Center for Early Learning

Welcome to the Center for Early Learning

Purdue’s Center for Early Learning (CEL) is dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education and care for all children from birth through 3rd grade. The center promotes school readiness and healthy development with a focus on research, practice, and policy.

• We generate and disseminate high-quality research that expands the knowledge base of early childhood learning.
• We provide professional development opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers designed to promote developmentally appropriate practice based on the most cutting-edge research in early childhood.
• We also engage in evaluation work at the local, state, and national levels to inform policy efforts in the early childhood field.

The center is home to the Early Learning Matters curriculum, a comprehensive, research-informed program designed for implementation in classrooms serving children birth to 5-years old. The center was established with the intent to bring together researchers, educators, families, and policymakers to make lasting impacts on children’s lives.

We are also an active member of the Big Ten Early Learning Alliance, which seeks to strengthen early childhood policies and practices through science.