NYU Langone's ParentCorps Program Boosts Family Engagement in Early Education
Event summary
- NYU Langone Health's ParentCorps professional development program for early childhood educators improved family engagement metrics in NYC pre-K programs.
- The program, tested in 131 schools and centers from 2016 to 2019, showed higher parent ratings in communication, trust, and inclusiveness compared to standard training.
- ParentCorps has reached over 28,000 children across NYC, Detroit, and Washington, DC, as of the 2025–26 school year.
- The study was funded by the Bezos Family Foundation, Overdeck Family Foundation, and Einhorn Family Charitable Trust.
The big picture
NYU Langone's ParentCorps program addresses a critical gap in teacher training, where only half of U.S. programs include family engagement instruction. The success of this initiative highlights the growing emphasis on culturally responsive relationships in early childhood education, particularly in underserved communities. As school districts increasingly recognize the importance of family engagement in reducing educational disparities, programs like ParentCorps could become a key component of systemic change in early education.
What we're watching
- Scalability Potential
- Whether ParentCorps can maintain its effectiveness when expanded to additional school districts nationwide.
- Funding Sustainability
- The pace at which philanthropic funding will support further growth of the program.
- Impact Measurement
- How long-term educational outcomes for children will be affected by the program's implementation.