Evaluation of the Ready to Learn Initiative

Sara Carriere, Judith Fusco, Christine Korbak, Hannah Lesk, Carlin Llorente, Bill Penuel, Patrik Lundh, Vera Michalchik

With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has partnered with the Public Broadcasting Service, local television stations, show producers, and researchers to create the Ready to Learn initiative. This initiative is creating new television and online interactive media and print curricula for low-income children aged 2-8 and for their parents, caregivers, and teachers. The aim of these activities is to develop basic literacy skills necessary for young children to succeed in school.

SRI International and the Educational Development Corporation are partners in evaluating the Ready to Learn initiative. The goal of the evaluation is to measure the impact of different combinations of media and print-based activities on children’s phonological awareness, letter identification skills, and vocabulary. To achieve this goal, SRI and EDC will undertake joint studies examining the impacts of Ready to Learn materials and associated professional development in different kinds of settings, including homes and early childhood education centers. The evaluation will employ random assignment designs to measure program impacts.

4/2006 - 9/2010 (current)

Funders & Clients 

Corporation for Public Broadcasting
U.S. Department of Education

Partners 

Publications

Research Areas

Assessment
Evaluation

Keywords 

Early Childhood
literacy
Meta-analysis
Online learning
television