The SRI Homeroom

Early care and education systems can often be fragmented across agencies and funding streams, making it difficult for families to find and access the programs and services they need and may be eligible for. In states and localities across the country, however, leaders are leveraging a unique strategy to address those challenges and build more robust, interconnected support systems for families and children. In this episode of The SRI Homeroom, hosts Howard Morrison and Ginger Elliott-Teague explore coordinated eligibility and enrollment (CEE), a systems-building strategy designed to improve awareness, access, and enrollment in early care and education services. They sit down with Beth Moore of South Carolina First Steps and Anne Morrison of First 5 Alameda County to discuss effective state- and county-level approaches to the design, implementation, and sustainment of impactful CEE systems. Beth and Anne share insights and offer practical recommendations for states and communities working to strengthen their early care and education systems. They also discuss the importance of relationship-building and community engagement in the CEE development process. Learn more about CEE and how states and communities can build and strengthen CEE systems in this three-part video series, or by reading this SRI research brief. If you have questions or are interested in partnering with SRI’s CEE experts, email us at [email protected]. Access a transcript of today’s show and browse our archive of episodes on the Homeroom website.Today’s Guests Beth Moore, Chief of Engagement, South Carolina First Steps. Anne Morrison, Early Care and Education Design Officer, First 5 Alameda County. Today’s Hosts Howard Morrison, Early Childhood Technical Assistance Specialist, SRI. Ginger Elliott-Teague, Senior Education Researcher, SRI.

How do we get the most effective educational products and programs into the hands of the teachers and students who need them most? In this episode of The SRI Homeroom, host Adrienne Woods discusses new research with two leading experts in the design and scale of high-quality education innovations: SRI's Kerry Friedman and Digital Promise's Rebecca Griffiths.Drawing on years of findings from the federally funded LEARN Network, they share evidence-backed strategies and recommendations for research and development (R&D) teams working to design, refine, and scale transformative educational products. They explore why scaling is uniquely challenging in education; how research, development, and market realities intersect; why user-centered design is essential; and what R&D teams should consider when attempting to turn a promising idea into an impactful innovation.Friedman and Griffiths also look ahead to the launch of the Accelerate, Transform, and Scale (ATS) Hub, a new federal initiative aimed at strengthening the education innovation ecosystem.Resources discussed in today's episode include:The LEARN to Scale Toolkit, designed to support researchers and developers in creating, testing, and scaling evidence-based educational products. The toolkit includes a Go-to-Market Playbook to help innovators think about how to focus their marketing and sales efforts on the customers most likely to derive value from their product. Stories of Scaling that highlight how other education innovators have successfully brought their products to market. The LEARN Network's research briefs exploring how decision-makers in schools and districts evaluate and select products. Learn more and access a transcript of today's episode by visiting SRI.com/HomeroomKerry Friedman is a Principal Education Researcher and Technical Assistance Provider with SRI EducationRebecca Griffiths is Postsecondary Learning Research Director with Digital PromiseLearn more and access a transcript of today's episode by visiting SRI.com/Homeroom

SRI and LEARN Network Senior Research Adrienne Woods joins Alida Hudson, researcher with the American Institutes for Research (AIR), to discuss PALS-RD (Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies with Reading Differentiation), an evidence-based literacy program designed to accelerate recovery in reading in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Woods and Hudson explore the program’s development, scaling journey, and impact, and discuss key takeaways for educators, researchers, and other interest holders.  PALS-RD was created as an adaptation of the long-standing PALS model, which pairs students in structured, peer-based activities to strengthen fluency and comprehension. By integrating continuous progress monitoring and word study strategies, the PALS-RD program supports students who may have missed critical early literacy foundations during school closures.  Early results show that students with weaker reading comprehension made measurable gains, and teachers reported that the program fit easily alongside existing curricula. With plans to expand to more districts nationwide, PALS-RD represents a promising tool for literacy recovery at scale. Learn more about PALS-RD here. Learn more about the LEARN Network at learntoscale.org. Learn more about Adrienne Woods here.Learn more about Alida Hudson here. Access a transcript of this episode and browse our full archive of episodes at sri.com/homeroom.