Research
Start Early conducts rigorous research and evaluation to elevate the expertise of early childhood professionals and support better learning environments for all young children and their families.
Priority Areas
We share our findings and best practices with policymakers, practitioners and funders to improve the quality of early learning and care across the country.
Supporting Children & Families
Our research on child development helps advance instructional methods and advocacy efforts that improve high-quality early childhood experiences. Our team also studies and evaluates methods and tools that support family engagement both at school and at home.
Supporting the Early Childhood Workforce
We study and evaluate what it takes to best support early childhood professionals and improve organizational conditions for practitioners in the field.
Driving Policy
We study and evaluate the policies that affect young children, their families and the professionals that support them in the city of Chicago and across the country.
The Shaping Futures Together: An Early Childhood Research & Policy Agenda
A path forward must involve listening to and partnering with families and early childhood practitioners to prioritize the policies, research and investments needed to ensure all children thrive. That’s how the Shaping Futures Together: An Early Childhood Research & Policy Agenda was created – by identifying families’ and practitioners’ priorities.
Publications & Resources
Learn more about our research work and access relevant resources and publications.
Our Research Team
Our research team is led by experts that have extensive and diverse experiences across early childhood care and family engagement settings. Learn more about them and how they’re changing the state of early childhood in our country.
What We Do
Our comprehensive approach applies our deep expertise in program, policy and research so that children, families and educators can thrive.
Support Our Work
Together, when we start early, we can close the opportunity gap and ensure every child has a chance to reach their full potential.
Resources for Professionals
From interactive courses to engaging events, we support educators in building powerful practices that transform teaching and learning.
Stay Connected
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