Abstract
High quality early childhood development can only be ensured by effective management in preschool education, especially in cases of rapidly reforming systems such as Uzbekistan’s. Given national efforts in increasing access and upgrading preschool infrastructure, there is a gaping knowledge gap regarding the effect of institutional management practice on the educational outcomes. The effectiveness of preschool education management in Uzbekistan is investigated using a mixed methods approach including surveys, interviews, and policy analyses and laterally across Uzbekistan regions. Results show that while national reforms have broadened access and enhanced policy frameworks, there remain capacity constraints in leadership of the common agenda, stakeholder coordination and digitization. This suggests that professional development has to be targeted; that there should be decentralized governance and also inclusive management practices to improve institutional performance. The implications are that leadership training, participatory planning, and context specific reform models may mature these reforms for longterm improvements for preschool education.