to summer activity participation was collected from interviews with parents or guardians in the fall of 2011.
18 Apr 2018
Q & A

Transitional Kindergarten Q&A with Karen Manship

Created in 2010 by the Kindergarten Readiness Act, transitional kindergarten (TK) offers younger children in California additional time to prepare for school. AIR undertook a five-year evaluation study of the TK program in 2012. In light of conversations across the country about increasing access to high-quality early childhood education, AIR’s Karen Manship answered a few questions about the TK study and its findings.
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