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Case Studies

Neurons and Neighborhoods in the Nation’s Capital

How a D.C. Women’s Shelter Is Becoming a Leader in Multigenerational Therapy

Mark Swartz·December 7, 2022·4 min read

Early in the pandemic, Dr. Alicia Lieberman, director of the Child Trauma Research Program at the University of California, San...

For Children and the Climate, the Future Is Now

Diving into the Data with the Early Years Climate Action Task Force

Mark Swartz·November 21, 2022·4 min read

Human brains aren’t so good at planning ahead. Because we have a weird tendency to view our future selves as...

Faith-Based Child Care: Stories from Michigan

Mark Swartz·November 15, 2022·5 min read

A national survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center in 2021 found that of the 31% of working-parent households that...

Keywords and Coffee Fuel In-Depth Studies of Environmental Education in Early Childhood

K.C. Compton·November 3, 2022·5 min read

One thought comes immediately to mind when looking at Stanford University researchers’ systematic review of 66 studies on the value...

New Research Shows Welfare Work Requirements Have Been a Disaster for Young Kids

Kendra Hurley·October 11, 2022·6 min read

In 1996, the United States overhauled its approach to helping poor families using a commonsense-sounding yet untested idea: the notion...

New Ascend Fellows Announced at the Aspen Institute

Fellows Catalyze Change

Mark Swartz·September 23, 2022·8 min read

For 10 years, Ascend at the Aspen Institute has worked with families and partners to generate educational success and economic...

Maria Montessori Myth Busting

Part 2 of a 3-Part Series

Mark Swartz·September 16, 2022·6 min read

The history of its proliferation and multi-pronged institutional dissemination has fostered a degree of confusion and myths about the founder’s intentions and how the method is practiced.

Maria Montessori’s Influence on Early Education

Part 1 of a 3-Part Series

Mark Swartz·September 15, 2022·6 min read

Part I: From Italy to the World Maria Montessori (1870-1952) might not be quite as famous as her near contemporaries...

Susan Neuman’s Unbound Ambitions

Mark Swartz·September 7, 2022·3 min read

“Literacy learning for young children is not bound in time and space,” proclaims Susan Neuman’s latest paper for Reading Research...

The Early Years Climate Action Task Force: “A Natural and Necessary Focus”

Mark Swartz·July 26, 2022·4 min read

Maybe two generations aren’t enough. Ascend at the Aspen Institute champions two-generation solutions, supporting the educational and career goals of...