Evaluating Leadership Development in Early Care and Education. Early Childhood Research Brief. OPRE Report 2022-141

The early care and education (ECE) field is still in the early stages of building the infrastructure it needs to attract, support, and sustain strong leadership (Austin, 2014; Goffin & Daga, 2017; Kirby et al., 2021; Pacchiano et al., 2016). This brief presents the findings from a review of research on ECE leadership development initiatives from the Early Care and Education Leadership Study (ExCELS) that focuses on leadership in center-based ECE settings. It examines seven ECE leadership development initiatives that have been the focus of one or more evaluations, describes the features and intended outcomes of each initiative, and considers how they might continue to be implemented and evaluated to further strengthen ECE leadership development. It highlights several key findings: (1) evidence about leadership development in ECE is not yet widely available or accessible; (2) the field needs a deeper understanding about what effective leadership looks like, how to develop and measure it, and what outcomes it can produce; and (3) descriptive studies of seven leadership development initiatives suggest that continued use and evaluation can increase our understanding of the structures and supports that are needed to develop ECE leaders.