On April 2, 2025, the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) hosted the first Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Summit, a gathering of those who produce and support research and design projects related to the early childhood field in Massachusetts.
“It is time to come together to share what we know and what we want to know, now and into the future,” said WCW Senior Research Scientist Dr. Wendy Wagner Robeson, who organized the summit along with Dr. Kimberly Lucas, Professor of the Practice in Public Policy and Economic Justice at the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, and Dr. Kyle DeMeo Cook, Research Assistant Professor at the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development at Boston University.
As Robeson explained, the purpose of the summit was to learn and engage with others about current research agenda opportunities and other opportunities for research, data, and design collaboration; share the latest research, data, and design insights with policymakers and others in the field; and co-create a roadmap and charge to develop a statewide early childhood policy research collaborative.
Over 110 researchers, policymakers, advocates, funders, students, and practitioners were welcomed by WCW Interim Executive Director Georgia Hall, Ph.D., and Rep. Alice Peisch, Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
“I’m struck by how important those first months and years of a child’s life are,” said Peisch. “And I’m really struck by the variety of research presented here…I encourage all of you to reach out to your state representatives and share your research with them.”
Presentations from Strategies for Children, the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), and the Massachusetts Education-to-Career Research and Data Hub focused on their respective statewide research agendas and available data. Given the day’s emphasis on collaboration, they also pointed out where they saw opportunities to work together and invited further conversation.
“We know there’s so much good work happening in Massachusetts,” said Marisa Fear, Director of Policy at Strategies for Children. “It’s a very well-resourced community, and at the same time, we don’t always talk to each other.”
Added Amy Checkoway, EEC’s Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Strategy and Research: “I’m reflecting on the power of partnership and the importance of trust. I want to lift up the value of evidence and research to make things better for people.”
The presentations were followed by a poster session. Cook applauded the poster presenters, saying, “The poster session includes a sample of the great work happening in Massachusetts. It is intended to help presenters and non-presenters connect with one another today and in the future around similar work.”
The afternoon discussion facilitated by Mo Barbosa, Senior Director of Community Engagement at Health Resources in Action, focused on crafting next steps for a coordinated, aligned collaborative of early childhood researchers, data analysts, and designers.
The day was rounded out by remarks from Lucas, who noted the importance of “creating spaces for other people to surprise you.” She ended with an invitation to all in the room to co-create the kind of research, data, and design infrastructure that would best support the Commonwealth’s youngest learners, their families, and their early educators in ensuring that their future—and ours—is bright.
