26 May Reflections from the Early Learning Network
Thank you and Farewell
Dear friends and colleagues,
It is with a sense of gratitude and reflection that we announce the conclusion of the Early Learning Network project — a remarkable journey of exploration and collaboration in the field of early childhood education research.
Since the Early Learning Network launched in 2016, our teams have made great progress in understanding key impact areas that have potential to positively contribute to young children’s learning and development, and have developed recommendations for how this knowledge translates to practice and policy action steps.
We have also uncovered important insights related to assessments of instructional quality and individual children’s experiences through the OLOS tool that may help shape the next generation of early childhood education measurement.
The knowledge gained and the relationships built during the past eight years will continue to inform and inspire our future endeavors in research.
We are hugely grateful to the Institute of Education Sciences, which made this project possible. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the many network researchers who poured their hearts into this work, and to all the educators, administrators, parents and children across the U.S. who participated in our various studies. Your ongoing support and engagement, especially amid the challenges of the pandemic, have been invaluable to the network’s success.
The active grant period ends June 1, 2024. After this date, no new content will be added to the network’s website. However, existing information and resources will continue to be accessible. You may also find information on the IES website.
We look forward to future collaboration opportunities and bold research endeavors that will extend the network’s findings — with the ultimate goal to narrow opportunity gaps and improve outcomes for all young learners.
Susan Sheridan, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator, ELN Lead
University of Nebraska–Lincoln