Friday June 12th saw the launch of the Early Childhood Exchange (ECX), an exciting, first-of-its-kind research effort that’s designed to provide state leaders with high-quality, evidence-based research they can use as they make early childhood policy decisions. 

ECX’s founding partners are the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy, Strategies for Children, and the Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Collaborative, which is led by led by representatives from Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs, Wellesley Centers for Women, and Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development.

“The Early Childhood Exchange gives Massachusetts researchers something we have long needed: a direct, structured pathway from our work to the people making decisions about children’s lives,” Northeastern University Professor Kim Lucas says. “This collaboration will not only connect existing research to policy — it will help us identify the gaps, ask better questions, and build the evidence base our state needs for the long term.”

ECX researchers will evaluate current early childhood practices, and they’ll share the findings of new research. 

The founding partners will provide expertise in different areas: 

• The Rennie Center is focusing on research translation and policy analysis

• Strategies for Children is serving as the legislative and community liaison, tracking the pulse of state policy priorities while maintaining connections with the executive branch, state legislators, program providers, and advocates; and 

• the Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Collaborative is providing deep research expertise through a network of scholars across the Commonwealth who design and conduct applied, policy-relevant research

“Advocates have always known that connecting people to power is how policy changes. Now, with the Early Childhood Exchange, we can do that with the full force of research behind us,” Amy O’Leary, Strategies’ executive director, says. “When a legislator asks what the evidence says about a program or a funding decision, we will have an answer—fast, credible, and actionable. That is a game-changer for early childhood in Massachusetts.”

Funding for ECX has been generously provided by The Boston Foundation, the Commonwealth Children’s Fund, the Eastern Bank Foundation, and The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation. The official launch was announced at The Boston Foundation’s June 12th event (linked above).

By taking joint action, these organizations are investing in “a more strategic and coordinated approach to ensure critical research needs are addressed across the early childhood sector,” a press release explains. 

Ensuring that the early childhood community has expanded and faster flowing access to research promises to give young children an exceptionally strong start. 

As Chad d’Entremont, the executive director of the Rennie Center explains, “We know so much about what young children need to thrive and the supports that can make a lasting difference in their lives. Too often, however, that knowledge remains fragmented across sectors and systems that do not consistently work together. The Early Childhood Exchange is designed to bridge those divides by bringing together research, policy expertise, and state leadership to ensure that evidence more directly informs decisions affecting young children and families across Massachusetts.”

Stay tuned: we’ll share more ECX updates in the months ahead.