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 16 of The SRI Homeroom podcast, host Keith Heumiller joins SRI Senior Education Researcher Adrienne Woods and Julie Kelleher, founder of the Kelleher Consulting Group, to explore the critical role of marketing in bringing educational innovations to scale. As researchers and developers work to support student success and address long-standing challenges in the K-12 classrooms, Woods and Kelleher highlight why simply creating effective, evidence-based solutions isn't enough—successful scaling demands a strategic, market-first mindset from the very beginning. Drawing on real-world examples and lessons learned from their work with the LEARN Network - a national initiative working to support the creation, testing, and scaling of effective, evidence-based interventions - they offer a roadmap for researchers and developers to navigate a crowded marketplace and position their innovations for maximum impact. They also share a broad range of free resources - including toolkits, playbooks, templates, and public workshops - designed to help education innovators move from idea to widespread adoption. Listen to the episode, download a transcript, and read more at https://learntoscale.org/Interested in creating and scaling an educational innovation? Attend the free LEARN to Scale Virtual Workshop on May 1, 2025, from 3 to 4pm ET. Access a transcript for this episode and learn more in this LEARN Network blog.Browse all episodes of The SRI Homeroom visiting SRI.com/Homeroom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past two decades, the number of STEM graduates has doubled. Yet diversity in STEM remains a challenge, with underrepresented students facing barriers to entry and advancement. Today, host Jenna Nguyen talks with education researchers Andrea Beesley and Carol Tate from SRI about the work being done to foster diversity and inclusion in postsecondary STEM education.  Beesley and Tate discuss the ongoing efforts and findings from the STEM Core Expansion Alliance, a project funded by the National Science Foundation’s Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES National Network. The initiative is aimed at supporting low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented community college students pursuing STEM careers. Explore how community support and equitable access to education play crucial roles in addressing challenges and driving success in STEM initiatives. Learn more about how the STEM Core Expansion Alliance is advancing STEM education for underrepresented students by visiting the STEM Core Expansion Alliance website. Discover how the NSF Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES National Network fosters collaboration and builds scalable, equitable STEM networks by visiting the NSF INCLUDES National Network. Andrea D. Beesley is a Senior Principal Education Researcher with SRI Education. She specializes in studying math learning environments and creating supportive spaces for STEM education. Learn more about Andrea and her work here. Carol E. Tate is a Senior Education Researcher with SRI Education, specializing in design, research, and evaluation projects aimed at enhancing teaching quality in STEM fields from elementary school through college. Learn more about Carol and her work here.  Access a transcript for this episode and browse our library of podcasts by visiting SRI.com/Homeroom Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can researchers, product developers, schools, and educators ensure that students with diverse abilities and backgrounds are meaningfully benefiting from new educational tools and technology?    SRI Education’s Shari Gardner and Jennifer Nakamura join host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss several of their projects that focus on creating accessible digital platforms for students with disabilities, particularly students who are blind or low vision (BLV).   Gardner and Nakamura share insights from their work with Alchemie Solutions, Inc. to develop Kasi – a program combining digital interactives, physical manipulatives, and computer vision technology to support BLV students in learning chemistry content. They also explore the potential for other innovative tools and technologies to create truly inclusive and engaging spaces for all students to engage with data and data visualizations.   Shari Gardner is a Principal Education Researcher with SRI Education and the Deputy Director of Digital Learning and Technology Policy in the Center for Education Research and Innovation. Learn more about her on her SRI webpage.   Jennifer Nakamura is a Senior Education Researcher with SRI Education. Learn more about her on her SRI webpage.  Access a transcript of this episode and browse our entire catalog by visiting www.SRI.com/Homeroom. Connect with SRI Education on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we define and refine measures of instructional quality to meet the needs of today’s students?  SRI Education’s Krystal Thomas joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss the evolving landscape of instructional quality and coaching. They explore the rubrics that have traditionally been used to measure instructional practices and advocate for a more culturally responsive approach to observation and coaching.   Thomas also shares insights from her recent work, including collaborations with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at creating more supportive, equitable, and effective tools for educators.   Krystal Thomas is a senior education researcher with SRI Education. Learn more about her on her SRI Education webpage.  