Why cost data matter and how we can improve their quality and availability

Monday, June 22, 2026, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. EDT 
Online only: https://www.brookings.edu/events/why-cost-data-matter/

At a moment when global aid budgets are shrinking and competition for limited resources is intensifying, the decisions governments and donors make about education and early childhood spending have never mattered more. Yet the data needed to make those decisions well—reliable, high-quality cost data— remain sparse, fragmented, and underused across the sector.

On June 22, the Center for Universal Education at Brookings will host a conversation on why cost data are foundational to equitable, efficient, and evidence-based investments in children. As the first event in the Global Costing Taskforce for Education and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) webinar series, the discussion will bring together experts from the education and early childhood sectors to evaluate the state of cost data today, the barriers that have limited its collection and use, and opportunities to strengthen cost data efforts globally. 

The Global Costing Taskforce for Education and ECCE webinar series brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners across education and early childhood sectors to examine the state of cost data and what is needed to strengthen its collection, quality, publication, and use. The series explores barriers that have limited costing efforts while highlighting real-world examples, practical tools, and the collaborative approaches needed. These conversations will simultaneously build a global community of practice around education and ECCE cost evidence generation. 

Viewers can submit questions via email to events@brookings.edu.