NAEYC announces the hiring of a Senior Scholar, establishes Center for Applied Research

Center for Applied Research will advance Association’s commitment to evidence-based practices and enhance research and policy in early childhood education

(Washington) – The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is pleased to announce the hiring of Kyle Snow, Ph.D., Senior Scholar and Director of the newly created Center for Applied Research, which will lead NAEYC’s efforts to continue to establish the Association’s commitment to linking research, policy, and practice in support of early childhood professionals and those they serve.

The Center for Applied Research will support and expand NAEYC’s dedication to research-based practices and will build upon this work exemplified in such projects as the best-selling book, Developmentally Appropriate Practice and related resources, as well as the standards and criteria developed around NAEYC’s accreditation systems.

In an effort to balance best practices with the needs of those working in the early childhood field, the Center will also be communicating and engaging the education community, including NAEYC members and Affiliates on a regular basis. Both practitioners and policymakers rely on making decisions on the basis of the best research and evidence for how to support children's learning and development. Dr. Snow’s work with the new Center reaffirms NAEYC’s commitment to helping educators, administrators, and policymakers use the research wisely.

One of Dr. Snow’s major responsibilities will also be coordinating NAEYC’s work to develop or revise position statements that reflect evidence-based practices in the early childhood field. NAEYC is in the process of updating its Technology and Young Children position statement and developing a new position statement around play.

“We welcome Kyle to the Association and are very pleased to have him spearhead our new Center and the important work that will come out of our research department,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D., Executive Director of NAEYC. “His varied and unique skill set is a perfect fit to underscore NAEYC’s commitment to continue to establish our own research, enhance evidence-based standards and practices in the field, and ensure research is supporting the tough real-life decisions educators and policy makers must make.”

Dr. Snow brings with him years of experience in both research and early childhood education. Most recently a senior research psychologist at RTI International, Dr. Snow has held a variety of positions in academic, federal, and applied research settings. His research has focused on young children, with special emphasis on early care and education and school readiness, and has shaped the federal research agenda on school readiness. At RTI, he provided scientific leadership on key projects, including serving as Principal Investigator for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth (ECLS-B), a prospective longitudinal study of nearly 10,000 children born in 2001 and their families as the children developed from infancy through kindergarten entry, funded by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). He also has conducted research on the long-term effects of child maltreatment. In addition, Dr. Snow is co-editor (and contributing author) of School Readiness, Early Learning, and the Transition to Kindergarten in the Era of Accountability (Brookes, 2007).

Prior to joining RTI in 2005, Dr. Snow was the Director of the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development Program in Early Learning and School Readiness. Dr. Snow holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Castleton State College in Vermont and a master’s degree and doctorate in human development from Cornell University in New York.

More information on the Center for Applied Research will be found on the NAEYC website. Check back for details in the coming months.

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