Weekly E-News

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NIEER’s New Annual State of Preschool Report Drops on April 22

The 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook is less than a week away! NIEER's comprehensive, independent report tracks funding, access, and quality policies in state-funded pre-K. 

On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, NIEER will be announcing:
👟 Which states lead in the race to serve 3- and 4-year-olds in quality preschool;
📉 Which states have stalled or fallen further behind;
❎ Which states are still at the starting line.
 
🥇New this year: One state crossed the finish line and stands out as a model for the nation. Can you guess which one?

Understanding the Experiences of Non-English-Speaking Families Using Child Care Subsidies: Evidence from Virginia

In Early Childhood Research Quarterly, NIEER’s Christina Stephens, along with Isabelle Fares, Molly Michie, Jessica E. Whittaker, and Daphna Bassok, examined whether non-English (NE) speaking families in Virginia had a harder time applying for child care subsidies, fewer provider options, different provider choices, and lower levels of satisfaction than English-only (EO) families. Using statewide survey and administrative data from more than 17,000 families and nearly 2,000 providers, researchers examined associations between primary household language and experiences with subsidized child care. Surveyed NE families reported more challenges during the application process. However, administrative data revealed that relative to EO households, NE households had similar choices of subsidized centers and more family day home (FDH) providers nearby. NE households were also more likely to select FDH care, and care that was closer to home, higher quality, and had non-English instruction. Overall, families had similar levels of satisfaction with their subsidized providers. Findings inform how policies and practices may improve NE families’ access to affordable child care.

 

School-Based Abuse Prevention Education Programs for Preschool-Aged Children: A Scoping Review

In a scoping review published in the International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice, Dwi Karina Ariadni, Wenny Artanty Nisman, Lely Lusmilasari, Sri Endriyani, and Yayuk Fatmawati synthesized evidence on school-based abuse prevention education programs for 3–6-year-olds. Using Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA guidelines, authors reviewed 12 studies across five major databases conducted in the U.S., Australia, and Jamaica. While programs varied in duration, common elements included teaching safety rules, helping children recognize unsafe situations, practicing self-protection skills, and identifying trusted adults, all delivered through developmentally appropriate, interactive strategies. Findings indicate that programs are generally effective in improving children’s safety knowledge and confidence in disclosing abuse in the short term; however, there is limited evidence on long-term outcomes.

NIEER Activity
 

NIEER Researchers Showcase Key Findings at AERA 2026

At last week's AERA conference in Los Angeles, NIEER experts showcased new research designed to inform policy and better the lives of young children:

• Jennifer K. Duer shared findings from the forthcoming study, “Examining Preschool Expansion’s Impact on Child Care Closures.”
• Alexandra Figueras-Daniel presented findings from NIEER’s Building Early Learning Latiné Educators | BELLE initiative, “Fostering High Quality Early Learning Instruction for Dual Language Learners through Classroom Observation Research."

Karin Garver explored “Policy Ambiguity and Preschool Inclusion,” and presented “Partnering for Prekindergarten Focus Groups with Child Care Directors" with Rutgers Graduate School of Education colleague Sharon K. Ryan (pictured). 

NIEER's Milagros Nores Headlines Week of the Young Child Event at Cal State Fullerton

On April 13, NIEER Co-Director for Research Milagros Nores shared her perspective and new research on early childhood programs with faculty and students from Child and Adolescent Studies in Cal State Fullerton's College of Health & Human Development. She discussed how statewide investments in early childhood education shape outcomes for children, and shared NEW findings from a working paper highlighting the impact of investing in early childhood educators. Nores' talk was part of activities organized as part of NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child.

Check out Dr. Nores' new working paper, Teaching Strategies’ Creative Curriculum Implementation and Ecosystem Engagement Study (CCIEE).
 

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

Path to Sustainable Educational Policy: Perspectives of Early Childhood Education Stakeholders

Ivana Visković and Adrijana Višnjić-Jevtić examine stakeholder perspectives on early childhood education (ECE) policy in Croatia. Using a two-round Delphi method, researchers gathered insights from 21 practitioners, 15 academics, and 11 policymakers on state responsibility, system effectiveness, access, quality, and parental involvement. Findings reveal tensions across stakeholder groups, particularly regarding the adequacy of current policies and the use of unqualified substitute staff. Practitioners raised concerns about political influence in leadership appointments and expressed limited trust in institutional support systems. While there was strong consensus that the state should ensure equitable access to ECE, disagreement emerged over whether systems should prioritize the needs of children and families or labor market demands. 
 

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.

ECE Research
 

Predicting the Development of Executive Functions in Preschool Age: Motor, Language, and Socio-Relational Skills in Early Childhood

In the Journal of Intelligence, Nicoletta Scionti, Claudia Ceruti, Maria Laura Guercio, and Gian Marco Marzocchi examined how early motor, language, and socio-relational development predict executive function outcomes in preschool children. The study included a sample of 110 preschoolers (mean age = 57 months) and used parent-reported developmental data alongside a neuropsychological assessment battery, with results analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression. Findings indicate that early language skills, particularly grammatical development, strongly predict later working memory and cognitive flexibility, while certain early gross motor skills significantly predict inhibitory control. 
 

Internet-Delivered Parent–Child Interaction Therapy in Preschool Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Randomized Controlled Trial

A recent randomized controlled trial published in Child Psychiatry & Human Development by Masako Kawasaki, Keita Matsumoto, Risa Sakayori, Tomoka Yamamoto, Masaya Tachibana, Ikuko Mohri, Masami Hanafusa, Kokoro Furukawa, Wakako Miyake, Atsuko Ishii, Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono, Toshiko Kamo, and Haruo Fujino evaluated the effectiveness of internet-delivered Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (I-PCIT) for preschool children with ADHD. The study included 46 children ages 4–5 and their caregivers, randomly assigned to either the I-PCIT group (n = 23) or treatment-as-usual (n = 23). Results showed that children receiving I-PCIT had significantly reduced disruptive behaviors and parenting stress at 16 weeks, along with improved caregiver confidence. However, changes in core ADHD symptoms were not statistically significant. 



Opportunities

NAFCC Annual Conference

Join the NAFCC Annual Conference 2026, July 15–18 in Chicago, a national gathering of family child care (FCC) educators, advocates, and leaders focused on strengthening home-based child care. This year’s theme, 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

Development Manager, Alliance for Early Success

Director of Early Learning Policy, Texans Care for Children

Manager of Communications and Engagement, Mississippi Early Learning Alliance