The education field understands early childhood as a time of critical brain and social development, but educators and researchers should view the ages of 18 to 26—the transition to adulthood—as a critical developmental window in its own right, according to a new report from the National Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.
The researchers found young people’s cognition and behavior continue to develop into their mid-20s, and the same students most at risk of struggling in school—those in poverty, new immigrants, and students aging out of foster care—also have the toughest time making the transition to college, careers, and adult life after high school, yet few interventions center on the transition age.
