Webinar shares results of rural CBC study
![Amanda Witte, project manager, and Susan Sheridan, CYFS director, discuss findings and future directions in their recent Rural CBC webinar.](http://cyfs.unl.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/160121-CBCwebinar.jpg)
CYFS director Susan Sheridan and Amanda Witte, project manager, led a December 2015 webinar to share results from their study of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) in rural communities. Developed by Sheridan, CBC (also known as Teachers and Parents as Partners) is a structured parent-teacher partnership model that promotes positive academic and social outcomes for students.
CYFS earns $6.5 million for early childhood studies, national leadership
![CYFS has earned federal funding to study Nebraska early childhood education, and was also chosen to lead the project's national research network. The team includes (back row, from left) Greg Welch, Mark DeKraai, Jim Bovaird, (front row, from left) Lisa Knoche, Iheoma Iruka and Susan Sheridan. (Craig Chandler/University Communications)](http://cyfs.unl.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/160119-Network.jpg)
The Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools has earned $6.5 million to shape Nebraska early childhood practices and policies, while leading a national network committed to improving children’s outcomes.
The project is part of the multi-institutional Early Learning Network, a $26 million research initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.
CYFS announces 2016 Conversation Series
The 2016 CYFS Conversation Series begins Jan. 29. This series provides an ongoing forum for researchers to ask questions and share insight across the academic spectrum.
Topics for 2016 include secondary data analysis, team-based scientific research and international research. The series is free, open to the public and requires no registration.
Spybrook leads fall Emerging Scholars Series
![Jessaca Spybrook leads the Emerging Scholars Series.](http://cyfs.unl.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/151221-SpybrookEmerging.jpg)
The MAP Academy hosted Jessaca Spybrook, associate professor of educational leadership, research, and technology at Western Michigan University, for the Dec. 3-4 Emerging Scholars Series. The series featured a keynote presentation, statistics workshop and an early career meeting for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Video available for ‘Sampling, Recruiting, and Retaining Diverse Samples’
![Lorey Wheeler](http://cyfs.unl.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/151215-Wheeler.jpg)
Lorey Wheeler, CYFS research assistant professor, continued the 2015-16 Methodology Applications Series on Nov. 20 with a discussion titled “Sampling, Recruiting, and Retaining Diverse Samples.”
Sampling and recruiting participants are basic steps in almost every research enterprise and are fundamental to determining the quality of the resulting research. This presentation introduces sampling, recruitment and retention strategies that have been found to be successful when conducting research that includes or focuses on diverse ethnic minority populations.
Video available for Enders methodology workshop
![](http://cyfs.unl.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/151207-Enders.jpg)
UNL alumnus Craig Enders returned to campus Oct. 26 to host the MAP Academy’s Fall 2015 Nebraska Methodology Workshop: “Dealing with Missing Data.”
There have been substantial methodological advances in the area of missing data analyses during the last 25 years. Methodologists currently regard maximum likelihood estimation (ML) and multiple imputation (MI) as two state-of-the-art handling procedures for missing data.
CYFS awarded $2.5 million to advance early childhood development
![The Getting Ready 0-3 research team, from left: Lisa Knoche, Susan Sheridan, Helen Raikes, Christine Marvin and Leslie Hawley.](http://cyfs.unl.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/151130-GR031.jpg)
With $2.5 million in federal funding, a CYFS research team is exploring the power of partnerships to benefit Nebraska’s youngest children.
Led by Lisa Knoche, CYFS research associate professor, the team aims to improve developmental outcomes—specifically language and social-emotional skills—for infants and toddlers. Their project is one of four national studies funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. Together, research findings will inform local and national Early Head Start programs, which provide early childhood services for low-income families.