We Elevate the Early Childhood Profession

Through Innovative and Responsive Programming Informed by Practice, Applied Research, and Community and Policy Engagement.

About Us

The McCormick Institute for Early Childhood at National Louis University (NLU) was established in 2024, building on NLU's nearly one and a half centuries of leadership in preparing professionals for the critical field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The Institute continues the transformational work initiated by the former McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, which has a long history of elevating ECEC leaders.


We provide dynamic, learner-centered professional development, technical assistance, coaching, and assessment services. We conduct relevant, applied research and program evaluation that actively engages communities, advocates, and policymakers to ensure professionals in this essential field are well-prepared, supported, and equipped with the tools they need to succeed.

Our collective experience in the early childhood profession spans decades and continues to grow as our reach and team expand.

A man and a woman are standing next to each other on a white background.

Our Four Strands of Work

A woman is standing in front of a group of children in a classroom.

ECEC Leadership

We cultivate and strengthen leaders who promote excellence, increasing their impact on the ECEC profession. We envision a thriving, unified profession that recognizes excellence in leadership as an essential component of a sustainable ECEC ecosystem.

A man wearing glasses is sitting at a table in a classroom.

Professional Learning and Innovation

We provide innovative solutions that advance the careers and financial stability of early childhood professionals while promoting positive outcomes for children. We ensure that a diverse pipeline of professionals has access to innovative and scalable training and preparation options.

Pile of documents clipped together, with a person working on a laptop in the background.

Applied Research

We lead with research that informs workforce policy and practice, drives innovation and continuous improvement, and contributes to thought leadership in the field.

A woman is holding a clipboard and glasses in an office.

Community and Policy Engagement

Leveraging our strategic applied research agenda, we engage community members, advocates, systems leaders and administrative policymakers in developing administrative policies that benefit young children, families and the early childhood field.