CLASS® Research

At Teachstone, we methodically study the meaningful interactions that spark success, continually iterate as we learn more, and share best practices so every teacher and student can benefit from the proven power of interactions. See what more than 200 studies say about the proven power of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®).

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Meaningful Interactions Lead to Better Outcomes for Children

Children thrive when they experience warm, responsive, and engaging interactions. Research shows that classrooms with higher CLASS scores consistently lead to:

Math & Literacy Gains

• Better performance on math problems
• Increased vocabulary knowledge
• Improved listening comprehension

Social & Emotional Gains

• Reduced problem behaviors
• Minimized conflicts with teachers
• Greater inhibition of impulsive behaviors
• Improved social competence

Cognitive Gains

• Better working memory
• Improved inhibitory control
• Stronger cognitive flexibility

Classroom engagement

• Increased enthusiasm for learning
• Positive engagement with teacher
• Greater cooperation, persistence, and attention
• More involvement in class activities

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Get the Facts About CLASS

Research

Proving CLASS Effectiveness: A Research Summary

An exploration of CLASS in Infant, Toddler, Pre-K, Elementary, and Secondary education.

Research

Effective Teacher-Child Interactions and Child Outcomes

A Summary of Research on the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Pre-K—Third Grade

Research

CLASS Improves Outcomes In Language And Literacy

The foundations for language and literacy success are built in the early years. Our newest research summary details the links between the Pre-K CLASS® tool and children’s language and literacy outcomes. Read the key takeaways from this research summary.

Research

CLASS® Improves Social-Emotional Learning (Pre-K – 5th grade)

Did you know that high-quality interactions play an essential role in supporting children’s social-emotional learning? Our new brief breaks down the research behind the connections between educator-child interactions and important social emotional skills.

Research

CLASS® 2nd Edition Initial Evidence Within Head Start Classrooms

Learn about a study on the early use of CLASS 2nd Edition gathered from videos of 380 classrooms in 27 Head Start programs, during the 2022–2023 school year. These findings support the conclusion that while there are subtle differences between CLASS 2008 and 2nd Edition scores, substantial overlap exists between the two tools. Both may be used to reliably measure classroom interactions.

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RESEARCH IS IN OUR DNA

Research-Based Insights

CLASS was developed in 2008 by education researchers at the University of Virginia’s Center for Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning (CASTL) to scientifically capture the essence of great teaching.

Data Driven Improvement

The CLASS model is the most researched framework for assessing educator-child interactions, measuring their quality, and turning those metrics into meaningful suggestions for improvement.

Validated Professional Development

CLASS-based professional development programs are not only built on a strong research foundation—they’ve been proven by dozens of studies to impact classroom quality, improve child outcomes, and increase educators’ job satisfaction.

Improve Your Classroom Quality

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