Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research | | | |
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.
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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.
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Here are recent publications from NAECR researchers:
Multiple Roles and Children with Mixed-Age Groups are Primary Challenges for Adoption of Responsive Feeding for Rural Family Child Care Home Providers
Carly Hillburn, Child, Youth & Family Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Dipti Dev*, Child, Youth & Family Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Lisa Franzen-Castle*, Nutrition & Health Sciences, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Alison Tovar, Behavioral & Social Sciences, Brown University
David Dzewaltowski*, Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Does Coparenting Quality Mediate the Link Between Postpartum Parenting Stress and Perceptions of Emotion Regulation During Parenting?
Seth Finkelstein, Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Rebecca Brock*, Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
* 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.
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New! Caplan Foundation for Early Education
The Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood is an incubator of promising research and development projects that appear likely to improve the welfare of young children, from infancy through 7 years, in the United States.
Funding is provided in the areas of early childhood welfare, early childhood education and play and parenting education.
Letter of inquiry due date: May 31, 2026
Learn more.
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New! Brady Education Foundation
The Brady Education Foundation seeks to improve educational outcomes for children, including those living in low-income communities.
The Foundation supports research projects that have the potential to inform how to improve educational outcomes for children from birth through age 18. It is specifically focused on supporting research that is consistent with a strength-based perspective and has the potential to inform future educational research, practice, major philanthropic giving and/or public policy.
Letter of intent due date: July 1, 2026
Learn more.
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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.
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New! National Association of School Psychologists
Annual Convention
Call for Proposals
Feb. 23-26, 2027
Charlotte, North Carolina
NASP is accepting proposals that support seasoned practitioners in delivering high-quality, evidence-based school practices.
Presentations may be submitted in the following formats: mini-skills, papers, poster, practitioner conversation sessions, symposia and workshops.
Proposal due date: July 8, 2026
Learn more.
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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: This Friday, May 15, 2026
Learn more.
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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.
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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.
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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.
| | No events are scheduled at this time. | | Is there an upcoming conference you want to publicize? A new publication you would like to share? Let us know! | | |
NAECR News archives available
Access past issues of NAECR News.
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NAECR News will be shared twice a month to inform the early childhood research community across the NU system.
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