EDC supports the development of engaging and safe educational programs for young children.
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.
Projects
Resources
Here are a few of our resources on early childhood development and learning. To see more, visit our Resources section.
This report shares findings from EDC’s evaluation study of Cha-Ching Money Adventures.
This report describes the proceedings from the first State-Federal STEM Summit, held June 2018 in Washington, D.C.
Authored by EDC and the National Institute for Early Education Research, this brief looks at state policies and regulations regarding pre-K expansion that have the potential to positively impact child care quality and access for low-income working families.
In this research brief, the authors present findings from an online national survey of Child Care and Development Fund administrators, Head Start State Collaboration Office Directors, and State Departments of Education Early Childhood Specialists.
This online guide provides Head Start and Early Head Start home visitors with effective strategies to assess, promote, and model good hygiene during regular meetings with families.
This article explores the effects of EDC’s Tikichuela early childhood mathematics initiative, developed with the government of Paraguay.
Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is one of the most pervasive and devastating consequences of the opioid crisis, affecting six newborns per 1,000 hospital births. This webinar will explore the current evidence for what drives this problem and what works to prevent it.
Sustainable Finance Initiative: Identifying multi-year financing opportunities for school meal programs with a focus on low- and lower-middle income countries.
Published by Brookes, the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO) pre-K and K–3 toolkits are research-based instruments that enable teachers, leaders, and researchers to observe,
This app demonstrates that handwashing, covering your cough, and washing surfaces can reduce the spread of illness.