School-Based

Building Vocabulary for Emerging Readers (BVER)
The Building Vocabulary for Emergent Readers (BVER) Curriculum is the product of a three year grant federally funded by the Institute of Education Sciences.  The development and implementation of a vocabulary curriculum for use in kindergarten and first grade is the primary focus of this grant.  The curriculum is being developed by a team of teachers and researchers at the Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas Houston Health Science Center.  The curriculum development team is working in partnership with classroom teachers at HISD schools where the curriculum is being piloted and implemented.

Data Analysis Work Group
The Data Analysis Work Group (DAWG) is instrumental in the management and analysis of data.  The faculty and staff of DAWG are experts in the design of research studies, development and evaluation of assessment instruments, and statistical analyses including general linear and nonlinear mixed models, structural equation models, and generalized linear models.

mCLASS®:CIRCLE™
mCLASS®:CIRCLE™ is based on the nationally recognized research of the Children's Learning Institute (CLI). It delivers the CIRCLE™ suite of observational and assessment tools on a handheld device, Web-based support for classroom planning, and reporting on the mCLASS® handheld technology platform.

TPRI
TPRI is a scientifically proven effective assessment tool developed by faculty at CLI. The TPRI provides a comprehensive picture of a student's reading and language arts development from kindergarten through third grade as well as a balanced and reliable approach to reading instruction.

Texas Pre-Kindergarten Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Program
The Texas Pre-kindergarten Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Pilot Program is a two year program aimed at enhancing school readiness for English language learners. The purpose of the Texas Pre-kindergarten Limited English Proficiency (LEP grant is to implement, evaluate and document a successful multi-age program serving prekindergarten children (3-, 4-, and 5-year olds), using the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) to provide research-based professional development, mentoring and  instructional activities to prepare ELL children to succeed in school

Texas Reading First Initiative
The Texas Reading First Initiative (TRFI) is part of the federal Reading First Initiative established through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This federal initiative is designed to provide professional development for teachers to implement scientifically-based reading programs, and to ensure accountability through ongoing, valid and reliable screening, diagnostic, and progress monitoring assessments. The overall goal is to help all students achieve reading mastery by the end of third grade.

Texas School Ready!™
Texas School Ready!™ is a program that certifies preschool education classrooms that effectively prepared their students for kindergarten. Texas School Ready! is administered by the Texas State Center for Early Childhood Development. We are very excited to be able to announce the first group of Texas School Ready!™ certified preschool classrooms!

Texas Early Education Model (TEEM)
The State Center directs the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) initiative. TEEM encourages shared resources among government-funded public and private child-care programs including non-profit and for-profit childcare centers, public school districts and Head Start. Key ingredients include: a partnership among childcare and early education programs, implementing a teacher training program (CIRCLE Professional Development), using research-based, state approved curriculum, and implementing a quality rating system to certify early childhood education programs as getting children ready for formal schooling.

Raising a Reader (RAR)
The primary goal of this project is to determine the effectiveness of a school-based book exchange program, called Raising a Reader, and a school-based parent educational program, called Family Nights. These programs aim to improve the school readiness of 3- and 4-year-old children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by increasing the frequency and quality of language and literacy activities in children's homes. Nearly 2000 children and families in Houston will participate between 2006 and 2009.