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PreK On My Way Case Study Report
1. Introduction This report presents findings from the PreK On My Way ™ (PKOMW) case study. In this report, we present the experiences of districts and classrooms implementing the PKOMW curriculum. The PKOMW curriculum supports PreK students in developing math, literacy, and language skills through research-based, standards-aligned, interactive, and scaffolded instructional practices. It is designed to center purposeful play, socioemotional supports, hands-on activities, and culturally relevant reading materials. The PKOMW curriculum is also designed to support multilingual learners through authentic, culturally relevant, Spanish language texts and asset-based language supports. Authors of PreK On My Way include leading researchers and educators: Tricia Zucker, PhD, of the Children’s Learning Institute at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth; Linda Mayes, MD, of the Yale Child Study Center; and Jie- Qi Chen, PhD, of the Erikson Institute. Its research-based approach is designed to meet individual state standards and Head Start Early Learning Outcomes.
The case study is the first of four phases in the evaluation of the PKOMW curriculum.
Exhibit 1. Four Phases of the PKOMW Evaluation
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Case study
Pilot study
Implementation study
Impact study
Each of the study phases has its own set of goals and objectives that build a rigorous impact evaluation. The case study objective is to highlight the successful implementation of PKOMW in four classrooms within two districts across two different states.
To do this, we interviewed teachers, district staff members, and center directors. We also conducted classroom observations to address the four research questions:
1. How is PKOMW implemented (including early successes and challenges)? 2. What are PKOMW’s strengths and areas for improvement?
3. How engaging are the PKOMW curriculum materials for children?
4. Why did school districts select the PKOMW curriculum?
In addition, information from the case study also provides us with compelling and persuasive information that can be used to aid recruitment for the PKOMW impact evaluation, as well as Scholastic ’s own curriculum marketing efforts. Educators often weigh heavily peers’ recommendations and experiences in their decision-making about the adoption of a new curriculum. This case study offers Scholastic a unique perspective on how the PKOMW curriculum is being implemented across different preschool settings and what factors differentiate PKOMW from other available curricula, based on input from school district staff members, center directors, and preschool teachers.
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