News from PEER

REL Northeast & Islands recently published a study designed to better understand factors associated with turnover in the early childhood educator workforce. The study was initiative by the REL's Early Childhood Workforce Development Research Alliance, a group of state leaders who oversee early childhood workforce initiatives such as certification, training, and ongoing professional development. Alliance members hope the study will inform their agencies’ policies to improve educator retention and guide the allocation of resources to support the educator workforce.

As we rebuild after the pandemic, we have an enormous opportunity to reinvent early education and care in the United States in ways that dramatically improve outcomes for children and families, strengthen communities, and advance equity for all. EDC's David Jacobson explores how elementary schools, early childhood programs, and health and social service agencies can work together to improve quality and coordination across entire neighborhoods and communities and thus create the most positive overall environments possible for children and families.

The Future of Children journal released a special issue on focused on research-practice partnerships (RPPs) in early education, which includes a chapter from PEER.

Many families read aloud to help their children develop literacy skills, but far fewer families realize that they can play an equally vital role in promoting their children’s early math learning. EDC’s Young Mathematicians in Worcester (YM-W) project supports families in this important role.

The OEC and the RESC Alliance are working together to provide Quality Improvement Supports related to Standards, Curriculum, and Assessment for early childhood education providers.

EDC has received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to lead the new five-year initiative Supporting Science Inquiry, Interest, and STEM Thinking for Young Dual Language Learners (SISTEM). This initiative builds on EDC's previous Literacy and Academic Success for English Learners through Science (LASErS) project in Hartford, Connecticut.

In collaboration with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) and State Department of Education (SDE), PEER recently completed a study of the association between children's participation in the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) program and kindergarten outcomes.

Dr. Christian Connell of Penn State University and Dr. Michael Strambler of the Partnership for Early Education Research (PEER) at Yale University partnered to examine the relationship between COVID-19 stressors, COVID-19 distress, parental neglect, and parenting practices by surveying a representative sample of families of children ages 0-18. The study is currently under review at a scientific journal, and Drs. Connell and Strambler believe that this is the largest regional investigation of its kind to date.

PEER has concluded the initial evaluation of the early STEM education model implemented at Maritime Odyssey Preschool. Over the past two years, PEER worked with Odyssey Learning, Inc. and The Maritime Aquarium to develop a logic model, design and initial implementation, and examine the association of program participation with child outcomes.