Educare Network Convenes National Leaders in Tulsa to Reimagine the Future of Early Childhood Education

TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2026--

At a moment when families, educators, and early childhood systems nationwide are facing growing strain, more than 300 leaders from across the country gathered this week in Tulsa for Catalyst 26: the Educare Network National Summit, a reimagined convening focused on advancing excellence, opportunity, and long-term outcomes for young children and families.

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Hosted by the Educare Network, the three-day Summit convened nationally recognized educators, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, philanthropic leaders, advocates, and families to examine what it will take to strengthen the systems children and families depend on — from workforce development and educator support to economic mobility, policy alignment, implementation, and long-term child outcomes.

“This week reminded us that meaningful change happens when research, practice, policy, and community work not in silos, but in partnership around a shared vision for children and families,” said Kara H. Ahmed, President & CEO of the Educare Network. “At a time of increasing pressure on early childhood systems nationwide, Catalyst 26 challenged us to move beyond conversation toward the leadership, alignment, and long-term investment required for children, families, and educators to truly thrive.”

The closing keynote speaker at the Summit was Raj Chetty, Professor of Public Economics at Harvard University and Director of Opportunity Insights, whose research on economic mobility and childhood opportunity has helped shape national understanding of how early experiences influence long-term outcomes later in life.

“Talent is universal, but opportunity is not,” said Raj Chetty during the Catalyst 26: Educare Network National Summit. “What I see in the broad thesis of the work you are doing is trying to improve that environment. The research is clear that early childhood environments matter greatly in shaping long-term outcomes and economic opportunity.”

Tulsa served as a fitting host city for the convening. Home to four Educare schools — more than any other city in the country — Tulsa has made sustained investments in early childhood education, family support systems, and community partnership.

“Tulsa is proud to welcome leaders from across the country who understand that early childhood education is foundational to the future of our communities,” said Monroe Nichols, Mayor of Tulsa. “The conversations taking place at Catalyst 26 reflect the kind of collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility needed to expand opportunity for children and families nationwide.”

Discussions featured leading voices from across the field, including Professor of Early Childhood Development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Stephanie M. Jones; education advocate and Stand for Children co-founder and CEO Jonah Edelman; Colorado Department of Early Childhood Executive Director Lisa Roy; Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Ebony Johnson; Bainum Family Foundation Chief Program Officer Marica Cox Mitchell; Early Educator Investment Collaborative Executive Director Ola Friday; Tulsa Deputy Mayor Krystal Reyes; and Couch Family Foundation Executive Director Sara Vecchiotti. Parent leaders representing Washington, D.C., Miami, and Omaha grounded the Summit in the lived experiences, hopes, and aspirations of children and families.

The Summit also welcomed Eric Litwin, original author of Pete the Cat, for a dynamic, music-filled session exploring the power of story, rhythm, joy, and participation in early learning. Through song, movement, humor, and shared storytelling, Litwin reminded attendees that joyful connection is core to child development and is foundational to how children build confidence, belonging, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.

Additional Summit experiences included an immersive Learning Lab session at Educare Tulsa and a visit to the Greenwood District, where participants honored the enduring legacy of Black Wall Street and reflected on the power of community, resilience, and shared history.

To learn more about the Educare Network, visit educarenationalnetwork.org.

About the National Educare Network

The national Educare Network is an independent organization advancing a unified approach to early childhood education in 25 schools across 15 states, the District of Columbia, and the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska. By connecting research, practice, and policy, Educare builds high-quality early learning environments, supports workforce development, and informs public systems that shape outcomes for children from birth to age five. Together, Educare schools demonstrate what’s possible when evidence, equity, and collaboration drive results for young children and their communities.

To learn more visit, EducareNationalNetwork.org.

From left, Sherry Cleary, retired Dean of Early Childhood Initiatives at City University of New York, and Educare Network National Board Chair; Lisa Roy, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood; Krystal Reyes, Deputy Mayor of the City of Tulsa; and Marica Cox-Mitchell, Chief Program Officer of the Bainum Family Foundation, discuss early childhood systems change during "Early Childhood Transformation: A National Imperative" during the Catalyst 26: Educare Network National Summit on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The panel explored how to move from fragmented approaches to a more aligned, durable system that expands opportunity for children and families nationwide.

Eric Litwin, #1 New York Times bestselling author, award-winning musician, and original author of the “Pete the Cat” series, engages attendees through storytelling, music, and song during an interactive session at the Catalyst 26: Educare Network National Summit on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The session explored how rhythm, repetition, and joy can build foundational literacy skills and foster a lifelong love of reading in young children.

Attendees engage during an interactive session with Eric Litwin, #1 New York Times bestselling author, award-winning musician, and original author of the “Pete the Cat” series, at the Catalyst 26: Educare Network National Summit on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The session explored how rhythm, repetition, and joy can build foundational literacy skills and foster a lifelong love of reading in young children.

Raj Chetty, Professor of Public Economics at Harvard University and Director of Opportunity Insights, delivers the closing keynote at the Catalyst 26: Educare Network National Summit on Thursday, May 14, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The session explored how place, early childhood environments, social capital, and community investment shape long-term economic mobility and opportunity for children and families. Drawing from groundbreaking research, Chetty challenged attendees to rethink how communities and systems can expand opportunity across generations.

