Dear Colleagues,

This will be my last time writing the Letter from the Director column for the ECEI’s Newsletter. I admit it is bittersweet. My time as ECEI Director and the GKFF Endowed Chair has been very rewarding. OU, with support from the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF), offered the unique opportunities to build an applied research group and, with faculty colleagues, start academic programs in ECE at the OU-Tulsa Campus. Both the ECE academic programs and the ECEI have grown over the past 18 years. We started in 2006 with a bachelor’s completion degree building on the ECE associate’s degree offered by Tulsa Community College; and now in 2024 have over 200 graduates who are Oklahoma-certified ECE teachers working in classrooms across the Tulsa area. Given interest, we also started a Ph.D. program with an ECE specialization in 2011 (now with approximately 25 graduates), and more recently an interdisciplinary master’s degree in Childhood Well-Being (12 graduates). Relative to the ECEI, we have grown from one staff member (me) with one research contract to a robust group of 30+ with multiple projects and funders. Although all of ECEI’s projects are exciting and make solid contributions to the ECE field, I have especially appreciated the opportunity to work with CAP Tulsa and Tulsa Educare on an ongoing basis since 2006. What an exciting and gratifying 18 years! Thanks all!

You will learn more about the new GKFF Endowed Chair and ECEI Director in this newsletter. In mid-June it was announced that Kathleen Gallagher, Ph.D. has been appointed as the new GKFF Endowed Chair and ECEI Director. Kate comes to OU from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, where she served as Director of Research and Evaluation since 2018, as well as professor of education, developmental psychology, and children, youth and family studies. Her work focuses on developing applied research and evaluation studies involving children from birth through grade 3, their families, and the early childhood professionals who care for and teach young children. Prior to the University of Nebraska, Kate was a research scientist at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she also taught in the school of education. Given her experience at two excellent university-based, applied ECE research groups, Kate is the perfect pick! I strongly believe her combination of background experiences uniquely qualifies her to assume leadership of the ECEI. I feel confident that she will excel as she builds on the ECEI’s capacities to continue its growth and foster its prominence as a national leader in ECE research.

Kate will start on August 1, 2024. OU approved a transition plan that will allow me and Kate to overlap from August 1 until my retirement on January 1, 2025. Thus, Kate and I will work together over the fall semester to ensure a smooth transition. To me, this is the perfect ending to a perfect job!

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Thank you for your interest in and support of the ECEI over the past 18 years!

Sincerely, Diane

OU Names New ECEI Director

The University of Oklahoma Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI) on the Tulsa campus has announced the appointment of Kathleen Gallagher, Ph.D. as the new director effective Aug. 1, 2024. Gallagher will replace long-time ECEI founder and director Diane Horm, Ph.D., after her retirement in Dec. 2024.

“We extend our warmest welcome to Dr. Kathleen Gallagher as she joins the University of Oklahoma,” said Stacy Reeder, Ph.D., dean of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. “The Early Childhood Education Institute is incredibly valuable to the college and to early childhood education research in the state and beyond. With her deep understanding of this vitally important work, Dr. Gallagher is well prepared to carry on the research the ECEI has expertly championed. Dr. Gallagher’s experience and expertise will surely continue to elevate the mission of the ECEI into this next chapter and beyond, building on the legacy established by Dr. Horm.”

The search committee, comprising seven faculty members from the Norman and Tulsa campuses of the College of Education, embarked on a meticulous process to identify and recruit esteemed scholars in the field of early childhood research. With a keen focus on candidates possessing a track record of securing national grants or directing research centers, the committee curated a list of prominent researchers.

After a broad recruitment process and rigorous screening, finalists participated in on-site three-day interview processes. This comprehensive evaluation encompassed dedicated sessions at OU-Tulsa, the ECEI, community partners and the OU Norman campus. Recognizing the importance of garnering diverse perspectives, the committee actively solicited feedback from all college of education constituencies and community partners, ensuring a well-informed and inclusive decision-making process. This approach underscores the college's commitment to excellence and its dedication to fostering collaborative relationships within the broader educational ecosystem.

Gallagher comes to OU from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, where she has served as director of research and evaluation since 2018. Gallagher also served as endowed chair and professor of education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and holds courtesy appointments in developmental psychology (University of Nebraska Omaha) and children, youth and family studies (University of Nebraska Lincoln). Her work focuses on developing applied research and evaluation studies involving children from birth through grade three, their families, and the early childhood professionals who care for and teach young children. Prior to the University of Nebraska, Gallagher served as a research scientist at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she also taught in the school of education. Gallagher has more than 30 years of experience as an early childhood professional and educational psychologist.

