Early Childhood Education and Care

For the United States and other societies that experience high rates of immigration, investments in early childhood education and care (ECEC) are likely instrumental to successful integration. But the reach of high-quality early learning programs to children of immigrants remains limited. As the research here reveals, there are wide differences in access to early childhood education and care among the children of immigrants.

Recent Activity

Policy Briefs June 2026 Leveraging ESSA Funding for Pre-K Family Engagement to Support Dual Language Learners By Katherine Habben and Maki Park	Multimedia March 5, 2026 The ESSA Waiver Landscape and Implications for K-12 English Learners
Policy Briefs December 2025 Making Preschool Classroom Assessments Work for Dual Language Learners By Katherine Habben, Victoria Kim and Lorena Mancilla	Multimedia November 10, 2025 The Young Lives Uprooted by Climate Change
Reports September 2025 All in for a Thriving Connecticut: Opportunities to Support Upward Mobility for the State’s Immigrant Families By Margie McHugh, Julia Gelatt, Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, Katherine Habben, Jacob Hofstetter and Julie Sugarman	Fact Sheets August 2025 A Data Profile of Young Dual Language Learners and Implications for Early Childhood Programs By Katherine Habben and Victoria Kim
Policy Briefs November 2024 Understanding Obstacles to Foreign Qualification Recognition for Key U.S. Early Childhood Education and Care Positions By Alexis Fintland, Margie McHugh and Maki Park	Multimedia April 5, 2024 Connecting Immigrant Communities to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services

Policy Briefs June 2026 Leveraging ESSA Funding for Pre-K Family Engagement to Support Dual Language Learners By Katherine Habben and Maki Park	Policy Briefs December 2025 Making Preschool Classroom Assessments Work for Dual Language Learners By Katherine Habben, Victoria Kim and Lorena Mancilla
Reports September 2025 All in for a Thriving Connecticut: Opportunities to Support Upward Mobility for the State’s Immigrant Families By Margie McHugh, Julia Gelatt, Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, Katherine Habben, Jacob Hofstetter and Julie Sugarman	Fact Sheets August 2025 A Data Profile of Young Dual Language Learners and Implications for Early Childhood Programs By Katherine Habben and Victoria Kim
Policy Briefs November 2024 Understanding Obstacles to Foreign Qualification Recognition for Key U.S. Early Childhood Education and Care Positions By Alexis Fintland, Margie McHugh and Maki Park	Policy Briefs April 2024 Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Families through Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services By Maki Park, Lillie Hinkle, Katherine Habben and Emma Heidorn
Policy Briefs March 2023 Recommendations for the Task Force on New Americans By Margie McHugh, Jacob Hofstetter, Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix, Valerie Lacarte, Maki Park, Delia Pompa and Julie Sugarman	Fact Sheets October 2022 Dual Language Learners: Key Characteristics and Considerations for Early Childhood Programs By Ivana Tú Nhi Giang and Maki Park

Feature

September 8, 2016

Dual Language Learners in Head Start: The Promises and Pitfalls of New Reforms

The Head Start program—a model for early childhood education programs nationwide—has served more than 33 million children since its inception half a century ago, many from immigrant families. This article examines the role of Head Start in the education of Dual Language Learners, who now comprise one-third of enrollees, and discusses how recent policy changes may affect this population.

Spotlight

July 8, 2015

The Limited English Proficient Population in the United States in 2013

In 2013, more than 25 million people in the United States reported limited English proficiency (LEP), an 80 percent increase since 1990. The LEP population, the majority of which is immigrant, is generally less educated and more likely to live in poverty than the English-proficient population. This Spotlight explores key indicators of the LEP population, both U.S. and foreign born, including geographic distribution, language diversity, and employment.

Photo of a preschool teacher reading to students.

