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 tool helps Head Start programs better understand the link between their school readiness goals and their health service plans.
This report summarizes the results of the Time to Learn project in Zambia, which was funded by the U.S.
This app demonstrates that handwashing, covering your cough, and washing surfaces can reduce the spread of illness.
This guide provides an overview of IRI as a methodology, and discusses its feasibility and applicability in a range of contexts.
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 study examines the effects of EDC’s interactive radio instruction (IRI) programming on student learning outcomes in classrooms in India, documenting the significant positive effects of the structured support for instructional improvement that IRI provides.
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.
This factsheet provides an overview of some of EDC’s work to strengthen systems and services to help families, home visitors, community members, educators, and healthcare professionals ensure that
This brief provides insights into formal and informal support that child care providers’ seek and receive to help them form successful collaborations.
This executive summary presents an overview of results from EDC’s evaluation study of Cha-Ching Money Adventures.