Public Policies & Programs

Focus Areas

The Early Childhood Program engages in analysis and policy development to help establish high-quality, affordable education systems and services that respect the rights and needs of communities, children, and parents, particularly disadvantaged children and their families. The program’s policy activities are strongly reflected in its work in Liberia, where the program is supporting government reform plans and development of new early childhood education policies.

Similarly, the Early Childhood Program is collaborating with the American Institutes of Research to evaluate its Getting Ready for School project in Armenia, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and the United States. The evaluation will gather evidence about the effectiveness of this parenting program aimed at improving home learning environments and children’s readiness for school. The program may offer particular benefits and policy solutions in contexts that do not have adequate parent and early childhood education facilities outside the home.