Initiatives & Programs
CLI’s initiatives and programs support our goal of helping all children reach their optimal potential.
We deliver services and resources to schools, early childhood professionals, and families to enhance children’s learning experiences at school and home, often at no cost to participants. Based in evidence-based practices informed by our research, CLI’s initiatives and programs offer many resources through our online platform CLI Engage. Learn more about our resources and tools.
Signature Initiatives
Play and Learning Strategies
Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) is a preventive intervention program to strengthen the bond between parent and child and to stimulate early language, cognitive, and social development. The program is facilitated by a trained parent educator who presents each session to the parent(s) and coaches the parent(s) in using the specific techniques that are either demonstrated in person or via videotaped examples of real parents and children utilizing specific techniques at age appropriate levels.
Texas School Ready
Texas School Ready is a comprehensive preschool teacher training program combining a research-based, state-adopted curriculum with ongoing professional development and progress monitoring tools. The goal of this program is to help children be better prepared for school. CLI also hosts a statewide conference, the TSR Early Childhood Summer Institute, through the program.
CLI Solutions Group
The CLI Solutions Group is committed to creating quality learning environments for all children by impacting teacher effectiveness, expanding leadership abilities, and providing research-based instructional tools. CLI Solutions Group offers training, coaching, online courses, and products developed to strengthen both public and private school programs, birth to grade 12.
State Initiatives
Accelerated Early Reading Outcomes (AERO)
The mission of AERO is to enhance children’s opportunities for successful living by providing them with individualized, research-based assessment and clinical services in reading. Our programs target both struggling students as well as students with grade level academic skills.
Texas Infant-Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN)
CLI has established a statewide network of early childhood specialists who support teachers in infant and toddler classrooms. The Texas ITSN offers professional development opportunities and collaborative experiences for specialists (mentors) and teachers covering a wide range of topics specific to supporting infant and toddler development.
Reach Out and Read
Reach Out and Read gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. We envision a world where every child is read to every day. The Children’s Learning Institute is home to the Texas Affiliate of this national program.
Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System (TECPDS)
The Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System is a statewide program designed to meet the professional development needs of those working in the early childhood field. The TECPDS website offers several tools and resources to help early childhood professionals..
Texas Early Learning Council
CLI housed the Texas Early Learning Council from 2010-2013. The Texas Early Learning Council is an advisory council established by Governor Rick Perry in late 2009. In 2010, the Council was awarded a three-year grant from the federal government to achieve a series of goals towards improving school readiness in Texas through targeted strategies stemming from the Council’s four priority areas: Parental Outreach and Communications, Early Childhood Workforce and Professional Development, Collaborations and Standards, and Data Systems and Quality Rating and Improvement Systems.
Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office
In 2007, the Children’s Learning Institute was selected by the Governor of Texas to be the community partner with and home base for the Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office. Members of the Texas Head Start Collaboration Office are housed in the Children’s Learning Institute offices, take advantage of access to the experts within the facilities, and are partially supported by funds from the Institute over and above the budget provided by the state.
Texas School Ready: Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP)
The Registered Apprenticeship Program will leverage the TSR model to support apprentices (teachers) working towards the nationally recognized Child Development Associate® Credential. Through the RAP, apprentices will enhance teaching practices and receive professional development training. We are working to establish new career pathways and credentialing for teachers.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Programs
Postdoctoral Research Training Program: Early Interventions Within Research-Practice Partnerships
This training program will provide fellows with extensive research training (related to intervention development, initial efficacy, and measurement) concentrated on developmental and academic outcomes of preschool and early elementary children with or at risk for disabilities.
Special Education Training Fellowship (Closed)
In order to best prepare individuals for independent research careers in the education sciences, the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) will provide four postdoctoral fellows with extensive training in special education research with a focus on language and literacy interventions.
