The SRI Education Newsletter | Summer 2026

Summer is here, offering educators, leaders, researchers, and families an opportunity to reflect, recharge, and prepare for the year ahead. In this edition of the SRI Education Newsletter, you’ll find research, tools, events, and other resources designed to inform practice, strengthen programs, and support continued growth and impact.

Featured News

Webinar: Strategies to Strengthen Learning Skills in Online College Courses

College educators and professionals are invited to join a panel of researchers, faculty, and students at 3pm ET on July 16 to explore a new Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Instructional Model, an evidence-based approach designed to strengthen student learning, engagement, and success in online and hybrid courses.

Developed by the Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative – a federally funded partnership between SRI, the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College, Achieving the Dream, and nine broad-access colleges and universities – the model provides practical, flexible instructional strategies to support students in managing their remote learning more effectively. 

SRI-Led Collaboration Supports Teachers in Nurturing Early Math Success

Since 2017, the SRI-led Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Appalachia has provided learning resources to families and educators across Appalachia at no cost.

Teaching Math to Young Children, a new toolkit produced by SRI in collaboration with Erikson Institute, Magnolia Consulting, and schools and districts across Virginia, is the latest impact-oriented project to emerge from REL Appalachia. The toolkit provides a new resource for teachers seeking to implement rigorous, engaging, and even joyous math instruction for young children. 

New Findings and Resources

K-12 Innovation

Check Out the New ATS Hub

The Accelerate, Transform, Scale (ATS) Hub, led by Digital Promise and SRI, supports the IES-funded ATS Initiative by connecting education innovators with resources, tools, and professional development to develop and scale breakthrough solutions to urgent educational challenges. The Hub builds on related efforts, including SEERnet and the LEARN Network, and is guided by experts across market innovation, research, and practice. Explore ATS Hub resources and publications.

Center for the Future of Education and Technology: Advancing Innovation in Teaching and Learning 

SRI has launched the Center for the Future of Education and Technology (CFET), a new SRI Education initiative focused on how emerging technologies, including AI, can support the future of teaching and learning. The new center brings together research and interdisciplinary expertise to help education systems evolve to meet the needs of all learners. Learn more about CFET.

Early Childhood Care and Education

SRI Climate and Education Initiative: Supporting Schools Through Climate Disruptions 

The SRI Climate and Education Initiative helps states, districts, and early childhood programs understand how climate-related disruptions affect education systems, children’s learning, and student well-being. Through research, data visualization, spatial analytics, and technical assistance, SRI is generating action-oriented insights to support disaster planning, strengthen response efforts, and inform education policy and practice. Explore the initiative.

First Things First: How Teacher Change Lays the Foundation for Student Success

When early childhood school leaders consider new behavioral intervention options, their first question is often: “Does this actually work?” This question reflects a commitment to student success, and it also opens a conversation about how to define success in the early stages of an intervention. Findings from a recent randomized controlled trial of BEST in CLASS-PK invite a broader definition of intervention success: that meaningful and sustainable change in student behavior begins with a shift in educator buy-in and practice. Read the blog. 

Stories That Teach: How Reading Books Can Support Your Child’s Emotional Growth

Reading with young children offers opportunities to support social and emotional development, not just literacy. In this blog, SRI Education researchers explore how shared reading experiences can help children build empathy and develop problem-solving skills. The article also offers practical tips for caregivers and book recommendations that support that support literacy, social skills, and caregiver responsiveness. Read the blog.  

Language and Literacy

Evaluation of the College, Career, and Community Writers Program

SRI evaluated the National Writing Project’s College, Career, and Community Writers Program, which supports teachers in strengthening source-based argument writing instruction for students in grades 4–10. Across three large-scale studies, SRI found positive impacts on student writing achievement and generated evidence on how writing instruction can be implemented and scaled across diverse school settings. Learn more about the evaluation.

Career and Technical Education

New SRI Report Examines the Landscape of CTE in Los Angeles 

A new SRI report examines career and technical education and Linked Learning pathways in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The study looks at which opportunities students can access, who participates and completes pathways, and how completion relates to outcomes such as graduation, college-preparatory course completion, and college enrollment. Read the blog and access the full report.

Ongoing Research

SRI Invites Schools to Join a Study of an Immersive Middle School Math Curriculum

With funding from the National Science Foundation, SRI Education is leading a study to examine the efficacy of MidSchoolMath’s Core Curriculum in grades 7 and 8 during the 2026/27 school year. All U.S. schools are invited to join the study, which provides all curriculum, training, and support at no cost.Participation is designed to fit within teachers’ existing instructional schedules. Learn more and submit an interest form.

Professional Development

Collaborative Data Inquiry Practitioner Toolkit 

SRI, in collaboration with the Data Wise project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and New York University, developed and validated a practitioner toolkit to help instructional leaders and educators strengthen collaborative data inquiry. The toolkit supports teams in using data-driven decision making and continuous improvement practices to improve teaching and learning, identify areas of strength, and plan targeted support. Explore the toolkit and related resources.

Special Education

Using Data to Understand Child Find Systems

A new course from the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy Center) provides Part C and Part B 619 team members with an introduction to child find and related data reporting requirements and offers suggestions for how states and local programs can use data while engaging key partners to understand how their child find system is working. Take the free course. 

How SRI’s Data Expertise is Improving Special Education

SRI Education researchers are helping administrators and policymakers use data to better understand and improve special education services while maintaining student privacy. This article highlights SRI’s work using large longitudinal datasets to identify opportunities to strengthen early screening, referrals, and family support, as well as the development of SEAMLESS, an AI-powered platform that can help districts securely analyze IEP data. Read the article.

Resources for the Field

New EDInstruments College Readiness and Success Collection

A new EDInstruments College Readiness and Success Collection from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, curated by SRI’s Krystal Thomas and Elizabeth Kopko of the Community College Research Center, brings together more than 30 validated student surveys designed to support research, program evaluation, and progress monitoring that moves beyond grades and test scores. Check out the collection.

The SRI Homeroom: Shaping the Future of Education, One Conversation at a Time

The SRI Homeroom podcast features accessible conversations with leading researchers, educators, and developers on pressing issues in education. Episodes explore research-based solutions and innovations designed to support students, educators, and families nationwide. Listen to the podcast.

The DaSy Talks Podcast: For States, By States

DaSy Talks is a new podcast from the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy Center), featuring real talk for states, by states. Each episode spotlights how Part C and Part B 619 programs across the country use data to improve outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families. Hosted by SRI’s Howard Morrison and Jenna Nguyen, the series shares practical insights, success stories, and tools from experts and state leaders. Listen to the podcast.

Recent Publications from SRI Researchers

Read more from SRI