Weekly E-News

Hot Topics
 

Are Texas preschoolers really ready for kindergarten?

This week, the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board asked this important question. 

The answer: “By Texas’ own estimation, almost half of its children entering kindergarten are not ready for school… Kindergartners stream into their elementary schools from all sorts of backgrounds. Some previously spent the day at home with a parent or guardian. Others were enrolled in a public pre-kindergarten or a private preschool or daycare.”

Editorial board members concluded that “the lack of a transparent and uniform accountability system for state-funded pre-K is the biggest deficiency,” noting that Texas fell short on that NIEER quality benchmark and seven others in the latest State of Preschool Yearbook, while states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia have figured out how to meet all 10 of the research-based benchmarks.

NIEER Activity 
 

NIEER’s Dr. Milagros Nores Honors Dr. Vivian L. Gadsden at University of Pennsylvania 

NIEER Co-Director Milagros Nores was recently featured as a guest panelist at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education’s symposium in honor of Dr. Vivian L. Gadsden's enduring contributions to educational research, “Imagining and Securing the Futures of Children and Families: Perspectives for Changing Times.”

Milagros joined panelists Christine McWayne, Tufts University; Tamara Halle, Child Trends; Chrishana Lloyd, Child Trends; and Julie Beamon-Jackson, Spark to share “Research, Policy, and Practice: Considerations to Imagine and Secure the Futures of Children and Families.”
 

Links between teachers’ occupational burnout and students’ academic, social-behavioral, and executive function performance from preschool through first grade

NIEER’s Christina Stephens, along with colleagues Robert Pianta, Jessica Whittaker, and Virginia Vitiello from the University of Virginia examined three years of teachers’ self-reported burnout and its association with children’s academic, social-behavioral, and executive function gains between preschool and first grade. This research comes out of a large longitudinal study of children who were income-eligible to attend publicly-funded preschool. Here’s what they found:

• Students who consistently had teachers reporting higher burnout showed smaller gains in social skills, frustration tolerance, child-teacher closeness, and showed increased in teacher-child conflict. 
• Notably, teacher-reported burnout was not associated with directly assessed academic or executive function outcomes, suggesting that burnout may shape teacher perceptions and relationships more than students’ measured skills.
• Within-year links between teacher burnout and children’s outcomes were less consistent – suggestion it’s the accumulation of classroom experiences across preschool through first grade that matter most. 

These findings highlight:

• The need for ECE systems and programs to mitigate burnout and support teachers’ well-being, as they are integral components of children’s learning environments and classroom quality. 
• Burnout can lead to disruptions in teachers’ perceptions and relationships with their students, which are an important foundation for early learning

International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy (IJCCEP) Weekly Feature 
 

Digital Teamwork in Early Childhood Education: An Application of the Will Skill Tool Model

A study by Sebastian Then and colleagues examined how early childhood educators use digital tools for teamwork using the Will Skill Tool (WST) model, analyzing data from 886 staff across 160 German ECEC centers. Results showed that ICT use for collaboration was infrequent, typically less than once a month, even though educators generally viewed it as useful. Greater use was linked to higher technical self-efficacy (skill), more positive attitudes (will), and access to strong technical support (tool), with training playing a key role in increasing engagement. Importantly, team-level factors such as collective self-efficacy were more influential than individual confidence, and beliefs shaped how effectively skills were applied. Overall, the findings suggest that improving digital teamwork requires not just access to technology, but also professional development, supportive team cultures, and reliable technical assistance.
 

Publish in the International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy (IJCCEP)   

• It’s FREE – article processing charges for all articles published in the journal are fully sponsored.   
• The journal is indexed by Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and by Scopus.
• All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 license. Authors will retain copyright.

Focus on New Jersey
 

Building Early Learning Latiné Educators (BELLE): Apply for the 6th Cohort! 

Building Early Learning Latiné Educators (BELLE), part of the National Institute for Early Education Research at the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education, is a leadership academy aimed at improving representation of Latiné leaders in decision making spaces. 

Take the next step in your career. Join our leadership academy designed for bilingual Pre-K through Grade 3 teachers looking to grow professionally and better serve their school community. We are proud to offer this program in both Camden and New Brunswick. 

Click here to apply. 
 

ECE Research
 

Early Childhood Education and Care and Mother’s Labor Supply: The Role of Publication and Weak Causal Design Biases

A recent meta-analysis by Pablo Brugarolas, published in Review of Economics of the Household, examined how early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs affect mothers’ employment in developed countries. The study analyzed 981 effect sizes from 35 studies and adjusted findings for publication bias and weak research design. Initial results suggested a modest increase in maternal employment of about 5 percentage points, but this dropped to roughly 1 point after correcting for selective reporting. When greater weight was given to stronger causal studies, estimated effects increased to about 8 percentage points for overall participation and 10 points for mothers who used services. The strongest effects were found in public child care programs and in high-employment contexts. Overall, the findings suggest that well-designed ECEC expansions can meaningfully increase employment among mothers, particularly those already connected to the workforce but limited by child care access.

