Evidence-based mathematics interventions are critical for supporting students with mathematics difficulties. In research and practice, collecting implementation fidelity is important for ensuring that all the core components of the intervention are implemented as designed. Historically, implementation fidelity has been defined as multi-faceted…

Proficiency in reading is an essential skill for achieving success in the modern era, and African American students have struggled with reading due to insufficient support during literacy instruction. Through the implementation of the Science of Reading™ course, this research aimed to examine the effect of the Language Essentials for Teachers of…

High-quality decodable books enhance literacy by providing children with focused practice opportunities to break down sounds they have learned and apply their decoding skills. Just Right Reader (JRR) hired LXD Research to measure its impact during a pilot study in the Spring of 2024 to determine the effect of their decodable books on literacy…

In recent years, several states have expanded a new publicly funded learning option: Transitional Kindergarten (TK). TK bridges prekindergarten and kindergarten in its eligibility, requirements, and design. Using Michigan as a case study, we examine TK's fit in the early learning landscape. Broadly, we find TK in Michigan reduces some…

Effective transitions to kindergarten engage families and ease children into new environments. Countdown to Kindergarten (CTK), a program in a southeastern U.S. state that serves more than 1,000 children each year and is grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, partners kindergarten teachers and families to facilitate effective…

There is limited research about Tier 3 interventions provided during typical school Response to Intervention (RTI) implementation. As part of a larger RTI exploration study designed to focus on students with the most intensive reading needs, our goal was to contrast their Tier 1 core reading instruction with their Tier 3 intervention. Schools…

The strong association of early language skills to later reading ability suggests that supporting the development of these skills in children who enter preschool or kindergarten with below-average language abilities may lead to stronger reading skills. Despite this, few evidence-based supplemental language instructional programs exist for…

This report focuses on a 2023-2024 implementation of "My Reading Academy" at Epic Charter Schools in Oklahoma. "My Reading Academy" was first used with a small pilot group of students and educators at the charter school network in school year 2022-2023, and based on the initial positive results, the implementation of the…

The Early Interactive Software Program (EISP) was designed to increase the literacy skills of all students in K-3 through adaptive computer-based literacy software. Eleven software vendors were selected by schools and qualified by the state to provide reading software programs through the EISP in 2023-2024. The vendors used during the school year…

In recent years, several states have expanded a new publicly funded learning option: Transitional Kindergarten (TK). TK bridges prekindergarten and kindergarten in its eligibility, requirements, and design. Using Michigan as a case study, we examine TK's fit in the early learning landscape. Broadly, we find TK in Michigan reduces some…

Shared trauma can contribute to anxiety, fear, sadness, and lack of engagement among learners leading to poor school attendance and diminished positive relationships. Therefore, it is incumbent on schools to design a supportive learning environment during experiences of shared trauma. The descriptive study presented illustrates a supportive…

Response to Intervention (RtI) implementation has been an issue at a local school district in the United States for several years. Teachers have reported lack of resources and training on the RtI process and minimal support from administration, which have impeded their understanding of the intervention. As a result, students who are receiving RtI…

The purpose of this study was to examine how the implementation of the Wilson's Language Training program, Fundations, influences the reading growth of first-grade graders. Reading proficiency at the school in this study was quite low at six percent. During the intervention, emphasis was placed on phonemic awareness. The Wilson's Fundations…

Background: School-based physical activity (PA) programs are an equitable, evidence-based approach to combat health and PA disparities. This study examined factors associated with implementation of BE Physically Active 2Day (BEPA 2.0), a K-5 school-based PA program, and examined how support from Cooperative Extension via Supplemental Nutrition…

This phenomenological study investigated elementary teachers' perspectives on student engagement in competency-based education (CBE) classrooms in an upper Midwestern rural school district. The study addressed the limited research on CBE implementation in elementary settings by exploring teachers' lived experiences related to learner engagement.…