NCSL hosts an Early Childhood Fellows program for state legislators and legislative staff. The program is designed to provide educational support and technical assistance to legislators and legislative staff who are engaged in early childhood policy and are in a position to impact policies for young children and their families. The program is designed for those who chair, serve on or staff relevant policy or budget/appropriations committees.
The fellows program provides legislators and legislative staff a rare opportunity to focus intensively on the well-being of young children, their families and the systems that impact their lives. Early Childhood Fellows engage in thoughtful policy discussions, learn from nationally recognized experts, connect with their peers from other states, develop action plans and receive technical assistance from NCSL.
NCSL launched the fellows program in 2011 with a focus on early learning. We enrolled a new cohort each year through 2022, with the exception of 2020. More than 270 legislators and legislative staff participated in 10 years of fellows programming, and the long-term impacts of the fellows have been significant. As of March 2025, alumni of the program sponsored nearly 500 bills related to early care and education, with 145 bills from 25 states ultimately being enacted. In a 2019 survey of program participants, 85% reported that they directly used the knowledge gained from the program to inform legislative action.
The program is currently on hiatus, with an anticipated return in 2026.