Early Childhood
Research Core
Hallie E. Ford Center
Faculty in this core focus on optimizing children's development and well-being in families, early care and educational settings and communities.
Current project summaries from within the core
Early learning System Initiative (ELSI)
Developed and designed to increase early access to high-quality, professional learning opportunities and technical assistance for the early education workforce in Oregon.
- PI: Megan McClelland, PhD
- Co-PIs: Bridget Hatfield, PhD and Megan Pratt, PhD
Oregon Inclusion Initiative
Developing a framework of support to implement the Pyramid Model and the National indicators of high Quality Inclusion in Oregon early care and education environments. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the creation of an inclusive, culturally responsive, and identity affirming early care and education workforce.
- PI: Bridget Hatfield, PhD
- Co-PI: Megan McClelland, PhD
ASPIRE Children’s Environmental Health Center
A dedicated team working together to improve children's health and well-being. Their efforts focus on accelerating the adoption of evidence-informed policies, programs, and practices that can reduce harmful environmental exposures where children live, play, and attend school.
• CO-PIs: Megan McClelland, PhD and Molly Kile, ScD
Red Light, Purple Light! Evaluating a Self-Regulation Intervention for Children in Early Learning Settings
This project will test the initial efficacy of Red Light, Purple Light (RLPL), a self-regulation intervention developed as part of an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) grant. Researchers will examine whether access to one of two versions of RLPL, self-regulation (SR) or self-regulation with math/literacy (SR+), compared to a wait-list control (WLC) condition, relates to gains in children's self-regulation, math, and literacy skills in preschool and six months later.
Roots of Resilience
Roots of Resilience is a professional development program designed to help early childhood teachers promote resilience in children impacted by trauma.
Flame Retardants and Home Environment on Children's School Readiness
This interdisciplinary study aims to improve our understanding of children's exposures to flame retardant compounds, as well as to examine the interplay between flame retardants and adverse social experiences on children's neurocognitive, executive functioning, and behavioral development.
- Co-PIs: Shannon Lipscomb, PhD and Molly Kile, ScD
- Co-Investigators: Megan McClelland, PhD and Megan MacDonald, PhD
Oregon Child Care Research Partnership
The Oregon Child Care Research Partnership brings together state child care agencies, child care resource and referral entities, child care practitioners, and university-based researchers to define, create, and disseminate research on child care dynamics to decision-makers.
- PI: Megan Pratt, PhD
Impact of 2014 CCDBG Act on Children, Families, and the Quality of Home Based Child Care
This project implements four research studies to assess the effect of Oregon's implementation of new policies in response to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014, with a special focus on home-based child care.
- Co-PIs: Megan Pratt, PhD and Bridget Hatfield, PhD
Development and evaluation of an intervention to increase joint activity and social well-being for adolescents with developmental disabilities
This research project is evaluating a multi-site, novel physical activity intervention for adolescents with developmental disabilities and their family dogs through a multi-site randomized controlled trial.
- PI's: Megan MacDonald, PhD and Monique Udell, PhD
Stories and articles on core research and programs
Jan. 25, 2024
Board book promotes healthy beginnings
Nov. 21, 2023
How do instructional coaches prepare to effectively support early childhood educators?
Jan. 24, 2023
ELSI: Oregon’s Higher Education Partner for Early Education
Dec. 27, 2022
A New Year of Reflection, Impact and Equity
May 24, 2022
Five Tips for Talking With Kids About What’s Going On in the World
March 16, 2022
OSU receives $14.4 million grant for statewide center to support early childhood educators