School Readiness
Create strong foundations for early learning.
Back to Research Repository
K-12 High-Quality Instructional Materials
Evidence suggests that high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), or materials that are rigorous, research-based, and aligned with grade-level standards, are beneficial for student achievement—especially when combined with supports for effective implementation. We invest in strengthening our knowledge of both HQIM and the tools that help educators implement them effectively to support high-quality instruction and student learning at scale.
Completed
Evaluation of Zearn Supplemental with Dedicated Implementation Support
This is a quasi-experimental study with propensity score matching to evaluate the impact of the Zearn Math Supplemental with dedicated implementation support platform on student mathematics achievement and learning in grades four through eight across three Louisiana school districts.
Completed
Efficacy of Zearn Math Over Two Years in Grades 3 to 5: An Experiment in Texas
This randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the impacts of Zearn, a software platform for mathematics learning, on math assessment scores in a sample of 64 schools in an urban Texas district over two years.
Completed
Efficacy Analysis of Zearn Math: Findings from Implementation in Louisiana
This is a matching study with retrospective data that aimed to estimate impacts of using Zearn Math—a computer-based math platform that provides individualized supports to students—at the recommended dosage on students’ math performance.
Completed
Effects of a Quill.org Intervention on Paragraph Revision
This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of Quill, a free, open-source digital platform that provides research-based writing instruction to students.
Completed
State of the Instructional Materials Market: Use of Aligned Materials in 2022
This is a descriptive study that sought to understand the degree to which school districts used high-quality instructional materials in 2022, as well as the factors associated with adoption of these materials.
Completed
Catching Up and Moving Forward: Accelerating Math Learning for Every Student
This is a retrospective correlational study of more than five million instances of student math performance based on data from the 600,000 students in first through seventh grade who (i) used the Zearn math learning digital platform during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years and (ii) had multiple instances of repeated “struggle” with math content during the two-year study period, as defined by instances in which a student repeatedly answered a math question incorrectly following in-the-moment online support.
Completed
Efficacy Analysis of Zearn Math in DC Public Schools
This is a set of retrospective correlational and quasi-experimental studies of student math performance based on data from students in grades one through six who used the Zearn Math learning digital platform during the 2018-19, 2020-21, and/or 2021-22 school years.
In Progress
Evaluating the Impact and Implementation of the Fishtank English Language Arts Curriculum
This study evaluates the impact of the Fishtank ELA curriculum when implemented at-scale and examines how implementation quality relates to student outcomes.
In Progress
Evaluating the Impact of Teaching Lab’s Professional Learning Program on Teacher Practice and Student Achievement
This study evaluates the impact of Teaching Lab’s teacher professional learning program on teacher practice and students’ reading achievement.
In Progress
Evaluating the Implementation and Impact of High-Quality Instructional Materials Across States
This multi-state study examines how the quality of implementation of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) is associated with student achievement and what drives strong implementation at scale.
Open Research Questions
In-progress studies that address this question are:
- Evaluating the Implementation and Impact of High-Quality Instructional Materials Across States
- Evaluating the Impact of Teaching Lab’s Professional Learning Program on Teacher Practice and Student Achievement
- Evaluating the Impact and Implementation of the Inspired Teaching, Exceptional Learning Initiative
- Evaluating the Impact and Implementation of the Fishtank English Language Arts Curriculum
Completed study findings aligned with this question in our repository include:
In-progress studies that address this question are:
In-progress studies that address this question are:
- Evaluating the Impact and Implementation of the Inspired Teaching, Exceptional Learning Initiative
- Evaluating the Impact and Implementation of the Fishtank English Language Arts Curriculum
- Evaluating the Impact of the Modern Classrooms Project PLCAR Model on Teaching and Student Math Outcomes
We plan to fund work on this topic in 2026 and will share links to studies aligned with this question once grants have been approved.
Explore our other research areas
Back to Research Repository