An active and accomplished scholar of early childhood education best practices, Gallagher has published several book chapters and scores of articles in leading academic journals in her field. She has also presented widely at numerous highly regarded national and international conferences. She has served on the editorial boards of several scholarly publications including Early Childhood Research Quarterly and the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. Gallagher’s research has been widely funded by state and federal governmental agencies as well as private foundations, having received nearly $25 million in grants.

Gallagher has taught at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels on subjects such as child development and family studies, curriculum and instruction, and social relationships and developmental competence. Serving as a mentor for others, she serves as a peer reviewer for dozens of publications in the education sector.

Diane Horm, the current George Kaiser Family Foundation Endowed Chair and founding director of the ECEI, said that she is extremely comfortable with Gallagher coming on board as her successor.

“Dr. Gallagher has deep knowledge of early childhood content, experience working in early childhood programs, applied research expertise that aligns with the ECEI’s mission and vision, and experience at two other top-notch university-affiliated early childhood research groups. This combination of background experiences uniquely qualifies her to take over leadership of the ECEI. I feel confident that she will excel as she builds on the ECEI’s capacities to continue its growth and foster its prominence as a national leader in ECE research.”

Gallagher earned a bachelor of arts in education/special education (early childhood) from Cardinal Stritch University and a master of arts degree in education policy/foundations from Marquette University. She also attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she earned her Ph.D. in educational psychology/human development.

Horm Recognized for Outstanding Work in Research

RECENT CONFERENCES

ECEI Showcases Variety of Research at NRCEC

The ECEI was well-represented at the National Research Conference on Early Childhood June 24-26 in Arlington, VA with four breakout sessions and eight posters.

OU to Evaluate $36M Federal Grant to Strengthen State's Early Childhood Systems

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Oklahoma has received a portion of a $36 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate strategies designed to strengthen educational support for Oklahoma’s children, ages birth through five years. Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, was awarded this three-year grant and has contracted with OU researchers to lead the evaluation component.

“We look forward to once again working with the research teams from OU,” said Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Executive Director Carrie Williams. “Their level of knowledge and expertise on the topic of early childhood care and education, or ECCE, makes OU the logical and best choice to evaluate the work we will be doing to improve systems and outcomes that will benefit Oklahoma’s children and families through this federal grant.”

The OU team leading the evaluation includes Erin Maher, Ph.D., Diane Horm, Ph.D., and David McLeod, Ph.D., MSW. They will focus on three areas of evaluation of ECCE strategies: community engagement, workforce development and quality enhancement. OU’s Educational Training, Evaluation, Assessment & Measurement research group will also support the endeavor with project management and data collection.

According to Horm, this research is especially important in Oklahoma because access to high-quality early childhood services is good for all children and particularly good for children who are considered at risk for a variety of reasons – including identified disabilities or living in minority or underrepresented communities. Oklahoma has a particularly high percentage of children considered at risk for school failure.

“Our state ranks low in indicators of health and education and has a high number of children growing up in poverty,” Horm said. “We also have a high number of adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs. These are things like abuse or neglect, homelessness or witnessing violence in the home. High ACE scores are one reason that Oklahoma needs support for children ages birth to five years.”

The results of this project could be significant, potentially improving the education and overall quality of life for children in Oklahoma, who demonstrate among the highest ACE scores in the country.

“There’s a constellation of factors that contribute to the trauma Oklahoma’s children endure. But this doesn’t have to be a sentence for a horrible life,” McLeod said. “How we engage in the education process is a major way to mitigate this trauma, and ages birth to five is a great time to give children support and to help their helpers. We must multiply our efforts and get other helping professionals trained in high-value, evidence-based activities to improve overall quality of life and dramatically help more children.”

To read the full article about this grant, visit our website.

UPDATES FROM THE FIELD

Our ECEI Research Associates spend a significant amount of time observing and playing games with the young children who take part in our various research studies. Here are a few of our favorite interactions:

High-Quality Early Childhood Education is Worth the Investment

Diane Horm

https://oej.scholasticahq.com/article/116664-high-quality-early-childhood-education-is-worth-the-investment

Oklahoma is considered a leader in early childhood education. In 1998, the state passed legislation requiring its public-school districts to offer free preschool to all four-year old children. Approximately 70% of the state’s four-year-olds currently use this program and only four other states have such extensive programs in place. In 2006, the state legislature extended Oklahoma’s early childhood programs from birth to age three by creating the Oklahoma Early Childhood Program (OECP). Since its inception, over 39,000 children have participated in this program.

But are Oklahoma’s early childhood programs smart investments? Several renowned multi-decade randomized controlled trials of early childhood education programs find positive outcomes for children suggesting that these programs are worth the investment.

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