These are the publications that were recently published on the STRIDE website

• Policy analysis report
• Systematic review report
• Report of five country case studies

Each of them addresses a different aspect of the challenge presented by educational inequalities. STRIDE is investigating how educational systems respond to these disparities by mapping reforms, synthesising evidence on a global scale and evaluating policy impacts. The recent publications provide an understanding of how early intervention and systemic reforms can contribute to more equitable education systems.

Policy Analysis Report – 25 years of education policy changes for Equity and Inclusion in Europe

This report offers an in-depth, comparative policy analysis of 25 years of education reforms focused on advancing equity and inclusion in education and training in European countries. It analyses reforms from 1999 to 2024 using international and national sources, categorising the reforms on their target focus: socioeconomic disadvantage, migration background, ethnic minorities like Roma communities, special educational needs, gender inequality and LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

Main findings show some significant progress in reform implementation, with a steady increase in reforms oriented on equity over the past 25 years, with a strong emphasis on expanding Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Efforts to reduce hidden school costs are also being made, in addition to expanded financial support and access measures in higher education. The report shows that the most effective reforms show factors such as early intervention, targeted assistance and normative commitments to inclusive education systems.

However, the lack of systematic and public evaluations creates a gap that limits policymakers and researchers from assessing long-term effectiveness, as highlighted by this report.

Systematic Review Report – Does early childhood education reduce inequalities in educational outcomes for children facing multiple disadvantages?

The report titled “Does early childhood education reduce inequalities in educational outcomes for children facing multiple disadvantages?” synthesises evidence focusing on early childhood education and care (ECEC) interventions targeting children facing multiple disadvantages including migrants, minorities, and low socio-economic status (SES) groups. The review focuses on academic achievement, behaviour development and long-term learning.

The main findings show that high-quality early childhood education improves literacy and numeracy and helps reducing educational inequalities, especially when supported by adequate resources. Long-term benefits include increased employment outcomes and reduced crime rates. The report is concluded with expressing how investment in sustained, universal and inclusive ECEC policies is crucial for societal and economic benefits, reducing future social costs and educational inequality.

Report of five country case studies – Mitigating inequality in educational outcomes: Evidence from Early Childhood Policy Reforms in Five European countries

The third report examines the long-term impacts of Early Childhood Education and Care policy reforms in five European countries: England, Poland, Hungary, Norway and Denmark, with the aim of understanding how these reforms contribute to reducing educational inequalities. It evaluates specific policy changes using quasi-experimental designs and longitudinal administrative data.

The main policy implementations from each country include integrated early intervention services in England, large scale preschool expansion in Poland, compulsory kindergarten from age three in Hungary, free core kindergarten time for low-income and immigrant families in Norway and mandatory preschool language assessments in Denmark.                                                                                                     The main findings show that ECEC reforms generally bring small to moderate improvements in educational outcomes, often concentrated among disadvantaged subgroups. Furthermore, the report states that increased preschool participation is linked to improved later academic performance and that language-focused interventions show modest gains in subsequent outcomes.

Even if each report addresses a different dimension of education reform, they converge on several key messages, for example that educational inequalities begin early and accumulate over time and that universal expansion improves access, but targeted measures strengthen impact and sustained investment and policy stability are essential. Together, the three STRIDE reports provide policymakers, researchers and practitioners with a comprehensive evidence base on how reforms are designed, how they function in practice and how they can contribute to more inclusive and equitable education systems across Europe.