Connect with SRI Education on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have defined the 21st century, driving innovation, advancement, and professional opportunities at an unprecedented scale. Yet many of those opportunities are inequitably distributed across the country.   Today, NSF’s Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES Coordination Hub Director Andrea Venezia joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss the systems behind STEM and STEM education, and how initiatives like INCLUDES are working to improve them.   Venezia shares her own personal and professional journeys and how she came to work with INCLUDES, a unique convergence of social science, equity-driven systems change, policy, and practice, placed within the STEM ecosystem. She also explores the challenges and opportunities that exist in a broad range of educational and professional settings, including K–-12 and higher education systems, incarcerated settings, labs, and in industry.   Venezia and Biagas also discuss the late Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson, after whom INCLUDES is named, and her enduring contributions to STEM. Learn more about INCLUDES here. Find all SRI Homeroom episodes, transcripts, and links to other resources by visiting SRI.com/education. Follow SRI Education on LinkedIn.  Andrea Venezia is a Senior Principal Research Scientist and Director of the Equitable College and Careers Research program at SRI Education. Learn more about Andrea and her work on her SRI webpage.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SRI Senior Education Researcher Adrienne Woods joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to explore strategies for identifying points of intervention along the K–12 continuum that can be used to advance educational and societal opportunities for children with disabilities.Woods discusses her current work on a range of projects, including the LEARN Network, and points to the potential for new technologies and innovations to address long-standing challenges and better support students. She also stresses the need for tailored approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of special education interventions for different types of students and disabilities.Learn more about the LEARN Network here.Access a transcript of this episode and a variety of other resources for education researchers and developers on the LEARN Network blog.Adrienne Woods is a Senior Education Researcher with SRI Education. Learn more about Adrienne and her work here.Connect with SRI Education on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Student behavioral challenges aren’t a new phenomenon. For generations, educators and researchers have sought better approaches and interventions to support students with behavioral and socio-emotional needs. In recent years, however, those needs have grown.   In a national survey, more than 8 in 10 public schools reported that students’ behavioral and socio-emotional development had been stunted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools and educators have also observed increases in student misbehavior, including classroom disruptions and tardiness, since the onset of the pandemic.   These developments have shined new light on the need for effective, evidence-based supports for students dealing with behavioral challenges.  In the latest episode of The SRI Homeroom podcast, renowned researcher Carl Sumi joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss strategies, interventions, and recommendations for educators, schools, and researchers hoping to meet that need head-on.   Sumi also discusses effective interventions like BEST in CLASS, which are being used to enhance teachers’ use of proven practices to prevent and address behavior problems and support student learning. Learn more about BEST in CLASS here.Access a transcript of this episode and a variety of other resources centered on student mental health and behavior on the Student Behavior Blog. Carl Sumi is a Senior Principal Education Researcher with SRI Education. Learn more about Carl and his work here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By the middle grades, students are expected to transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." For adolescent students who read significantly below grade level, this shift can life-changing. Today we discuss an effective, research-based intervention being used to connect with older students and accelerate the development of skills like fluency, decoding, reading stamina, and comprehension in the middle grades. Host Kori Hamilton Biagas sits down with Margaret Troyer and Kala Jones from the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP Institute) to discuss STARI, the Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention. Troyer and Jones share how STARI has been implemented into classrooms and how it is working to reduce gaps and improve outcomes for struggling students.Find a blog and a transcript for this episode here. Learn more about STARI and download STARI's curriculum materials here. Margaret Troyer is the director of Literacy Research and Development at the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP Institute).Kala Jones is the Literacy Specialist at the the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP Institute).Learn more about SERP here. Connect with SRI Education through our Twitter page, our YouTube page, and our LinkedIn page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To be effective and to achieve scale, new educational products and practices must be designed for the specific needs and daily realities of students.SRI Education’s Ela Joshi joins host Kori Hamilton to discuss the value of including student voice in the design, development, procurement and implementation of new innovations, and effective approaches for scaling evidence-based products across settings. Joshi discusses her ongoing work with initiatives like The LEARN Network, and how researchers and developers can better incorporate student input and feedback.  