Jonah Edelman, co-founder and executive officer of Stand for Children, speaks during “Leadership in Focus” at the Catalyst 26: Educare Network National Summit on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Moderated by Kerry-Ann Hamilton, founder and CEO of Storytelling for Good, the conversation focused on what it takes to achieve excellence for children and maximize impact.

Kara H. Ahmed, President & CEO of the Educare Network, delivers the welcome address during the Catalyst 26: Educare Network National Summit opening plenary on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The national Educare Network is an independent organization advancing a unified approach to early childhood education in 25 schools across 15 states, the District of Columbia, and the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska. By connecting research, practice, and policy, Educare builds high-quality early learning environments, supports workforce development, and informs public systems that shape outcomes for children from birth to age five.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Iran ’s foreign minister said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the U.S., saying Friday that Tehran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said contradictory messages have “made us reluctant about the real intentions of Americans.”

“We are in doubt about their seriousness,” he told reporters in New Delhi, adding that negotiations would move forward if Washington was ready for a “fair and balanced deal.”

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week dismissed Iran's latest formal proposal as “garbage.” While Iran was said to include some nuclear concessions, Trump has said he wants to remove highly enriched uranium from the country and prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

In separate negotiations in Washington between Israel and Lebanon, both sides agreed Friday to extend their ceasefire until early June, U.S. officials said.

With talks between Iran and the U.S. at a standstill during the shaky ceasefire, tensions remain high and threaten to tip the Middle East back into open warfare and prolong the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict.

Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who finished talks on Friday, agreed the strait needs to be reopened.

Araghchi said Friday that Iran would welcome diplomatic support from other countries, particularly from China, citing Beijing’s previous role in facilitating the restoration of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Beijing has shown little public interest in U.S. requests to get more involved, even though Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Xi had in their conversations offered to help.

Pakistan said Thursday it was continuing diplomatic efforts to help ease regional tensions. But it declined to disclose details of the discussions or say whether the U.S. had formally responded.

“The clock on diplomacy has not stopped. The peace process is working,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad.

Trump has demanded a major rollback of Iran’s nuclear activities while Iran says it has a right to enrich uranium.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who launched the war with Trump on Feb. 28, also wants Iran’s highly enriched uranium removed from the country.

Iran’s foreign minister said Friday that the issue of its enriched uranium stockpile is one of the most difficult subjects in negotiations with the U.S.

Russia has previously offered to take the stockpile if Iran is willing to give it up. Araghchi said Russia’s proposal was not currently under active discussion, but could be revisited.

“When we come to that stage, obviously we will have more consultations with Russia and see if the Russian offer can help or not,” he said.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the expiring Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire for another 45 days to allow for negotiations on a broader peace agreement, the U.S. State Department said.

After two days of meetings, the department said it would reconvene the two sides for discussions on June 2 and 3, while a military track — between the Israeli and Lebanese armies — by the Pentagon will begin on May 29. Hezbollah opposes Lebanon’s direct negotiations with Israel and has not been part of the talks.

Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said the talks were frank and constructive. “There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great,” he said in a social media post. “What will be paramount throughout negotiations is the security of our citizens and our soldiers.”

The ongoing ceasefire hasn’t stopped Israel and Hezbollah from trading strikes.

The Israeli military said Friday it hit Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon after reporting hostile aircraft alerts and launches from across the border. Lebanon’s health ministry said nearly 40 people were wounded in Israeli strikes near the coastal city of Tyre. One strike “leveled” a primary health center and also damaged the neighboring Hiram Hospital, wounding six medical staff members, the statement said.

A Chinese private security company said it lost communication Thursday with a ship it was operating as an offshore work platform — the same day the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a ship anchored off the United Arab Emirates coast had been seized.

Sinoguards said it had “been informed through relevant channels" that the vessel Hui Chuan was taken into Iranian waters for documentation and compliance inspection by the authorities.

The company's emailed statement said there was no indication of any injuries on the ship and that it was cooperating.

The security company and the U.K. maritime center did not say who was behind the seizure. It happened as a senior Iranian official reiterated his country’s claim of control over the Strait of Hormuz and another said it had a right to seize oil tankers connected to the U.S.

The U.S. seized vessels in the Gulf of Oman last month and on Friday the foreign minister of Pakistan said it had secured the return of 11 Pakistani nationals and 20 Iranian citizens who were aboard those vessels. “All individuals are in good health and high spirits,” said the foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said.

The United Arab Emirates is speeding up the completion of a new pipeline that will allow the Gulf federation to export more oil without routing it through the Strait of Hormuz.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, directed state oil company ADNOC to accelerate work on the pipeline, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said Friday.

The oil company already runs a pipeline designed to carry 1.5 million barrels a day from its oil fields to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman.

The new pipeline, expected to double the company’s export capacity through that port, will become operational next year, the media office said.

Schreck reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press reporters Munir Ahmed in Islamabad; Koral Saeed in Abu Snan, Israel; Matthew Lee in Washington; and Mae Anderson in New York contributed.

President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One, Friday, May 15, 2026, at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump interacts with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi before boarding Air Force One, Friday, May 15, 2026, at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a meeting during the two-day BRICS summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)