Christina Stephens, Ph.D.

Christina Stephens, Ph.D. is an Assistant Research Professor at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. Her research investigates early care and education (ECE) systems and the child care experiences of children and families across diverse sociocultural contexts. This work focuses on policies and factors that shape access to child care and high-quality ECE opportunities, as well as program and classroom characteristics and supports for the teacher workforce that promote children’s early development. Dr. Stephens’s work aims to translate into applied decision-making, policies, and practices across multiple levels of ECE systems that benefit children and families.

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• Areas of Expertise

  Early education and development

  Early childhood education policy

  Equitable child care access

  Dual language learners

• Recent and Select Publications

  Peer Reviewed Journal Articles:

  Burchinal, M., Pianta, R. C., Ansari, A., Bratsch-Hines, M., Cohen-Vogel, L., Stephens, C., Peisner-Feinberg, Vitiello, V., Whittaker, J. (2026). Pre-kindergarten classroom experiences and child outcomes through first grade. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 75(1), 120-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.12.007

  Stephens, C., Pianta, R. C., Whittaker, J. E., & Vitiello, V. E. (2025). Developmental assets at preschool entry that support dual language learners’ academic development through the first grade. Early Education and Development, 36(6), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2025.2484849

  Stephens, C., Crosby, D. A., Sattler, K., Supple, A., & Scott-Little, C. (2025). Multidimensional patterns of early care and education access through a family centered lens [Special Issue: Equitable Access to Early Care and Education in the United States]. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 70, 133-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.09.004

  Stephens, C., Crosby, D. A., & Mendez Smith, J., (2024). Accessibility of the early care and education supply: Variation within the center-based provider sector. Children and Youth Services Review, 164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107846

  Stephens, C., Crosby, D. A., & Yaya-Bryson, D. & Reid, A. (2023). Supporting Spanish-English DLLs in Head Start: Peer language match, instructional language match, and emotional support as predictors of approaches to learning and social skills [Special Issue: Demographic (Mis)Match in Early Childhood Education]. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 63, 121-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2022.11.005

  Navarro, J.L, Stephens, C., Rodrigues, B.C., Walker, I., Cook, O., O’Toole, L., Hayes, N., & Tudge, J.R.H. (2022). Bored of the rings: Methodological and analytic approaches to operationalizing Bronfenbrenner’s PPCT model in research practice. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 14(2), 233-253. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12459

   

  Policy Briefs and Research Reports:

  Stephens, C. Friedman-Krauss, A., Nores, M. & Kent, A. (2025). Center-Based Child Care Lead Teachers in New Jersey: Full Report. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research. https://nieer.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/nieer_nj_lead_teacher_report_9.24.25.pdf

  Friedman-Krauss, A. H., Stephens, C., & Barnett, W. S. (2025). Early Childhood Special Education Faculty in Higher Education. Research Report. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research. https://ecipc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Higher-Ed-ECSE-report-FINAL.pdf

  Pianta, R. C. & Stephens, C. (2025). Sustaining gains at the Pre-K to Kindergarten Transition. State Education Standard, 25(2). Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education. https://www.nasbe.org/sustaining-gains-at-the-pre-k-to-kindergarten-transition/

  Crosby, D. A., Mendez, J., Stephens, C., & Adegbesan, I. (2024). Perspectives from local CCDF program staff in four states on improving Latino families’ access to child care subsidies. National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families. DOI: 10.59377/584z4813v.

  Crosby, D. A., Stephens, C. & Mendez, J. (2024). New York Child Care Subsidy Staff Describe How Policy Implementation Influences Latino Families’ Receipt of Subsidies. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. https://doi.org/10.59377/542o5154m

  Mendez, J., Stephens, C., Jacome, A., & Crosby, D. A. (2024). Informal and Formal Supports May Affect Hispanic Early Educators’ Physical and Mental Well-Being. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59377/100s2482j

  Stephens, C., Mendez, J., & Crosby, D., A., (2024). Practitioners in Texas’ child care subsidy program describe how policy implementation impacts Hispanic families’ receipt of subsidies. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. DOI: 10.59377/722s5477o

  Mendez, J., Crosby, D., & Stephens, C. (2024). Nearly half of Hispanic children in households with low incomes used early care and education in 2019. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. DOI: 10.59377/349u4419b

  Crosby, D. A., Stephens, C., & Mendez, J. (2023). Many Hispanic Households with Low Income Access No-Cost or Low-Cost Care, Yet Nearly One in Four Face High Out-of-Pocket Costs. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. https://doi.org/10.59377/768o8919u

  Stephens, C., Crosby, D., & Mendez, J. (2023). Early Care and Education Providers Vary in Their Availability and Flexibility to Meet Hispanic Families’ Needs. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. https://doi.org/10.59377/658l3776v

  Crosby, D.A., Mendez, J.M., and Stephens, C. (2023). Child Care Subsidy Staff Share Perspectives on Policy Implementation Practices and Effective Outreach with Latino Families in California. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. https://doi.org/10.59377/431x7190r

  Crosby, D., Mendez, J. & Stephens, C. (2023). Characteristics of the Early Childhood Workforce Serving Latino Children. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. https://doi.org/10.59377/564i2785e

  Molina, A.P., Crosby, D., Mendez J. M., Stephens, C., & Gonzalez, R. (2023). Local Agency Staff in North Carolina’s Child Care Subsidy Program Offer Perspectives on Engaging Hispanic Families During COVID-19. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. https://doi.org/10.59377/707b5266y

  Lin, Y.C., Crosby, D., Mendez, J., & Stephens, C. (2022). Child Care Subsidy Staff Share Perspectives on Administrative Burden Faced by Latino Applicants in North Carolina. National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. https://www.hispanicresearchcenter.org/research-resources/child-care-subsidy-staff-share-perspectives-on-administrative-burden-faced-by-latino-applicants-in-north-carolina/

   

• Link to Project Page

  Rutgers Child Care Research Collaborative