The Educare Learning Network (ELN) is a consortium of programs implementing the core features of the Educare early education model. Twenty-five Educare Schools across the US serve infants through preschoolers and their families. Twenty-one local evaluation partners (LEPs) collaborate with their local school to collect and utilize data.
The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (FPG) is the National Evaluation Partner (NEP) for the ELN. FPG leads the Educare National Evaluation, including coordinating data collection by LEPs, developing protocols, managing and analyzing data, and disseminating results within and outside the ELN. Read more about FPG's role here.
The Educare National Evaluation is designed to document the features of Educare and how implementation of the model contributes to program quality and links to child and family outcomes. The results of the National Evaluation allow the Educare Learning Network to describe and better understand the progress children and families are making in Educare programs, considering unique local features and elements of the larger community context. The Educare National Evaluation is funded by the Buffett Early Childhood Fund and the George Kaiser Family Foundation.
Educare researchers engage in monthly community of practice meetings, collaborate on cross-site initiatives, and meet annually in Chapel Hill. Read more about the annual Data Camp here.