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Resources

Original research, evidence reviews, and more about how state policies can help all children thrive.

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State Leaders Convene in Nashville for Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center’s State Policy Academy on Early Childhood Governance

Three individuals participate in a panel discussion at the State Policy Academy, with a backdrop featuring "prenatal-to-3 policy" and a child's image.

Three-day academy brought together state teams and national experts to examine how governance structures can improve outcomes for young children and families....

Effective Early Childhood Governance: Lessons Learned from Governance Change

Baby held close to their mother's chest
Governance change does not happen overnight, and states rarely accomplish it alone. Drawing on case studies of five states that consolidated their...

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

Little girl smiling
State choices in early childhood governance shape whether families can easily find, access, and use the services their children need. A new...

New Research on Medicaid Work Requirements Highlights the Importance of State Policy Choices

Mother holding baby close to her chest after delivery
As states implement new federal work requirements under OBBBA, several policy choices can help minimize unnecessary coverage loss....

New Vanderbilt Study Finds Nashville Child Care System Faces Interconnected Challenges in Supply, Workforce, and Affordability

Kids sitting in a classroom

As families across the country navigate the pressures of finding and affording child care, new research from Vanderbilt University’s Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact...

Executive Summary: Davidson County, Tennessee Child Care Landscape Study

Mom holding baby
The Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study examines local child care supply, population metrics that inform demand, the local ECE workforce, operating...

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

Baby smiling on mat for tummy time
Child care access shapes whether families with young children can work and whether children receive the nurturing, structured environments that support healthy...

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

Baby resting on a caregiver's shoulder
The early childhood education workforce is central to the quality and functioning of center-based child care programs, yet directors across the country...

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

Baby playing with caregiver
Home-based child care represents a small but important part of the licensed child care landscape in greater Davidson County, Tennessee, serving families...

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

Little boy playing with toy train.
The market price of child care reflects what families can afford to pay, not what it actually costs programs to provide high-quality...

Explore Additional Resources

Rigorous scientific evidence informs our annual policy guide, which gives states actionable solutions to improve outcomes for all young children.

How do you know if a state policy truly improves outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families? We reviewed thousands of research studies for you.

We conduct original research—including program evaluation, policy analyses, benefit-cost analyses, and mixed methods studies—to build the evidence.

These worksheets walk you through the key levers for policy and program design and implementation—with a focus on building an equitable system of care.

In your state, how do policy choices affect the financial resources a family can use to provide for their children? And how do other states compare?

Our blog features state legislative updates, explainers on complex prenatal-to-3 policy topics, and coverage of important events and emerging research.