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New NIEER Report: 2 out of 3 State-Funded Preschool Programs Lack Adequate Standards & Support for Assistant Teachers

According to a new NIEER report, most states fail to provide assistant pre-k teachers with the pay, training, and other supports that recognize the importance of their role as full team members in high quality classrooms. In fact, assistant teacher qualifications (CDA or equivalent) and staff professional development are the two least commonly met of the 10 research-based quality benchmarks recommended by NIEER.

“Unfortunately, many assistant teachers come to the classroom unprepared to fully support children’s learning and development,” said GG Weisenfeld, lead author of the report. “Low assistant teacher qualifications and support not only affect children’s classroom experiences but also limit assistant teachers’ ability to earn a living wage and reduce their reliance on public assistance programs.”

Read the new report, Help Wanted: Assistant Teacher Policies in State-Funded Preschool.
 

NIEER Director to Share Insights from New How to Choose A Curriculum Policy Brief on Upcoming NASLEE “Office Hours With Experts” Webinar

NIEER Co-Founder and Director Steve Barnett and Linda M. Espinosa, Professor Emeritus of Early Childhood Education at the University of Missouri, will join state early childhood administrators and others next week for a NASLEE webinar guided by NIEER's new brief on choosing a curriculum. The webinar is open to the public, but registration is required.

Topics to be explored include:

• Key issues state leaders should consider when making curriculum decisions.
• How often state leaders should revise curricula recommendations for state-funded programs.
• State leaders’ self-reported experiences making curriculum changes.
   

Read NIEER’s policy brief, How to Choose a Preschool Curriculum.

Register for the NASLEE Webinar.
 

NIEER Activity 
 

NIEER Partners With Allison Muhlendorf of Longleaf Strategies to Reboot External Affairs

While Allison Muhlendorf and her team at Longleaf Strategies have been spearheading media relations for NIEER’s State of Preschool reports for the past few years, Muhlendorf has recently taken on a larger role at NIEER managing all external affairs, including communications, media relations, government relations, partnerships, and outreach. Longleaf Strategies is also conducting a communications audit for NIEER and developing a long-term external affairs strategy. Allison Muhlendorf brings 20 years of experience in early childhood education policy and communications to NIEER.

Read more and contact Allison.
 

A Blueprint for Developing Dual Language Learner Policies in Early Childhood Education Programs

As districts provide early education for a growing population of dual language learners (DLLs), NIEER’s Blueprint for Developing Dual Language Learner Policies in Early Childhood Education Programs offers a practical “how-to” based on a New Jersey research–practice partnership. The report notes that state policy guidance often has not kept pace with needs, leaving districts to make uneven, site-by-site decisions—especially consequential for consistent implementation of effective strategies and reading achievement. 

Blueprint authors Alexandra Figueras-Daniel and Liteove Rodriguez-Tighe lay out a 10-step framework for success—from forming a DLL-focused advisory group and setting a shared vision/mission, to using survey and classroom-experience data to guide decisions, reaching consensus on policy content areas, providing focused professional learning, and embedding reflection during implementation. 

Read the Blueprint.
 

Register for the Building Early Learning Latiné Educators (BELLE) Conference

Register for NIEER’s BELLE 2026 Spring Conference, Strengthening Dual Language Practice: Talk, Play, and Reading to Enhance Children’s Development, now! Join us Friday, June 5 for a morning focused on biliteracy and bilingualism in early childhood—designed for educators across roles and settings.

Click here to register.
 

NIEER is Hiring!

We are currently hiring for an Open Data Collector position. In this role, you will administer child and classroom assessment instruments in pre-K through third-grade classrooms at various locations, primarily in New Jersey and the Philadelphia, PA area. 

Learn more here.
 

