Institute for Early Childhood Development & Education
About the Institute
The Texas A&M University Institute for Early Childhood Development & Education seeks to use leading, cutting-edge research to transform the lives of all young children and the adults who interact with them, including families, educators, clinicians, and health providers. We will solve complex issues in early childhood from various perspectives by generating rigorous research that informs practice and policy, mentoring the next generation of early childhood scholars and practitioners and leading outreach initiatives for early childhood practitioners across Texas and beyond.
Research-based practices to help your learner
Explore our resource library, filled with research-based strategies, tools, and insights designed to support educators and families in fostering language, literacy, and meaningful learning experiences for children of all abilities.
Scope & Research
The scope of the Institute is wide-ranging, seeking to promote collaborative research on national, state, and community needs in advancing evidence-based solutions to improve educational, health, and life outcomes for all children from birth to age eight. Our faculty’s innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to research yield solutions to complex problems and enhance early childhood development and education.
Institute Goals
- Promote the development, learning and well-being of all young children and their families by leading innovative research-to-practice initiatives in early childhood.
- Compete for large-scale research funding to pursue our mission.
- Educate early childhood leaders, teachers and paraprofessionals in research and evidence-based practices.
- Enhance the quality of early childhood education across Texas.
- Rapidly disseminate rigorous research and professional learning.
- Provide quality research and practice opportunities for Aggies.
” Being a part of a team that helps push the field forward is something really, really exciting to me.
Aggie Opportunities
Institute faculty members collaborate with various disciplines, departments and colleges across Texas A&M University, including education, special education, psychology, public policy, agricultural economics, nursing and more. The Institute also partners with child care programs, schools and clinics, including the Becky Gates and Charlotte Sharp Children’s Centers. These connections support research-based practices that impact young children and their families.
The Institute offers research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as post-doctoral fellows, allowing them to contribute to federally-funded projects sponsored by organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation.
Events & Outreach
The Early Childhood Institute advances research and outreach to support young children’s development and learning. Our faculty collaborate across disciplines, securing federal funding to drive impactful studies that inform early education practices. We partner with educators, child care centers, and community organizations to translate research into meaningful classroom experiences. Students at all levels have opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research, gaining hands-on experience and mentorship from leading experts.
View our events & outreach initiatives
