CYFS Research InFocus

November 2025

Thank you for reading Research InFocus! This bi-monthly update highlights life-changing research conducted in partnership with UNL’s Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools. Funding from state and federal agencies, local communities and foundations makes this work possible.

Micheale Marcus, former UNL graduate student, plays with a child at UNMC's Autism Care for Toddlers Clinic in Omaha.

NAECR: Benefiting Nebraska Through Early Childhood Research

Why it matters: What happens from birth to age 8 shapes a child’s future. Early childhood research supports children’s healthy development today — helping them grow into productive adults who contribute to Nebraska’s workforce and future prosperity.

What’s happening: The Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research (NAECR), housed within CYFS, is celebrating 10 years of advancing cross-campus research that benefits Nebraska’s children and early childhood workforce, while connecting the state’s practice, policy and research communities.

• For early childhood practices and policies to truly work for Nebraska’s children and the adults who care for them, they must be informed by high-quality research.

• NAECR, led by CYFS Co-Director Lisa Knoche, enhances early childhood research across the University of Nebraska, bringing together 77 researchers from all three campuses and generating $52.9 million in grant funding.

• NAECR provides the tools, support and programs researchers need to ensure their work has the greatest impact on improving children’s lives.

Jaci Foged, Early Childhood Extension coordinator (left), works with educators at a KNEW workshop in Grand Island.

Strengthening Nebraska’s Early Childhood Workforce

Why it matters: A strong early childhood workforce ensures children receive quality care and education while their parents work — supporting positive outcomes for children, families and the broader economy. Simply put: early childhood education is Nebraska’s best investment.

What’s happening: CYFS research affiliate Philip Lai is leading a workforce development program to train and support early childhood educators, focusing on rural communities with the greatest child care needs. The Knowledge Network for Early Childhood Education Workforce (KNEW) is funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

• Working parents are facing a serious shortage of quality, affordable child care, while early childhood educators are struggling with low pay and high stress.

• The KNEW program, a partnership of Nebraska Extension, Communities for Kids, UNK and UNL, is tackling these challenges by strengthening Nebraska’s rural early childhood workforce.

• The program connects educators, businesses and nonprofits in 15 rural communities to build skills, offer professional support and develop sustainable solutions for quality child care.

The CYFS Research Network includes nearly 100 research affiliates working to make a positive difference in people’s lives — in our state and beyond. Here’s a quick look at one of our valued research affiliates and her impact in Nebraska.

Nebraska provides fertile ground for transformational research that supports a prosperous future for children and youth. CYFS is proud to be a catalyst for that research.

The stories in this newsletter offer a snapshot into the center’s high-quality work that drives innovative practices, informs policy and advances interventions to meet the needs of our children, youth, families, schools and communities.

Thanks to your partnership, these efforts are not only improving lives today — they are also an investment in Nebraska’s future, helping to strengthen the workforce and support long-term economic vitality.

We hope you learned something new and feel inspired by the possibilities ahead.

Research InFocus is a bi-monthly newsletter showcasing research conducted in partnership with UNL's Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools.

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