New research that takes a lifecycle approach to the study of human flourishing is presented and discussed. Join us.
CEHD Workshop Series
Our ambitious research agenda takes aim at the biggest questions about sources of economic inequality—and you can help.
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Featured Video: An Economist's Perspective on Early Childhood Policy, with Jorge Luis García
Do early childhood programs really pay off? In this conversation, economist Jorge Luis García reflects on his research at CEHD on landmark early childhood studies, including the Carolina Abecedarian Project, Perry Preschool Project, and Infant Health and Development Program. We also discuss why quality matters, the debate over universal vs. targeted programs, and what policymakers often get wrong when interpreting research.
Papers discussed:
Quantifying the Life-Cycle Benefits of a Prototypical Early Childhood Program
Parenting Promotes Social Mobility Within and Across Generations
Gender Differences in the Benefits of an Influential Early Childhood Program
Notable News
Instead of panicking over test scores, let’s rethink how we measure learning and student success
This op-ed by Alison Baulos and James Heckman argues that America’s heavy reliance on standardized testing is costly, narrow and often misleading. Instead of reacting to low scores, they urge policymakers to rethink how student success is measured by focusing more on socioemotional skills, relationships and meaningful learning experiences. The authors suggest scaling back some testing and investing in better, more holistic approaches to assessment.
Read the Op-Ed
Creciendo Juntos: A Home Visiting Partnership with Chicago Families
Creciendo Juntos is a collaborative home visiting initiative between CEHD and Casa Central focused on understanding and supporting the early environments that shape child development. Adapted from the Preparing for Life program in Ireland, the initiative emphasizes relationships, family strengths, and the everyday interactions through which children develop foundational cognitive, social, and emotional skills. The current phase of the program is funded through 2027, and CEHD is actively seeking additional philanthropic and community support to sustain and expand the work beyond that period.
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Intergenerational Mobility in Denmark may be Substantially Overstated, New Study Shows
New research that refines measures of resources and well-being passed from parents to their children shows that current estimates of intergenerational mobility may be substantially overstated.Read More
Jamaican Early Childhood Stimulation Study Shows Benefits Last Through Age 31
A group of infants and toddlers in Jamaica who received developmental stimulation—via home visits and nutritional support—continue to show benefits from this intervention as adults three decades later, according to a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
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Featured Projects
Creciendo Juntos
Babies begin learning before birth, and the skills they develop in the earliest years form the foundation they can build on throughout their lives. To help Chicago families make the most of this window for early development, CEHD has established the Chicago Home Visiting Partnership Program. Partnering with parents to support their child’s early learning in this randomized controlled trial will benefit Chicago’s children while advancing the science on learning and skill development.
The Origins and Persistence of Inequality in Denmark
This project investigates the causes and nature of inequality and its persistence across generations. CEHD, in collaboration with researchers at the Rockwool Foundation and the University of Copenhagen, has accessed a rich array of longitudinal data on economic outcomes drawn from Denmark and the U.S. to analyze intergenerational inequality. This work is illuminating the mechanisms behind how parents’ resources and investments into their children, along with social influences, create opportunities for economic mobility.
The China REACH Project
The Rural Education and Child Health project (China REACH) is a groundbreaking early childhood randomized control trial that is addressing the lack of research on early childhood interventions in developing economies. It evaluates the joint impact of China’s Children Nutrition Improvement Project in Poverty-stricken Areas (CNNIP) and the Jamaica Parenting and Psychosocial Stimulation Curriculum.
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