Dr. Austin Land is a researcher and policy analyst dedicated to strengthening early care and education (ECE) systems through data-informed collaboration and equity-centered strategies. He works in close partnership with city, county, and state agencies, as well as school districts and community organizations, to design and implement improvements in Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) and other ECE initiatives.
In his current role at EXCEL, Dr. Land leads data-driven planning and policy analysis projects aimed at expanding access to high-quality ECE services across Los Angeles County. He collaborates with the county’s departments of education, public health, and a broad network of local partners to ensure early learning policies reflect the diverse needs of families and communities. His work supports the equitable implementation of UPK, aligning systems and resources to enhance child outcomes and family well-being.
Dr. Land is also a core member of a multidisciplinary research team examining the impacts of California’s UPK policies on child development, school readiness, and long-term academic achievement. His research focuses on how the timing, sequence, and quality of early childhood experiences—both in formal and informal settings—combine to influence developmental trajectories. He brings a systems-thinking approach to both research and policy, bridging data, practice, and community voice to inform sustainable, equity-focused improvements in ECE.
Before joining EXCEL, Dr. Land held a variety of roles in Bay Area early childhood organizations and served as the Universal Prekindergarten Applied Data and Research Fellow at the California Department of Education, where he contributed to the state’s early learning data strategy and cross-agency planning efforts. He earned his PhD in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, where his doctoral work examined early childhood investment strategies and public systems alignment.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Land led program evaluations in maternal and child health across several countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, bringing a global perspective to his work in early childhood systems and equity. His work is currently supported by the Ballmer Group and the William T. Grant Foundation.
Publications
Bando, R., Hidalgo, N., & Land, A. (2019). Education with a Social Focus on Gender Attitudes: Experimental Evidence from Secondary Education in El Salvador. Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, 1-15.
Land, A., & Fuller, B. (2019). Paid Family Leave in California: Serving More Parents with Greater Fairness. Berkeley Early Childhood Think Tank.
Professional Experience
UC Berkeley Equity and Excellence in Early Childhood (EXCEL)
EXCEL is an interdisciplinary public impact alliance dedicated to understanding and transforming California’s early childhood systems to ensure all young children and their families flourish. Integrating teaching, research and development, leadership, policy, and practice, we seek to advance equity and excellence in early childhood, and deliver actionable, data-driven solutions that promote early learning, health, and family wellbeing.
