Research
Proactive Early Childhood Policy Through Research and Data Analysis
First Five Nebraska’s work is grounded in applied research to inform public policies that provide the best outcomes for Nebraska’s young children, families, businesses and communities. We partner with experts to research and analyze data around a variety of early childhood issues to understand needs across Nebraska. These include the economic impacts of early childhood programs, the cost of high-quality child care, equity and accessibility, supports for the early childhood workforce and more.
The Bottom Line
In 2020, First Five Nebraska and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research released The Bottom Line, a report that explored the economic impacts of inadequate child care access in Nebraska. Learn more
2021-22 Research Priorities
- Analyzing the efficacy of the School Readiness Tax Credit for early childhood professionals.
- Establishing the costs of high-quality child care in Nebraska.
- Exploring the use of tax credits to bolster Nebraska’s early childhood infrastructure.
Featured Publications
Policy Fellows Program seeks connections between early childhood research, policy
First Five Nebraska policy staff and early childhood researchers from all five University of Nebraska campuses kicked off the second cohort of the Policy Fellows Program recently. The Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research (NAECR) and First Five Nebraska began...
FFN welcomes policy research interns
We’d like to introduce FFN's two interns for the 2021-2022 academic year. Dalhia Lloyd and Samuel Mitchell-Sturgeon will serve in a primary support role for Data and Policy Research Advisor Katie Bass. In particular, they’ll assist with a School Readiness Tax Credit...
2021-22 Policy Leadership Academy kicks off in Kearney
Nebraska’s statewide community of early childhood policy advocates just got larger. This past week, the 2021-22 class of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy (PLA) kicked off in Kearney after a one-year pause in the program due to the onset of...
First Five Nebraska launches enhanced, responsive website
We’re excited to announce the launch of First Five Nebraska’s new website. Featuring a fully responsive look and enhanced user experience, the new site was designed to educate and engage Nebraskans around critical early childhood news and policies in our state. “For...
Report: Lack of child care in rural Nebraska impacts business, communities, crime, security
First Five Nebraska Director Jason Prokop and Strategic Partnerships Advisor Mike Feeken recently joined a virtual panel with business, law enforcement and military leaders to release a new report by Council for a Strong America (CSA), Early Childhood Programs’...
Katie Bass joins FFN’s Policy staff
We're happy to introduce Katie Bass as our new Data and Policy Research Advisor. Prior to joining First Five Nebraska, Katie worked to improve outcomes for Nebraska children in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. In her most recent role as research...
