April 27, 2026

Connections for Kids courses available for fall

UNL undergraduate students in all majors may now enroll in Connections for Kids — a series of five asynchronous online courses focused on promoting young children’s social and emotional development through innovative, evidence-based practices.

Developed through UNL’s Grand Challenges Catalyst grant project, TransformED, the courses are relevant to students interested in learning how to support children’s social and emotional growth across a range of professions, such as classroom educators, child care providers, clinical psychologists, counselors, human service providers, health care professionals and more.

Students can register for the following courses now:

CYAF 490 Series courses available for Fall 2026:

• CYAF 490N Workshop Seminar – TransformED CHIME (1 hr)
• CYAF 490P Workshop Seminar – Pyramid Model 1 (1 hr)

Please share this opportunity with your students and colleagues.

Learn more.

Call for papers: Education Sciences Special Issue

The Education Sciences Journal is accepting proposals for an original paper or review article for a special issue titled: “Broadening Horizons for Educational Data Use: Learning and Leading from Classroom to Community.”

The special issue provides a platform for scholarship on innovative approaches to, or expanded concepts of, leading and learning through data-driven decision-making that are grounded in human-centered approaches, flourishing and relationships in PK-12 contexts.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

How can leaders use nontraditional or qualitative data to strengthen programs, services, school climate work or collaboration among various actors (e.g., students, teachers, administrators, counselors, families, communities) and contexts (e.g., IEP meetings, family-teacher conferences)?

How do data practices shape narratives about students, teachers, family engagement, schools and/or communities? How might data use practices reproduce or disrupt deficit framings of students, families or communities?

Learn more.

Here are recent publications from NAECR researchers:

Promoting Early Language Development through Parent Education: A Randomized Trial of a Text Messaging Intervention

Jamlick Peter Ondieki Bosire, Human Development & Family Science, University of Missouri

Amy Napoli*, Child, Youth & Family Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

The Role of Other-Gender Peer Relationships in Promoting Classroom Supportiveness: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Elementary School Intervention Program

Cindy Faith Miller, Education, Texas State University

Lorey Wheeler*, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Richard Fabes, Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University

Laura Hanish, Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University

Carol Lynn Martin, Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University

 * Denotes NAECR Researcher

** Denotes NAECR Student Researcher

Would you like to see your work featured here? Contact us at naecr@unl.edu

NAECR can assist you in finding research partners for your funding applications and staff in CYFS are available to assist with your proposal development for these or other funding opportunities.

Please contact Lisa Knoche if you are interested in building a collaborative team, need assistance with proposal development or would like to discuss funding opportunities for your research.

New! William T. Grant Scholars Program

This program supports career development for promising early-career researchers. The program funds five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers' expertise in new disciplines, methods and content areas.

Award budget: $425,000 over five years

Proposal due date: June 30, 2026



Learn more.

Spencer Foundation: Racial Equity Research Grants Program

The Racial Equity Research Grants program supports education research projects that will contribute to understanding and disrupting racial inequality in education and work to reimagine generative possibilities to advance educational equity.

Budget: Up to $75,000

Letter of Intent due date: Monday, May 4, 2026



Learn more.

Midwest Pyramid Model Summit

Call for Proposals

Nov. 18-19, 2026

Coralville, Iowa

The Midwest Pyramid Model Summit explores the integration of the Pyramid Model framework at a systems level across various early childhood sectors.

Aimed at advancing high-impact, sustainable implementation strategies, the event focuses on how the Pyramid Model — an evidence-based approach to promoting social and emotional development and positive behavior — can be effectively adapted and scaled in early childhood settings. 

Proposal due date: May 15, 2026

Learn more.

Region VII Head Start Association Leadership Caucus

Call for Proposals

Oct. 20-22, 2026

Overland Park, Kansas

Region VII Head Start Association is seeking presenters for the Annual Fall Leadership Caucus. Proposals should be focused on the professional development needs of Head Start/Early Head Start staff to ensure they are provided the tools and resources needed to be successful in their positions.

Caucus attendees will include Head Start & Early Head Start program executive directors, program directors, senior level managers, center site managers, parent leadership, front line staff, specialists and community partners.

Proposal due date: May 22, 2026

Learn more.

Nebraska Young Childhood Institute 2026

June 16-17, 2026

Kearney, Nebraska

Registration is now open for NYCI 2026. This conference will bring together professionals from across early childhood, health, education, courts, and community systems to explore this year’s theme, "Building for the Future," and to spark ideas that strengthen outcomes for children and families across Nebraska.

Learn more.

Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference

Sept. 22, 2026

Kearney, Nebraska

Join partners from across Nebraska for a full day of connection, collaboration and problem-solving focused on Nebraska’s most pressing early childhood challenges. New this year, conference organizers have issued a call for speakers.

If you or someone in your community has experience, innovative approaches, or working models that would be valuable to share with Nebraskans, they encourage you to submit proposal.

Learn more.

2026 CYFS Early Childhood Summit

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CDT

Nebraska Innovation Campus

Don't miss your chance to register for the 2026 Early Childhood Research Summit.

This year's Summit is Tuesday, April 28, at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

The summit's keynote speaker is Ying Xu, assistant professor of AI in the Department of Learning and Education and Harvard University. She will examine the role and impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on children’s cognitive and social development, and will also consider open questions about whether generative AI tools shape children’s curiosity, creativity and critical thinking.

Summit breakout sessions will cover topics such as early childhood workforce, nutrition and physical development, literacy/reading, social and emotional development, communication and more.

No events are scheduled at this time.

Connecting Research and Policy

Learn more and sign up for alerts about legislation relevant to early childhood researchers.

First Five Nebraska

Voices for Children

Nebraska Legislative Calendar

NAECR Student Researchers

Students involved in early childhood research at the University of Nebraska can access a number of resources through NAECR.

Early childhood courses

NAECR student researchers

Faculty input form for research opportunities

Find a Researcher

Find and collaborate with other early childhood researchers across the NU system.

Early childhood researchers

NAECR News archives available

Access past issues of NAECR News.

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families & Schools

College of Education and Human Sciences

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