Short Reads

November 2022

Apprenticeship Programs Are a Promising Solution to Bring More Multilingual Workers into Early Childhood Field

By Jacob Hofstetter, Alexis Fintland and Maki Park

Briya Public Charter School, Washington, DC, Lauren Stoltzfus

Short Reads

December 2016

New Data Resources Can Help Improve Targeting of State Early Childhood and Parent-Focused Programs

By Margie McHugh

Trish Morita-Mullaney speaking on webinar

Video, Audio

March 5, 2026

The ESSA Waiver Landscape and Implications for K-12 English Learners

This discussion focuses on the federal government's invitation to states to seek waivers of their obligations under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Experts offer an overview of current state waivers and their objectives, and what these developments might mean for English Learners (ELs) and their schools.

The Young Lives Uprooted by Climate Change

Expert Q&A, Audio

November 10, 2025

The Young Lives Uprooted by Climate Change

Children are especially vulnerable to displacement linked to climate change. This episode of the Changing Climate, Changing Migration podcast features a discussion with UNICEF’s Laura Healy about this reality and the opportunities to better protect children in a warming world.

Expert Q&A, Audio

May 2, 2024

What Does It Take to Increase Refugees’ Access to Education and Work? Insights from Ethiopia

The Ethiopian government has pledged to increase access to education and employment for refugees, most of whom live in camps. There have been ups and downs along the way. This episode explores the key trends.

Video, Audio

April 5, 2024

Connecting Immigrant Communities to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services

Speakers discuss the importance of infant and early childhood mental health services, highlighting approaches that have successfully connected immigrant and refugee families with beneficial and culturally relevant services. Speakers also offer recommendations to expand accessibility and responsiveness of these services.

Image of doctor explaining a diagnosis to a teen female patient sitting on a hospital bed

Video, Audio

April 24, 2023

Strengthening Medical and Mental Health Services for Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities

Marking the launch of a report by the American Academy of Pediatrics and MPI, this event examines unaccompanied children’s access to medical and mental health services post-release and offering recommendations for improvements.

Recent Activity

Policy Briefs

June 2026

Leveraging ESSA Funding for Pre-K Family Engagement to Support Dual Language Learners

Active family engagement is essential to ensuring children benefit fully from early childhood education and care programs. Yet language barriers and cultural misunderstandings can sometimes keep educators and the families of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) from forming this important partnership. This policy brief explores strategies to better utilize federal funding to engage with DLL children and families.

Video, Audio, Webinars

March 5, 2026

The ESSA Waiver Landscape and Implications for K-12 English Learners

Policy Briefs

December 2025

Making Preschool Classroom Assessments Work for Dual Language Learners

Although one-third of U.S. young children have a parent who speaks a language other than English, early childhood educators often lack the tools to effectively monitor the development of those not in monolingual, English-speaking households. This issue brief examines why many preschool classroom assessments are a poor fit for Dual Language Learners, and ways to make them more effective for diverse populations.

Expert Q&A, Audio

November 10, 2025

The Young Lives Uprooted by Climate Change

Reports

September 2025

All in for a Thriving Connecticut: Opportunities to Support Upward Mobility for the State’s Immigrant Families

Immigrants comprise 15 percent of Connecticut’s population, and nearly 30 percent of children in the state are part of immigrant families. Having driven all state population and workforce growth over the last 15 years, immigrants are an important part of Connecticut’s present and its future. This report examines state policies and systems that aim to support upward mobility for all families, highlighting ways in which they could better meet the needs of low-income immigrant families.

Fact Sheets

August 2025

A Data Profile of Young Dual Language Learners and Implications for Early Childhood Programs

Dual Language Learners (DLLs)—young children with at least one parent who speaks a language other than English—make up one-third of all children ages 0–5 in the United States. This fact sheet series and related resources provide essential data on the number and characteristics of DLL children and their families nationwide and in the 30 states with the most DLLs.

Policy Briefs

November 2024

Understanding Obstacles to Foreign Qualification Recognition for Key U.S. Early Childhood Education and Care Positions

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) systems across the United States are grappling with worker recruitment and retention challenges. At the same time, immigrants with relevant education and work experience obtained abroad often find it difficult to gain recognition for those qualifications. This policy brief highlights strategies for improving hiring and licensing processes in the ECEC field.

Video, Audio, Webinars

April 5, 2024

Programs

Topics see all >

Regions see all >

Data

Featured Publication

Programs

You are here

Early Childhood Education and Care

Recent Activity

Recent Activity