It's been an active and productive spring for everyone at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG). In this quarterly update, you will find a sampling of our new publications, speaking engagements, presentations, trainings, awards, milestones, and more.

Publications

Shannon Stark Guss (University of Denver), Douglas Clements (University of Denver), Elica Sharifnia (SRI International), Julie Sarama (University of Denver) and FPG Technical Assistance Specialist Adam Holland, Senior Technical Assistance Specialist Chih-Ing Lim, and Senior Technical Assistance Specialist Megan Vinh co-authored "Designing Inclusive Computational Thinking Learning Trajectories for the Youngest Learners."

FPG Social Science Research Methodologist Ping Chen, Data Management and Analysis Core Director Sabrina Zadrozny, Senior Research Scientist Ronald Seifer, and Faculty Fellow Aysenil Belger co-authored "Polygenic Risk, Childhood Abuse and Gene X Environment Interactions with Depression Development from Middle to Late Adulthood: A U.S. National Life-Course Study."

FPG Faculty Fellow Iheoma Iruka, Alexandria Forte (UNC School of Social Work), Sihong Liu (Stanford University), Jacqueline Sims (Boston University), and Stephanie Curenton (Boston University) co-authored "Initial Validation of the Family Cultural Wealth Survey: Relation with Racial Discrimination and Well-being for Black Families."

Danai Kasambira Fannin (Duke University), Ed-Dee Williams (Boston College), Marcus Fuller (University of Maryland), Jamie Pearson (NC State University), FPG Director Brian Boyd, Elizabeth Drame (University of Wisconsin), Jonte' Taylor (Penn State University), Aisha Dickerson (Johns Hopkins), Adiaha Spinks-Franklin (Baylor College of Medicine), D' Jaris Coles-White (Western Michigan University) co-authored "Unpacking the Prevalence: A Warning Against Overstating the Recently Narrowed Gap for Black Autistic Youth."

FPG Senior Research Scientists Sandra Soliday Hong, Ronald Seifer, Project Coordinator Jada Walker, and former FPG members Robert Carr and Aditi Nambiar co-authored "North Carolina Pre-K Pyramid Model Evaluation Study Implementation and Outcomes Executive Summary" and "North Carolina Pre-K Pyramid Model Evaluation Study Implementation and Outcomes Evaluation Study Final Results." FPG and the NCDHHS DCDEE partnered to assess a pilot implementation of the NC Preschool Pyramid Model, a social-emotional coaching program designed to enhance the use of evidence-based practices to support social-emotional development for NC Pre-K classrooms located in private center-based preschool programs in one urban and three rural counties.

While research has suggested that time in nature is important for mental health, studies examining the effects on young children are limited. A group of ECHO investigators, including FPG Research Scientist Nissa Towe-Goodman and Advanced Research Scientist Margaret Swingler, addressed this research gap by analyzing information from parents about the behavior of their children from ages 2 to 11. Their findings were published in JAMA Network Open in "Green Space and Internalizing or Externalizing Symptoms Among Children."

FPG Equity Research Action Coalition (ERAC) Founder and Faculty Fellow Iheoma Iruka, Mary Edwards (ERAC), Evandra Catherine (Arizona State University), Brittany Alexander (Arizona State University), and Shantel Meek (Arizona State University) co-authored "Review of Policy Effects on Black Families and Children: Advancing the Black Child National Agenda" This report advances the Black Child National Agenda by examining major policies and programs in the United States that impact the lives of Black children and families based on the access, experiences, and outcomes framework.

"Operationalizing High-Quality Dual Language Programming: From the Early Years to the Early Grades." In this new report, The Children’s Equity Project, in partnership with The Century Foundation and dozens of research and practitioner partners, including FPG Senior Research Scientist Ximena Franco-Jenkins operationalizes high-quality dual language education for young emergent bilinguals.

Awards/Funding

Sandra Soliday Hong (PI) and Laura Kuhn (Co-PI) received funding from the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning for the Hillsborough Early Learning Network.

FPG Director Brian Boyd (PI) and Iheoma Iruka (Co-PI) received funding from the National Institute of Mental Health for a new project titled, "Racism and Resilience Among Black Autistic Children and Caregivers."

Jessica Reed (PI) and Tamara Robertson (Co-PI) received funding from the NCDHHS Division of Social Services for their project, “Multi-Level Implementation Supports for North Carolina Triple P Team.”

Jessica Amsbary and Chih-Ing Lim have been awarded a COIL Curriculum Development Award from UNC Global Affairs for spring 2025 / their instruction of UNC course EDMX 710: Early Childhood Education Leadership. They will be collaborating with Huichao Xie from University College – Dublin.

Noreen Yazejian (PI) and Nicole Telfer (Co-PI) have received funding from the Brady Education Foundation for their project "Black Parents' Ethnic-Socialization Practices."

The National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) at FPG, in partnership with Capital City Public Charter School and EL Education, has been awarded one of eight grants by the Research Partnership for Professional Learning to enhance the knowledge base of professional learning in equitable math HQIM that supports Black, Latine, Native American, and students experiencing poverty.

Iheoma Iruka (PI) and Catasha Williams (Co-PI) received funding from Guidehouse for their project, "ACF Office of Child Care Disability Inclusion in Child Care."

Speaking engagements, presentations, and trainings

The Institute was well represented at the Society for Prevention Research Annual Meeting. Our researchers and implementation specialists were involved in a variety of presentations and sessions (see photo above from the meeting).

Technical Assistance Specialist Paula Grubbs moderated a discussion titled, “The ‘Sturdy Bridge’: Ensuring a Seamless Transition to Kindergarten,” which featured preschool and kindergarten specialists from across the U.S. sharing what their states are doing to make the transition to kindergarten a seamless one.  Find out how the Kindergarten Sturdy Bridge project aims to improve kindergarten experiences for every child.

