Project Activities
The researchers will evaluate the efficacy of a fully developed, widely used, comprehensive early childhood curriculum using a randomized trial. They will randomly assign 100 preschool centers to treatment and control conditions. Teachers in the treatment group will receive training and mentoring support to implement HSPC. Researchers will conduct classroom observations, collect data from children and teachers, and conduct analyses to evaluate the impact of the intervention on child outcomes. They will also conduct a cost analysis.
Structured Abstract
Setting
This study will take place with 100 preschool centers in South Carolina's state-funded, school-based prekindergarten programs and Head Start programs.
Sample
Study participants will include 400 preschool teachers (lead and assistant) and 1,600 children from low-income backgrounds. The sample will include primarily White and African-American children. Approximately 100 program administrators from the preschool centers will also participate in the study.
Intervention
The intervention will include the curriculum, 20 days of training for teachers and teaching assistants in year 1 and two coaching sessions for lead teachers in year 2. The HSPC was originally developed 45 years ago. It is a comprehensive curriculum framework with five core principles: active learning, adult-child interactions, appropriate learning environment, consistent daily routines, and child assessment. Teachers receive training to support children's learning in eight content areas: approaches to learning; social/emotional development; physical development/health; language, literacy, communication; mathematics; creative arts; science and technology; and social studies.
Research design and methods
Researchers will conduct this study over a four year period. In Year 1, the researchers will recruit and randomly assign preschool centers to treatment and control conditions. They will collect baseline data from teachers and conduct classroom observations in treatment and control classrooms. Teachers in the treatment group will receive training to implement HSPC. In Year 2, teachers in the treatment group will continue to implement HSPC. Researchers will recruit and randomly select children from treatment and control classrooms for direct child assessments. They will collect pre-and post-test data during the preschool year. In year 3, researchers will follow children into kindergarten and collect teacher-report and school records data to examine the impact of HSPC on children's early school achievement at the end of kindergarten. In Year 4, researchers will conduct analyses to evaluate curriculum impacts, examine effects mediated through classroom quality or HSPC-aligned teaching practices, conduct a cost analysis, and disseminate study findings. Teachers in the control group will receive training and support to implement HSPC in their classrooms.
Control condition
In the business-as-usual control condition, most of the centers will continue to use the Creative Curriculum, a comprehensive preschool curriculum.
Key measures
Primary measures include direct assessments of child outcomes, teacher-report, classroom observations, and school records data. Direct assessments will include the Applied Problems, Letter-Word Identification, and Spelling subscales of the Woodcock Johnson III Normative Update Tests of Achievement, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Fourth Edition, the Pencil Tapping Task, and the Balance Beam Task. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System will be used to measure classroom quality. Teachers will complete the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale, the South Carolina Readiness Assessment, and the Teacher Report of School Accomplishments. Fidelity of implementation measures will include the Program Quality Assessment observation tool, a HighScope measure, teacher surveys, professional development records, and training observations. The state school report card ratings will be used to measure elementary school quality.
Data analytic strategy
Researchers will use hierarchical linear modeling to analyze the data. The researchers will conduct analyses to evaluate the impact of the intervention on all children and subgroups. They will use multilevel mediation analysis to examine effects mediated through classroom quality or HSPC-aligned teaching practices.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
Products: The outcomes of the project will include evidence of the efficacy of the HSPC for preschool-aged children enrolled in targeted preschool programs in South Carolina. Researchers will also produce peer-reviewed publications.
Supplemental information
Co-Principal Investigator: Kathryn Drummond
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