Classroom Experiences of Multilingual Learners and English-Only Students in Preschool through Third Grade

A study by Ashley Sanabria, Jin Kyoung Hwang, Deborah Lowe Vandell, and Carol McDonald Connor, published in Reading and Writing, examined literacy skills and classroom experiences of multilingual learners (MLs) and English-only (EO) students from preschool through third grade. The study followed over 1,000 students across 134 classrooms using detailed observations of literacy instruction. Results showed that MLs and EO students had similar code-focused skills, with MLs outperforming peers by third grade. Differences in meaning-focused skills were small and appeared only in preschool and second grade. Instructional experiences were also largely similar, though MLs received more small group instruction in some grades. Most variation was due to differences between classrooms rather than within them. Overall, the findings suggest that multilingual learners generally receive comparable instruction and demonstrate similar literacy development, highlighting the importance of equitable and responsive teaching practices.

 

Informal Digital Learning and Vocabulary Development in Multilingual Preschool Children Learning a Second Language: A Systematic Review

A systematic review by Noémie Gfeller and Fares Kayali in Reading and Writing examined how informal digital learning supports vocabulary development in multilingual preschool children learning a second language. The review analyzed 24 studies conducted between 2015 and 2025 across a range of informal settings, including home and community contexts. Findings showed that interactive tools such as e-books, mobile apps, and games can support both receptive and expressive vocabulary growth, especially when combined with adult guidance and bilingual features. Results also emphasized the importance of meaningful interaction rather than passive screen use. However, the evidence base remains uneven due to differences in study design and limited long-term data. Overall, the findings suggest that digital tools can support early language development when they are interactive, linguistically inclusive, and intentionally supported by adults.

Examining the Relationships Among Child Care Providers’ Knowledge of Child Development, Burnout, Organizational Climate, and Expulsion Risk: A Brief Report

A study by Juan Wang, Cheri J. Shapiro, Tristan Collier, and Jessica Sharp, published in Infant Mental Health Journal, examined how child care providers’ knowledge, burnout, and organizational climate relate to expulsion risk in early childhood settings. The study surveyed 309 providers in the southeastern United States before a program intervention. Results showed that provider burnout was strongly associated with higher perceived expulsion risk, even though overall burnout levels were relatively modest. Organizational climate was linked to feelings of hopelessness about expulsion, but not to broader attitudes. Knowledge of child development was not a significant predictor in this analysis. Overall, the findings suggest that reducing burnout and strengthening workplace conditions may be key strategies for lowering expulsion risk and promoting more inclusive early childhood environments.

How Do Early Childhood Education Teachers Support Language? Frequency and Variation in Practices Across Activities

A study by Saskia Bruyninckx and colleagues, published in Early Education and Development, explored how early childhood teachers support language development across everyday classroom activities using video observations of 179 teachers. Analyzing 531 short recordings with the Language Stimulation Assessment for Teachers (LSAT), the study found that language stimulation practices occurred at low to moderate levels overall, with strategies such as open-ended questioning, pausing and waiting, and multimodal supports used most often. These practices were grouped into two main dimensions, opportunities for language production and broader language support, rather than the expected three categories, suggesting that input and feedback strategies often blend in practice. Importantly, the frequency of language support varied by activity, with shared book reading and STEM activities showing higher levels than snack time, highlighting how context shapes instructional interactions. The findings underscore the need for targeted professional development to help educators intentionally and consistently embed language-support strategies across all daily routines.

Opportunities

BELLE 2026 Spring Conference

Join Building Early Learning Latiné Educators (BELLE) June 5 for an early childhood conference for all educators interested in learning more about biliteracy and bilingualism. Strengthening Dual Language Practice: Talk, Play, and Reading to Enhance Children's Development. 

NAFCC Annual Conference

The NAFCC Annual Conference is a national gathering of family child care (FCC) educators, advocates, and leaders focused on strengthening home-based child care. This year’s conference theme for July 15–18 in Chicago is Building Bridges, Raising Voices, Shaping Futures, highlights the critical role of FCC in our communities. A featured pre-conference session—Building Inclusive Early Care Systems: Centering Family Child Care (July 15)—will bring together educators and system leaders to explore how to better integrate and support FCC. 

Data Collector, NIEER

Director, Office of Child Care & Early Education, New York State Executive Chamber

Clinical Assistant Professor, Early Childhood, University of Vermont

Senior Policy Director, Alliance for Early Success

Director of Responsive Support, Alliance for Early Success

Director of Early Learning Policy, Texans Care for Children

Manager of Communications and Engagement, Mississippi Early Learning Alliance