Learn more about the LEARN Network and access a variety of free resources for education researchers and developers here.Ela Joshi is a senior education researcher with SRI Education. Learn more about Ela and her work here.Access a transcript of this episode and learn more about The SRI Homeroom on the SRI Education website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the classroom to the workplace, lifelong learners face a complex set of challenges. In an increasingly tech-centered world, how can educators engage adult students and provide them with the practical and soft skills necessary to succeed in school and throughout their careers? SRI Senior Research Social Scientist Louise Yarnall joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss the innovative, research-backed strategies being used to promote learning and skill development in postsecondary classrooms across the U.S. Yarnall shares recent findings from the Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative, which has partnered with broad-access colleges and universities to test interventions and supports focused on student engagement, motivation, self-regulated learning skills, and more. She also discusses her own experience as a lifelong learner, and how educators can leverage research and technology to support diverse student populations in any classroom setting. Learn more about the Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative here.Subscribe to The SRI Homeroom on your favorite podcast app, or find our entire catalog of episodes and transcripts on our website. Louise Yarnall serves as Senior Research Social Scientist with SRI Education. Learn more about her and her work on her SRI webpage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not all innovations are created the same. Even the most promising educational products and programs can fall short if they don’t address the needs – and the everyday realities – of schools, educators, and students.SRI researcher Rebecca Griffiths joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss those realities, and the value of considering educator context, decision-making processes, and usability in the design of new innovations.Griffiths shares some strategies for designing more effective, scalable products and engaging user communities throughout the development process.She also offers some insights from The LEARN Network, a national initiative working to promote student learning growth by increasing the use of evidence-based programs and products in schools across the U.S.Learn more on The LEARN Network’s webpage. Access a free toolkit designed to support researchers and developers in creating, testing, and scaling evidence-based educational products on the LEARN to Scale Toolkit webpage.Rebecca Griffiths is a Principal Researcher with SRI Education. Learn more about Rebecca and her work on her SRI Education webpage.For episode transcripts, visit the SRI Education News website or email us at [email protected].   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meaningful educational improvement is driven by people: the teachers, administrators, families, students, communities, and other stakeholders who share a desire for better, more equitable outcomes. How can we more effectively engage people – and value their lived experiences – in our decision-making processes?Vanessa Coleman, co-director of SRI's Center for Education Research and Innovation, joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss the importance of engaging hearts and minds in educational improvement efforts, and how we can bring a more holistic, human-centered perspective to design, development, and evaluation.Discover more tools and strategies for promoting learning growth on The LEARN Network’s webpage. Vanessa Coleman is Co-Director of the Center for Education Research and Innovation at SRI. Learn more about Vanessa and her work on her SRI Education webpage. For episode transcripts, visit the SRI Education News website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can states and territories leverage data to build stronger, more equitable systems for young children and families?  Host Kori Hamilton Biagas sits down with Howard Morrison, a national leader in early childhood education systems and data use, to examine the challenges – and opportunities – facing America’s early care and education systems.   Discover some evidence-based strategies for effective systems-building and improvement and learn how organizations like the DaSy Center are using data to improve programs and outcomes in states across the country.  Access and download the DaSy Center's new guide, "Embedding Equity in the Data Inquiry Cycle," on the Center's webpage.  Learn more about the DaSy Center and access the Center’s tools and resources on the Center’s webpage.   Howard Morrison serves as Early Childhood Technical Assistance Specialist with SRI Education. Connect with Howard and learn more about his work on his SRI Education webpage.  Kori Hamilton Biagas serves as Communications Program Manager with SRI Education. Learn more about Kori’s work and connect with her through her SRI Education webpage.   