Improving Literacy Skills in Pre-K Students: a study of the impact of an early learning program on student academics and behavior

Client: 

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The Challenge: 

Pre K schools/classrooms are increasingly looking for solutions that will help students prepare for later academic work. Toward this end, HMH developed a new pre-k program, Splash into pre k to support the development of early childhood students. HMH was looking to evaluate the efficacy of Splash and was looking for a means of formative evaluation for use in continued improvement of Splash.

The Solution: 

SEG Measurement designed an evaluation for HMH to determine the effectiveness of Splash into Pre-K™ as a tool for improving student literacy skills and to provide formative information for use in improving the program. Using pre-post test design, SEG Measurement conducted and evaluation of the Splash program in approximately 15 preschool classrooms with approximately 300 children. Teachers provided feedback approximately every two weeks on program components and student academic development was measured using PALS (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screen) at the beginning and end of the year after receiving instruction. The results were then compared statistically