Research Connections’ librarians have curated this page to include publications that may be of particular interest to child care and early education policymakers, professionals supporting the workforce, and researchers. The publications were selected because they align with federal priorities, seasonal priorities, current events, or national interest. Many of the highlighted publications have been featured in Research Connections newsletters.
This brief explores theories on how to sustain the benefits of attending preschool through elementary school. The theories come from studies using data from students enrolled in Boston Public Schools and explore whether sustained preschool benefits are associated with skill type, post-…
What do preschool administrators think about preschool inclusion? This study examines key themes from interviews with 23 preschool administrators to gain a better understanding of perspectives on preschool inclusion and what resources are required to provide high-quality preschool inclusion.…
Black, Latina, and Latino prekindergarten teachers, directors, and technical assistance providers participated in six listening sessions in April 2022. The purpose of these listening sessions was to understand participants’ perceptions of ECERS-3. This brief summarizes key themes that emerged…
The National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families published this national profile of the U.S. ECE workforce serving Latina and Latino families and their children, using data from the 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education. The profile describes key characteristics of…
Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) staff are often at high risk for a number of chronic physical and mental health conditions. This study looks at a program focused on improving nutrition and physical activity practices among Early Head Start and Head Start staff. The results indicate…
This study seeks to understand how participation in a quality rating and improvement system affects ECE program quality. Specifically, this study looks at administrative data from a California county to understand how ratings and quality indicators change over time. Findings suggest…
Are teachers who feel a “calling” for the work more likely to stay in the ECE workforce? This study examines survey data from ECE professionals in Pennsylvania to determine whether intent to leave or stay in the ECE workforce is associated with a passion for the field. Findings indicate those…
Who has access to high-quality pre-K programs? This study explores data from more than 22,000 children in public prekindergarten and kindergarten in Boston to determine how various factors affect enrollment access. The authors analyze different racial and ethnic, socioeconomic, and linguistic…
This study examines survey responses from child care directors to determine their leadership style. It also explores which characteristics contribute to leadership style. Results indicate directors with greater levels of administrative training and education are more likely to display effective…
A close, supportive teacher-student relationship in early childhood can have long-lasting effects. This study uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study to look at the role of teacher-student closeness and factors like cognitive flexibility and reading motivation on student reading…
How did child care directors respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic? This study analyzes a survey of 27 child care directors on the unique challenges introduced by the pandemic. Many identified concerns with staffing and financial issues, increased stress, and a disruption in the…
Infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) is a method of preventing early childhood expulsion and suspension used in all 50 states. This review provides an updated look at the recent body of literature on the positive impact of IECMHC in ECE settings. The review discusses…
This study uses data from more than 81,000 child care professionals surveyed early in the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the rates of chronic diseases and mental health concerns among child care workers. The study finds that depression rates were higher among child care professionals during the…