During a recent webinar, Senior Research Scientist Denni Fishbein presented "Leveraging Trauma Science to Redirect Youth Away from Pathways to Addiction,” which focused on the ways in which developmental pathways are influenced by neurobiology, the social environment, and contextual experiences, and how developmental pathways may increase risk for substance use involvement and the development of substance use disorder.

As part of the Parenting While Black 2024 series, FPG Director Brian Boyd spoke at a webinar titled "Episode 4: Embracing Developmental Differences in Black Children (Part II) –Showing up and Flourishing in Our Own Way.” Attendees learned about family and community strategies to support and strengthen their developmental toolbox—ensuring that Black children with developmental differences thrive and flourish.
Technical Assistance Specialist Jani Kozlowski presented a webinar titled, "All Hands on Deck: Using Our Collaborative Superpowers for Early Childhood Inclusion."

Faculty Fellow and School of Social Work Professor, Paul Lanier, joined Disability Rights NC Assistant Legal Director, Holly Stiles, for an in-depth conversation with WUNC's "Due South" on North Carolina's youth mental health and Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs); listen to the discussion.

FPG Director Brian Boyd served as a special guest and panelist for a session titled, "Navigating Crisis: Autism and Mental Health Interventions in the Black Community" at the Can We Talk? 2024 Symposium.

Faculty Fellow Kara Hume and Educational Consultant Victoria Waters presented "Building Connection and Community in Middle and High School Settings" via an Organization for Autism Research webinar.

Senior Research Scientist Ximena Franco-Jenkins and Doré LaForett presented "Maximizing Student Engagement for All in 50/50 and 90/10 Two-Way Immersion Programs" at the 2024 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) Conference.

Media Mentions

State Lines | PBS North Carolina
America in Black, Season 2, Episode 6 | BET
Green Spaces May Improve Kids’ Mental Health | NIH News in Health
Home-school connection, cultural responsiveness bridge kindergarten racial/ethnic gaps | ELN News
New Project Examines Racism and Resilience Among Black Autistic Children and Caregivers | DrexelNEWS
Green space may improve young children’s mental health | NIH Research Matters
Parks, Forests Boost Preschoolers' Mental Health | U.S. News & World Report
Researchers Show Injury Prevention Program Reduces Injuries in Young Children | UNC Health
Young children misbehave. Some are suspended for acting their age | The Hechinger Report
Autism is still under-researched in Black and brown communities. Here's how that can change. | Due South
Robeson Community College’s early childhood education program to participate in national project with UNC | EdNC
Non-medical factors can make a big difference in health for low-income and minority populations | NC Health News

News, milestones, and more

FPG welcomed more than 600 in-person and virtual registrants from across the globe, to the International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute, an annual event offering one of the premier educational opportunities for those involved in the care and education of young children with disabilities (birth to eight) in inclusive settings.

The Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules (AFIRM) project has reached an incredible milestone―350,000 (and counting!) users now rely on AFIRM for evidence-based practices that can help learners with autism.

FPG's Equity Research Action Coalition's Iheoma Iruka, Danielle Allen, and TK Musa received the Best Article Award from Theory into Practice for their article, African-Centered Education (ACE): Strategies to Advance Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Equitable Learning Opportunities for Young Black Children.

Technical Assistance Specialist Jani Kozlowski published her second book, "Empowering Your Child to Fly: A Family's Guide to Early Childhood Inclusion."

FPG Postdoctoral Scholar Nicole Telfer and Senior Research Scientist Noreen Yazejian on behalf of international colleague Solomiia Boikovych, have received the Thelma Harms Early Childhood Education Award. The award is designed to further the understanding and improvement of early childhood program quality internationally.

STEMIE's My STEM Adventure app was named as a 2024 EdTech Awards Cool Tool Finalist in the STEM (science, tech, engineering, math) solution category. Organized by EdTech Digest, this awards program is the world's largest for recognizing the biggest names―and those who soon will be―in education technology.

Faculty Fellow Iheoma Iruka will be joining the Department of Maternal and Child Health in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health in August as a tenured full professor. In addition to her new appointment, Iruka will remain a faculty fellow at FPG and will continue her work as director of FPG’s Equity Research Action Coalition.

FPG Director Brian Boyd was appointed president-elect of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), a professional society that aims to engage in research and research-related activities in autism.

The Carolina Survey Research Laboratory (CSRL), which was previously housed within the Department of Bioinformatics, joins FPG and brings enhanced capacity in survey and questionnaire design, data collection, and comprehensive data management and analysis to the Institute.

During a recent National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) conference in New Orleans, Camille Catlett received the Visionary Award for leading-edge spirit and creative approaches to every pursuit from the Associate Degree Early Childhood Teacher Educators – ACCESS to Shared Knowledge and Practice (ACCESS), a national, non-profit membership association.

And finally, we are excited to recognize 19 FPG community members who are celebrating milestone work anniversaries with the state of North Carolina and/or UNC-Chapel Hill in 2024. We appreciated the dedication and commitment of our colleagues as the Institute works to promote positive developmental and educational outcomes for children of all backgrounds and all abilities from the earliest years—to help each and every child reach their full potential.

• 40 years: Marie Huff
• 30 Years: Alana Evans and Sherri Britt Williams
• 25 years: Greg Burress, Jennifer Baucom, Cathy Jeddour, Thomas Leggett, and Natalie Nelson
• 20 years: Denise Bennett, Katy McCullough, and Catasha Williams
• 15 years: Ping Chen, Adam Holland, and Jennifer Robinette
• 10 years: Keil Jones and Megan Vinh
• 5 years: Jessica Amsbary, Misty Bridges, and Ariel Everett