Amanda Williford

The goal of this study is to conduct an initial efficacy trial to test the impact of the STREAMin3 curriculum model. Many of America's youngest children attend private, center-based, early learning and care programs. The quality of these programs is often mediocre or poor. States are increasingly expanding their early childhood education (ECE) investments to improve the quality of programs serving infants and toddlers. However, much of the research advancing high-quality ECE experiences is f...

The purpose of this proposal is to test the impact of the Learning to Objectively Observe Kids (LOOK) consultation model when implemented with preschool teachers. Developed with IES funding, LOOK is designed to improve preschool teachers' use of effective social-emotional strategies and to improve children's self-regulatory, behavioral, and social-readiness skills. Early self-regulation difficulties, particularly evident in children from low-income families, often result in patterns of disru...

This study will explore whether and how the use of formal and informal math assessments is associated with greater child math gains. The use of assessments has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven in part by federal initiatives. However, the research basis for these assessments is limited, especially in terms of linking the use of assessments to improved student outcomes. Researchers will examine direct associations between math assessment use and student learning gains. They will also e...

The purpose of this project is to validate a new outcomes-based approach to Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) and explore assumptions about the role of parental selection in early childhood programs. High quality early childhood education (ECE) programs can narrow school-readiness gaps, alter children’s life trajectories and yield substantial social returns. However, there is substantial variation in quality, both across and within early childhood sectors (e.g., licensed ch...

Early self-regulation difficulties, particularly evident in children from low-income families, often result in patterns of challenging behaviors (e.g., impulsivity) that negatively impact academic achievement and are demanding for teachers to manage. Evidence-based practices exist for preschool teachers to apply in their work with children with challenging behaviors, but the promise of such practices has gone unrealized as teachers either do not use them or apply them ineffectively. The purp...