National Institute Launches a Powerful New Resource in the Drive for Quality Preschool

7/30/2002

From: Karen Frankola of the National Institute for Early Education Research, 732-932-4350 ext. 225

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ, July 30 -- The movement to bring quality preschool education to all of America's children has an important new resource. Whether you're a legislator seeking hard data on the benefits of early education, a journalist in immediate need of an expert, or a preschool teacher looking for stimulating classroom activities, you can click on nieer.org, the website of The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER).

The site features new papers written by leading researchers in early education for three- and four-year olds. Users can get questions answered from NIEER's network of experts and tap into online debates of important issues. A State Databank lists preschool standards and salaries for every state. The site also offers summaries of important publications and breaking news stories on early education issues.

NIEER Director Steve Barnett says the website is key to the Institute's mission -- to provide a research base that supports policy ensuring access to a good education for every three- and four-year old in America.

Barnett says, "Through nieer.org, anyone can quickly and easily get information that is timely, accurate, and relevant to early education policy."

The website primarily targets policy makers, journalists, researchers, and educators. Barnett says, "It's become increasingly important to base education policy on solid science, so it's crucial for a non-partisan organization to disseminate quality research. NIEER's website makes it easy not just to find this information, but to understand and use it."

NIEER (pronounced near) was established earlier this year at Rutgers University's Graduate School of Education with a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Dr. Barnett, one of the country's top researchers in early education policy, directed the Center for Early Education Research, which has now been merged with NIEER.