Weekly E-News

Hot Topics

Balancing the Digital Scales: Screen Time Management in Early Childhood Education: Digital Innovations in Education; Brief N°5, World Bank

Many common approaches to managing children’s screen time rely on simple time limits or broad cautions that overlook the complex realities families face. Parents often use screens to complete essential tasks, manage difficult behaviors, or find brief moments of rest. This new report offers a nuanced, evidence-based perspective that acknowledges both developmental considerations and the realities of raising children in a digital environment. Drawing on more than 80 studies across 18 countries and six regions, the analysis reviews global screen use patterns, documented developmental impacts, and the effectiveness of intervention strategies. The study was authored by Ezequiel Molina.

The declining relative quality of the child care workforce

New research by Chris M. Herbst examines long-term trends in the qualifications and skills of the U.S. child care workforce, drawing on multiple national datasets. Today’s workforce has lower levels of formal education, lower cognitive skill scores, and some of the lowest wages in the labor market. The study documents a decline in relative workforce quality over time, driven in part by higher-skilled workers opting for better-paying occupations. Also contributing to downward pressure are the expansion of community college child care credentials, negative selection into child care–related majors, and increased employment opportunities for high-skilled women. 

Impacts of a Large-Scale Parenting Program: Experimental Evidence from Chile

A large-scale experimental evaluation in Chile provides new evidence on the long-term benefits of brief, low-cost parenting programs. Pedro Carneiro, Emanuela Galasso, Italo Lopez Garcia, Paula Bedregal, and Miguel Cordero examined a national, group-based program delivered through Chile’s health system over six to eight weeks. Nearly three years after the intervention ended, children whose parents were offered the program showed gains of about 0.1 SD in vocabulary and socioemotional development, with parallel improvements in parents’ behaviors and beliefs. The design—short duration, group format, use of existing infrastructure, and alignment with local staff expertise—highlights the potential of scalable, low-cost approaches to strengthen early childhood development at the population level.

NIEER Activity 

Data Systems for Smarter Child Care Policy, Building a Data Dashboard for Child Care in New Jersey 

NIEER researchers Karin Garver and Steven Barnett outline a vision for a statewide child care data dashboard that tracks supply, demand, and workforce trends. Developed through the Rutgers Child Care Research Collaborative with support from the NJ Department of Children and Families, this concept paper highlights examples from states such as Georgia, Minnesota, and North Carolina to show how real-time data can inform family supports and policy decisions. The proposed system would integrate administrative and parent survey data to give New Jersey a clearer picture of how well child care meets family needs over time. 

📄 Download the Full Report 

🔗 Learn more about the Rutgers Child Care Research Collaborative 

Establishment of Community-Based Daycare Centers in Cambodia: Review and Outlook

NIEER’s Dr. Steven Barnett, Chair of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning committee is joined by 2024 Prize Winners from Planète Enfants & Développement to discuss research on an innovative program to provide quality child care for low-wage workers in Cambodia with positive impacts on child development as well as parental income.

IJCCEP

Policy Translation for Early Childhood Education and Care: The Growing Up in New Zealand approach

A study by Amy Bird, Polly Atatoa Carr, Elaine Reese, and Susan Morton examined how New Zealand’s Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal cohort informs early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy. Using parent-report data for 6,242 two-year-olds, the researchers identified clear socio-economic and ethnic disparities in non-parental care arrangements, with children of Māori, Pacific, and Asian mothers—and those living in higher-deprivation areas—more likely to experience lower proxy indicators of care quality. The study also found that while most mothers (88%) intended to use the country’s “20 Hours ECE” program at age 3, Pacific and Asian mothers and families using relative care were less likely to plan participation.

Research

Literature Review on Integrating STEAM in Preschool: International Practices and Malaysian Implementation 

This literature review examines global approaches to integrating STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics—into preschool education and considers how these practices align with emerging efforts in Malaysia. Drawing from international studies, the review notes that high-quality STEAM learning in early childhood emphasizes hands-on exploration, inquiry-based activities, and interdisciplinary project work that supports children’s problem-solving, creativity, and early reasoning skills. In Malaysia, preschool STEAM implementation is expanding but remains uneven. 

What Works Outdoors? A Systematic Literature Review of Nature-Based Instruction in Science Education

This systematic review evaluates international evidence on nature-based instructional approaches in science education. Drawing on multiple studies, the authors find that outdoor, inquiry-driven environments—where children engage directly with natural phenomena—consistently support improved engagement, conceptual understanding, and scientific reasoning skills, especially among younger learners. The review highlights that the most effective programs pair outdoor experiences with structured scaffolding, intentional teacher facilitation, and reflective discussion rather than leaving students to explore alone. 

Central Auditory Processing and Problem Behaviors in Saudi Preschool Children Aged 4 - 6 Years: The Mediating Role of Executive Function

Nadia Ahmed Jadidi examined how central auditory processing relates to problem behaviors among 4- to 6-year-olds in Saudi Arabia, and whether executive function plays a mediating role. Using data from 220 preschoolers, the study found that stronger auditory processing skills were associated with fewer problem behaviors, in part because children with better auditory processing also demonstrated stronger executive function. Executive function accounted for nearly 60% of this relationship, suggesting it is a key pathway through which auditory processing influences behavior.

The Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders Task as a Screening Tool for Kindergarten-Level Achievement

Irem Korucu, Robert Duncan, Sabrina Kenny, Christopher Gonzales, Ahmad Ahmadi, Jasmine Karing, and Megan McClelland examined whether the widely used Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders (HTKS) task—and the updated HTKS-R—can serve as effective screening tools for identifying children likely to meet kindergarten-level academic benchmarks. Using longitudinal data from two samples in the Pacific Northwest, the study found that both versions of the HTKS were most strongly associated with math achievement and were most informative when administered in the fall of kindergarten. Findings suggest the HTKS can provide useful insights into children’s self-regulation skills and their probability of meeting early academic expectations.

Opportunities

Tenure-line Assistant Professors in Human Development, University of Rochester

Senior Early Childhood Education Consultant, Bureau of Childcare Ny Dept of Health/Mental Hygiene

Ucc Director Of Early Childhood Education at East New York Farm

Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education, College of Education, Towson University

Senior Associate, Research & Impact, Overdeck

Director of Transformation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

 Early Childhood Assistant Professor (Non-Tenure Track), Colorado State University