Promoting Early Childhood Development: Recent Evidence and Policy Lessons

Early childhood experiences have a profound impact on brain development—affecting learning, health, behavior, and ultimately, income. There is a growing body of evidence that early childhood nutrition and early stimulation and learning programs to extend school completion all improve learning outcomes. Despite the proven and lifelong benefits, more than 175 million children—nearly half of all pre-primary-age children globally—are not enrolled in pre-primary education.1 For children who do have access to early childhood education, poorly trained educators, overcrowded and unstimulating environments, and unsuitable curricula diminish the quality of their experiences. How can researchers collaborate with educators and policymakers to ensure children have opportunities to reach their full potential? What are the implications of this research in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic?

On June 29, IPA will host a webinar titled “Promoting Early Childhood Development: Recent Evidence and Policy Lessons,” the third webinar in a three-part series on evidence in education, from preparing young adults for the workforce to school management to early childhood development.

The presentations will be followed by a discussion and Q&A, where we will cover how the evidence can inform policy, particularly in the face of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Time: 10 AM – 11 AM EDT

Location: Virtual

Date: Monday, June 29, 2020