Project Activities
Researchers will evaluate the impact of the C4L curriculum and implementation supports on child outcomes. They will recruit and randomly assign 60 preschool classrooms to treatment and control conditions. Teachers in the treatment group will receive training and coaching support to implement the intervention. Researchers will recruit and assess two cohorts of children, collect teacher data, and conduct classroom observations. They will follow each cohort of children into kindergarten. The research team will conduct analyses to examine the primary research questions, evaluate the cost effectiveness of the C4L program, and prepare a dataset for public access.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The study will take place intwo large urban and suburban school districts in and around Denver, Colorado.
Sample
The study sample will include 60 classrooms and 1,440 children from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
The Connect4Learning (C4L) intervention was developed with funding from the National Science Foundation. The intervention integrates child-centered, play-based and teacher-directed intentional education, placing math and science at the core to build sequences of topics that are grounded in empirically proven learning trajectories. Literacy and social emotional skills develop in the context of these sequences, as well as through focused lessons. The two essential elements of the Connect4Learning intervention are the curriculum, which covers 32 weeks of instruction, and the implementation supports, including professional development and coaching sessions as well as administration supports for school leaders.
Research design and methods
Researchers will conduct this study with one cohort of 60 preschool teachers and two cohorts of children. For both cohorts, researchers will follow children into kindergarten to measure treatment impact persistence, and they will observe and record the quality of pre-K classes throughout the study to measure intervention fidelity. Two teams will complete planned research activities. The developers will conduct the recruitment and implementation plan. The evaluators will collect data and conduct data analyses. The research team will recruit and randomly assign classrooms within schools to treatment and control conditions. They will recruit 12 children from each classroom for assessments. In year 1, after baseline classroom observations, treatment group teachers will receive training and coaching support to implement C4L. In year 2, treatment group teachers will implement C4L with the first cohort of children. In year 3, teachers will implement the intervention for a second year with a new cohort of children (Cohort 2). For each preschool cohort, the evaluators will assess children, conduct classroom observations, and collect teacher-level data. The evaluators will follow each cohort of children into kindergarten. In years 3 and 4, evaluators will collect kindergarten follow-up data. In year 4, they will conduct preschool classroom observations for C4L teachers to assess the degree of sustainability. In year 4, the research team will conduct data analyses, conduct a cost effectiveness analysis, disseminate study findings, and prepare the study dataset for public access.
Control condition
The two school districts use Creative Curriculum.
Key measures
Primary measures include assessments of children's mathematical proficiency (the Research-based Early Mathematics Assessment-REMA), science proficiency (Lens on Science/Enfoque en Ciencia),literacy and language skills (Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screening for Preschool-PALS-PreK and the Bus Story-North American Edition), early writing skills (Write Start! Writing Assessment), and children's social-emotional skills (the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scale). Observational measures include the Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics Environment and Teaching, the Preschool Rating Instrument for Science and Mathematics, Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation tool, Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (social-emotional practices), and the C4L Fidelity tool.
Data analytic strategy
In the first set of analyses, evaluators will assess the extent to which treatment teachers were able to successfully implement the C4L program. To account for the nested structure of stud data, the evaluation team will conduct econometric models that will include school fixed effects with standard errors adjusted for classroom-clustering (the unit of random assignment). To measure C4L effects on classroom processes, the evaluators will use classroom-level models that examine changes in classroom practices measured over the course of the study. They will also test if C4L impacts on both teacher- and child-level measures are moderated by child and teacher characteristics.
Cost analysis strategy
The researchers will track precise costs for all components of implementation, including personnel, training of personnel, and materials and technology. The curriculum costs include start-up costs and annual maintenance costs for the C4L curriculum only. The researchers will use the data and analytic tools developed by the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education at Teachers College at Columbia University to conduct the cost analysis.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
Researchers will produce evidence of the efficacy of the C4L program on child outcomes, produce a dataset and peer-reviewed publications. They will also prepare reports and present study findings to early childhood practitioners and policymakers.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
