Eric Bucher

Eric Bucher is an Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University's Children's Equity Project. He serves on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission on Accreditation and the Arizona Special Education Advisory Panel.

A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Bucher earned his Ed.D. in Leadership & Innovation from Arizona State University. His educational background informs his commitment to equitable early childhood systems.

Dr. Bucher specializes in early childhood policy and practice with research spanning Head Start programs, child care quality, and early learning environments. His work emphasizes the early childhood workforce, Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, and science integration for infants/toddlers. With 18 years of hands-on experience across teaching, program development, and policy implementation, he bridges academic research with practical application in early childhood systems.

He has managed federal and state early childhood grants including Head Start/Early Head Start initiatives, and served as content expert for Arizona's Infant and Toddler Developmental Guidelines and Early Learning Standards. His grant leadership spans program design, professional development, and cross-agency collaboration.

Dr. Bucher is actively affiliated with The Children's Equity Project at Arizona State University, which focuses on advancing equity in early care and education systems through research, policy analysis, and community engagement.