IJCCEP
 

Integrating Field-Trip Activities with Other Activities in the Preschool Curriculum: Its Effects on the Preschoolers’ Social–Emotional Skills

Emine Kızıltaş and Ramazan Sak investigated whether integrating field-trip experiences into preschool curriculum enhances children’s social–emotional development. Using a static-group pretest–posttest design, the researchers followed 36 Turkish children (48–66 months old) over 12 weeks. The experimental group participated in field trips intentionally connected to classroom learning, while the control group did not receive this enrichment. Measures from the Preschool Social Skill Evaluation Scale-Teacher Form and the Emotional Skill Evaluation Test showed no significant pretest differences between groups; however, posttest results indicated significant improvements in the experimental group’s social–emotional skills. A follow-up assessment 12 weeks later confirmed that gains were sustained.
 

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.



Research
 

Research Expanding a Mental Health Consultation Program in the Preschool Setting to Reduce Teacher Stress and Enhance Child Resilience

Robleto and colleagues evaluated the expansion an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) model across 115 childcare centers in South Florida during the 2024–2025 academic year. The study included 255 teachers who received an average of 20 reflective consultation sessions focused on emotional support and behavior management. Using the Teacher Opinion Survey (TOS), the Childcare Worker Job Stress Inventory (CWJSI), and the Health Environmental Rating Scale (HERS), researchers assessed changes in teacher self-efficacy, stress, and classroom interactions. The study found significant increases in teacher self-efficacy and significant reductions in work-related stress. Observed emotional support practices also improved substantially.

Preschool Teachers’ Views on Scientific Inquiry and Their Use of Science Teaching Opportunities

Çiğdem and Güçhan-Özgül investigated preschool teachers’ understandings of scientific inquiry and how they use science teaching opportunities using an embedded mixed-method design. The researchers collected survey data from 60 teachers through the Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI) Scale and conducted Science Walk Interviews with 12 teachers. While most teachers held generally informed views of scientific inquiry, some demonstrated naïve or mixed conceptions in specific areas. Teachers recognized the value of science education for fostering young children’s curiosity, cognitive development, and problem-solving skills but identified barriers including limited resources, restricted outdoor access, and insufficient professional training in inquiry-based methods. The authors emphasize the importance of targeted professional development, access to science materials, and integration of inquiry-based science into daily preschool experiences to build a solid foundation for lifelong scientific thinking.

Exploring the Impact of Parental Involvement on Preschool Transitions in New York City: A Mixed-Methods Case Study of Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices

In this Children and Youth Services Review (2026) study Annie George-Puskar and Erin Shanahan examined how parental involvement shapes children’s transitions into preschool in New York City. The researchers analyzed survey responses from 327 early childhood educators and conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 teachers. Findings indicate that teachers view parents as essential partners in successful preschool transitions, emphasizing communication, collaboration, and preparation to ease separation.
 

Infant Motor Competence Predicts Executive Functions in Preschoolers: The Role of Sleep

Chao Liu, Yuzhu Zhang, and Xi Liang investigated how early motor competence predicts later executive functioning, and whether sleep plays a role. The longitudinal study followed 255 children in Beijing, assessing motor skills at 6 months and 1 year, cognitive abilities at age 2, and executive functions at age 3. Results indicated that stronger infant motor competence significantly predicted better preschool executive functions, with cognitive abilities fully mediating this relationship. Moreover, the mediating effect of cognitive abilities was stronger among children who experienced more and higher-quality sleep. The findings suggest the importance of early motor development and healthy sleep patterns in shaping preschool outcomes.
 

Opportunities

Data Collector, NIEER

Senior Policy Analyst, ZERO TO THREE

Data Training and Technical Assistance Specialist, ZERO TO THREE

Associate Program Officer, Spencer Foundation

Senior Data Scientist Associate, Children’s Funding Project

Research and Content Lead, National Center on Head Start Early Learning, Health and Family Engagement, ICF

Project Director - Education Research, ICF

Technical Assistant Consultant, Education Systems & Policy (Part-Time), American Institutes for Research

Research Scientist, Sunshine State Early Childhood Information Portal, University of Florida Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies

Endowed Chair and Executive Director, Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida

Policy Associate / Senior Policy Associate, Texans Care for Children