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Research Brief

Research Brief

Effective Early Childhood Governance: Lessons Learned from Governance Change

Governance change does not happen overnight, and states rarely accomplish it alone. Drawing on case studies of five states that consolidated their early childhood systems, a new brief from the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center identifies seven lessons learned, from sustained advocacy to strong, collaborative leadership, that can help state leaders pursue governance change reflecting their own early childhood goals.

Early Childhood Governance Typologies: Patterns in State Governance Across the Nation

State choices in early childhood governance shape whether families can easily find, access, and use the services their children need. A new brief from the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center maps how all 50 states and the District of Columbia organize these systems, identifying three governance typologies (whole child, school readiness, and parents' workforce participation) to help leaders align governance structure with their early childhood goals.

Executive Summary: Davidson County, Tennessee Child Care Landscape Study

The Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study examines local child care supply, population metrics that inform demand, the local ECE workforce, operating conditions of local child care programs, and the estimated cost of providing high-quality child care in greater Nashville, Tennessee.

Brief 1: Early Education for the Next Generation – Understanding Child Care Supply

Child care access shapes whether families with young children can work and whether children receive the nurturing, structured environments that support healthy development. This brief examines center-based child care supply across greater Davidson County, Tennessee, drawing on survey data from 116 child care programs to build a more complete picture of what families can realistically access.

Brief 2: The People Behind Early Care and Education – Understanding the Early Childhood Workforce

The early childhood education workforce is central to the quality and functioning of center-based child care programs, yet directors across the country face persistent challenges recruiting and retaining educators. This brief draws on survey data from 116 child care programs to describe the size and composition of the early childhood education workforce across greater Davidson County, Tennessee.

Brief 3: Limited Providers, Limited Slots – An Analysis of Home-Based Child Care

Home-based child care represents a small but important part of the licensed child care landscape in greater Davidson County, Tennessee, serving families with varied preferences and needs. This brief draws on survey data from 14 licensed home-based programs to describe the supply and experiences of home-based child care providers across the region.

Brief 4: What High-Quality Center-Based Child Care Really Costs, and Why No One is Paying It – Insights from True-Cost Modeling

The market price of child care reflects what families can afford to pay, not what it actually costs programs to provide high-quality care with a well-compensated workforce. This brief uses a cost estimation model to examine the true cost of providing center-based child care for children under age 5 across greater Davidson County, Tennessee.

Brief 5: Estimating the True Cost of High-Quality Home-Based Care – Insights from True-Cost Modeling

Home-based child care plays a small but vital role in greater Davidson County, Tennessee, offering families flexibility, affordability, and culturally aligned care, particularly for infants and toddlers. This brief uses a cost estimation model to examine the true cost of providing high-quality home-based child care in the region, where providers often serve simultaneously as educator, owner, and director.

Why Do We Focus on the Prenatal-to-3 Age Period?: Understanding the Importance of the Earliest Years

The most rapid period of growth for the human brain occurs in the earliest years of life. Our health and wellbeing prenatally and during the first 3 years of life affect all future learning, behavior, and health.

Guaranteed Right to Counsel in Eviction Proceedings

Guaranteed right to counsel in eviction proceedings shows promising early evidence for improving legal outcomes, reducing eviction rates, and supporting infant health. Learn what the research shows and how policies vary across states.

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