In a new Child Development study researchers at The Ohio State University and University of Pennsylvania explored the significance of student-teacher relationships between kindergarten and third grade. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011, a nationally representative sample of approximately 14,370 children in the United States (51% Male; 51% White; 14% Black; 25% Hispanic; 4% Asian; 6% Other), researchers examined whether student-teacher relationships, as measured by  closeness and conflict, matter more in specific grades, last over the early elementary school years, and have accumulating effects over time. The outcomes of these relationships included students’ achievement, absenteeism, executive function, and social behavioral development. Additionally, this study considered whether different groups of students benefit more or less from these relationships. The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) had the opportunity to discuss this research with Dr. Arya Ansari, Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University.