Established in 2006, HCRC is an interdisciplinary center of the University of Minnesota. Our mission is to advance knowledge on the identification, design, understanding, and use of cost-effective programs, policies, and practices from early childhood to young adulthood. In partnership with the Institute of Child Development, College of Education & Human Development, and affiliated scholars and units, we conduct on-going longitudinal research, develop and implement interventions, and evaluate education and social programs.
Co-Directors: Arthur J. Reynolds (Institute of Child Development) and Judy A. Temple (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)
New HCRC Book Shows How to
Sustain Early Learning Gains!
How early childhood programs can better sustain gains is one of the most critical issues in education and public policy. In this timely and forthcoming Cambridge volume edited by HCRC co-directors Arthur Reynolds and Judy Temple, evidence on long-term effects of a variety of early education programs are presented by leading scholars across many disciplines. The book emphasizes key interventions and practices over the first decade of life and the elements and strategies through which gains can be enhanced by schools, families, and communities.
"This book has it all. The content is first rate and the authors offer a plethora of effective recommendations that will strengthen programs and practices. The authors themselves are a who’s who list of scientists with vast experience in knowing what works. The book clearly shows that good early childhood policy and effective school reform go hand in hand." Arne Duncan - Former Secretary, United States Department of Education
Want to find out more about the book? Click here for recent Press Release.
HCRC Lunchtime Talks
Spend a lunchtime hearing from and interacting with experts on varying topics related to early childhood development, policy, and social issues. They are free and open to the public.
December's Lunchtime Talk
Does Early Food Insecurity Impede the Educational Access Needed to Become Food Secure?
February's Lunchtime Talk
April's Lunchtime Talk
April 16, 2019: Noon to 1:00 p.m.
215 Humphrey School of Public Affairs (Wilkins Room)
Angie Eilers, Ph.D., Founder & CEO of UR TURN
Increasingly, researchers are exploring the use of light-touch low-cost interventions that involve texting or other smart phone or internet communications with students and parents about how well students are meeting goals regarding attendance and progress toward graduation. Dr. Angie Eilers will talk about research in this area and describe her own educational technology intervention called UR TURN that is currently being used in over a dozen school districts in Minnesota. URTURN is a goal-setting and progress-tracking app for middle school and high school students and their families. The company has received funding and support from the National Science Foundation. Can apps like UR TURN make a difference in improving Minnesota students' high school graduation rate?
Aligned Curriculum and Collaborative Leadership are Key to School Reform
Sustaining early learning gains requires a comprehensive and effective system of services from preschool through the school-age years. This Brief describes the role of two key elements of sustaining gains: aligned curriculum and collaborative leadership. They are part of the Child-Parent Center P-3 school reform model. Metrics for measuring and implementing each of these elements are described and their relationship to student learning gains in Chicago and Saint Paul schools.
CLS Examines Midlife Cardiovascular and Mental Health
HCRC researchers are partnering with Northwestern University on a new phase of the seminal Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS). Since 1985, the CLS has tracked the development of a group of 1,539 individuals who grew up in urban poverty. Intervention group members attended the Child-Parent Centers (CPC) beginning in preschool and continued participation through 2nd or 3rd grade. The new phase of CLS research, which began in spring 2017, further examines the connection between CPC participation, educational attainment, and physical and mental health outcomes at age 37-39.