For episode transcripts, visit the SRI Education News website or email us at [email protected].   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more than a decade, educators have used Targeted Reading Instruction (TRI) to help students build valuable foundational literacy skills in the classroom. Now, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have developed a tool that can help educators leverage TRI and provide comprehensive support to K-5 readers in both virtual and face-to-face settings.  Researchers Mary Bratsch-Hines and Heather Aiken join host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss the new TRI-Reading App, which provides evidence-based reading instruction and helps accelerate the reading process for students in elementary school. They discuss the App’s development, its impacts on students, and its potential applications for educators and learners across the country.   Learn more about Targeted Reading Instruction on the TRI website.   Learn more about the Reading App on the University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning’s website.   Mary Bratsch-Hines is the Senior Manager for Research and Evaluation at the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning. Learn more about her work and connect with her through her university webpage.   Heather Aiken is the Intervention Director for Targeted Reading Instruction and a Research Investigator at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC Chapel Hill. Learn more about her work and connect with her through her university webpage.   Kori Hamilton Biagas serves as Communications Program Manager with SRI Education. Learn more about Kori's work and connect with her through her SRI Education webpage.  Connect with SRI Education through our Twitter page, our YouTube page, and our LinkedIn page.  For episode transcripts, visit The SRI Education News website or email us at [email protected]  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young children now spend a significant portion of their screen time on streaming platforms like YouTube, where 500 hours of new content is uploaded every minute. With such a sprawling catalog, it can be difficult for parents, teachers, and researchers to understand just what children are watching and how it might affect them.Children's media researcher Claire Christensen joins host Kori Hamilton Biagas to discuss APPROVE, an AI-powered tool designed to help teachers and parents identify valuable educational videos online. They discuss APPROVE's development and its potential applications for families hoping to make the most of their children's screen time.Learn more about APPROVE, or Assisting Parents to Review Online Videos for Education, on the APPROVE website.Claire Christensen is a Senior Education Researcher with SRI Education. Learn more about her and her work on her SRI webpage. Connect with Claire on her LinkedIn page.Kori Hamilton Biagas serves as Communications Program Manager with SRI Education. Learn more about Kori's work and connect with her through her SRI Education webpage.Connect with SRI Education through our Twitter page, our YouTube page, and our LinkedIn page.For episode transcripts, visit The SRI Education News website or email us at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we make education research more impactful? How can experts and stakeholder groups work together to reduce barriers and optimize outcomes for students and families across the U.S.?Host Kori Hamilton Biagas joins Todd Grindal, Co-Director of the Center for Learning and Development with SRI Education, to discuss some of the most pressing challenges facing today's educators, researchers, policymakers, and parents, and the innovative work being done to meet those challenges head-on. Learn more about today's topics with the links below:A report on early childhood suspension and expulsionThe DaSy Center webpageAn article about culturally responsive curriculaA study measuring student collaboration with the use of artificial intelligenceTodd Grindal is Co-Director of the Center for Learning and Development with SRI Education and a lecturer at Harvard University. Learn more about Todd's work and connect with him through his SRI Education webpage. Kori Hamilton Biagas serves as Communications Program Manager with SRI Education. Learn more about Kori's work and connect with her through her SRI Education webpage. Connect with SRI Education through our Twitter page, our YouTube page, and our LinkedIn page. For episode transcripts, visit The SRI Education News website or email us at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The SRI Homeroom, a new podcast from SRI Education, a division of SRI International. This is a meeting place for some of the nation's most dedicated researchers, developers, data experts, and educators, who are working to reduce barriers and improve outcomes for America's students and families.We'll be discussing the most persistent challenges facing today's educators and learners, and the innovative solutions that are being designed and implemented, right now, to meet those challenges head-on.On The SRI Homeroom, we believe that the door to a better future should be open to everyone. Welcome in!For episode transcripts, visit the The SRI Education News website or email us at [email protected] with SRI Education through our Twitter page, our YouTube page, and our LinkedIn page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.