From birth to age eight, children take the first steps in a lifelong learning journey. EDC speeds them on their way by designing, studying, supporting, and scaling up programs that enhance school readiness and success. We have a special focus on meeting the needs of children from disadvantaged communities and dual language learners, engaging and supporting families, and building the capacity of educators and communities to sustain improvements.

In the United States, we work to create strong, coherent preK-Grade 3 systems and advance knowledge of how to improve early science, mathematics, and literacy learning. Around the world, we implement innovative early childhood programs that build literacy and numeracy skills, excite interest in learning, and help educators, volunteers, and parents enrich early learning.

Read "A Fair Start for Every Child" to learn more about EDC's work to support early childhood learning.

Learn about EDC’s work with Family STEM Communities.

Learn about EDC’s work to strengthen early childhood interventions with Continuous Quality Improvement.

Learn about the work of EDC’s Center for Children and Technology.

Related Content

A New Language for Mathematics
Young children often struggle to write down their mathematical ideas. Could computer programming be an easier language for them?

EDC Talks: Making Time for Family Math
What are some fun, easy activities that families can do to encourage math learning at home? (Hint: You are probably already doing some of them.)

Tapping, Swiping, and Learning Science
Research findings on The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!™ have implications for parents, educators, and educational media developers.

Helping All Children Learn and Thrive
EDC’s David Jacobson discusses his ideas for changing—and improving—early childhood services.

Tools to Support Preschool Learning
New resources support educators on integrating technology and working with emergent bilingual learners.

The Other Side of the Screen
As a researcher, Tiffany Maxon gets to help develop the next generation of children’s television shows.

Resources

Here are a few of our resources on early childhood development and learning. To see more, visit our Resources section.

White papers

The Learning Generation Initiative strategy is a comprehensive road map that outlines our vision and strategic initiatives.

White papers

In this research brief, the authors present findings that highlight the importance of policies, practices, and regulations that state Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administrators use in their efforts to increase the supply and quality of early care and education for children from birth through age three, with an emphasis on children from low-income families. The findings are drawn from qualitative analyses of CCDF state plans and based on an online national survey completed by CCDF administrators.

Resource libraries

Through the Home Visiting Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (HV CoIIN), EDC guides Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program awardees in using continuous quality im

Reports

This collection of six essays shares insights and strategies from EDC’s work to close opportunity gaps in mathematics education and support teachers in improving instruction.

 

Reports

This document outlines a bold new vision for EDC's next chapter of work and impact. Building upon our 65-year legacy of global impact in education,

Reports

This executive report summarizes the activities of the project, recommendations and lessons learned of the Literacy, Language, and Learning (L3) Initiative, a five-year project funded by the U.S.

Toolkits

Parents with young children are facing an unprecedented demand to support their children’s learning at home—and technology can help.

Reports

This report explores the potential benefits of theory-based logic models in trauma-informed initiatives

Reports

This brief describes how EDC works with multi-sector partners to pioneer new ways to harness the power of digital tools to support families and enhance early teaching, learning, and health promotion.

Reports

This presentation describes the innovative strategies, accomplishments, and lessons learned of the Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network at EDC.