RFA is the independent evaluator for Children’s Literacy Initiative’s five-year intervention, Integrating Curriculum Development and Professional Development for Kindergarten Readiness. Through this project, which is funded by the federal Education Innovation and Research program, CLI will (1) create a comprehensive, field-tested, high-quality curriculum and suite of implementation supports that will be free and publicly available on the CLI website; (2) implement the curriculum in sites with a significant number of high-needs students in Broward County; and (3) build the capacity of district leaders to sustain the work following the grant period.
Throughout the project, RFA will conduct three studies. The impact study will employ a randomized control trial to examine the effect of the intervention, including job-embedded professional development for teachers and the newly developed curriculum, on students’ kindergarten readiness as measured by early language and math skills. The implementation study will explore CLI’s fidelity to the intervention components and how this relates to student outcomes. The case study will explore implementation of the curriculum in specialized settings serving students with developmental delays and dual language learners, assessing the role of the curriculum in shaping teacher professional learning and classroom teaching and learning processes.