Young Scholars Program (YSP)

Overview

<p>The Foundation for Child Development believes that high-quality early learning experiences are crucial for the healthy lifelong development and learning of young children across the birth to age eight continuum. Our Young Scholars Program (YSP) supports implementation research that is policy­ and practice-relevant and that examines the preparation, competency, compensation, well-being, and ongoing professional learning of the early care and education (ECE) workforce. The Foundation believes that a deeper understanding of the role of ECE professionals in enhancing young children's early learning experiences can ultimately improve the chances for all children to reach their full potential.</p> <p><strong>Three specific goals frame the Foundation's current programmatic priority to strengthen the ECE workforce:</strong></p> <p><strong>1.</strong> Professionalize the early childhood field and build greater awareness of the status of the early childhood workforce.</p> <p><strong>2.</strong> Enhance the quality of professional practice.</p> <p><strong>3.</strong> Improve teacher preparation and ongoing professional learning, with special attention to the influence and role of institutions of higher education.</p> <p>The Foundation believes that a deeper understanding of the role of ECE professionals in enhancing young children’s early learning experiences can ultimately improve the chances for all children to reach their full potential. Scholars will become part of a growing network of the next generation of researchers whose work has the potential to strengthen the ECE workforce and improve the quality of services provided to young children and their families.</p> <p>All proposed research must have primary questions that are relevant to the ECE workforce. With a particular focus on the ECE workforce, all supported research questions must support scientific inquiry into the implementation of specific ECE programs, policies, or practices. Implementation research provides the opportunity to engage in meaningful exploration of what works (or not), for whom, and under what conditions. Finally, all supported research must have a clear connection to policies and practices that have the potential to result in a positive impact on the ECE workforce and on the young children in YSP’s priority populations.</p>