Project: Preschool Social and Emotional Development Study

The purpose of this IES-funded project (#R305A180293, PI = Bailey) was to evaluate the efficacy of Preschool RULER, an approach to social and emotional learning focused on young children and the key adults in their lives (https://rulerapproach.org). The goal was to offer access to Preschool RULER to participating preschools and investigate the impact of RULER access on children’s academic and social-emotional skills, the social-emotional skills, and practices of school leaders and teachers, and school and classroom climate. The study is pre-registered via the Registry of Efficacy and Effectiveness Studies, study ID 1708 (https://sreereg.icpsr.umich.edu/). In Year 1 (2018–2019), we recruited 71 preschools across Connecticut, and in Year 2 (2019–2020), we conducted baseline data collection along with access to RULER training with sites randomized to RULER. But preschools closed in Spring of 2020, and even as they reopened Summer of 2020, our ability to implement RULER and collect data was significantly hampered. We paused in Year 3 (2020–2021) and in Year 4 (2021–2022) but began the process of shifting the study site from Connecticut to Colorado by developing new partners. In Year 5 (2022–2023), we resumed our plan of conducting an efficacy trial of Preschool RULER in Colorado preschools by recruiting, enrolling, and randomly assigning 72 early childhood programs across 12 counties in the Denver Metro.