Transforming Indiana’s Early Learning Environments
Through the Elevate Learning Project
When we focus on the things that matter most for learning and development outcomes, children thrive. The Elevate Learning Project empowers early learning programs across Indiana to improve their classroom practices to ensure meaningful growth for children under the age of five.
Great learning environments don’t happen by accident—they’re built.
Transforming Indiana's Early Learning Environments
Through the Elevate Learning Project
When we focus on the things that matter most for learning and development outcomes, children thrive. The Elevate Learning Project empowers early learning programs across Indiana to improve their classroom practices to ensure meaningful growth for children under the age of five.
Great learning environments don’t happen by accident—they’re built.
How Can You Transform Classroom Environments?
Classroom assessments can reveal opportunities for deeper learning. Participating in the Elevate Learning Project can provide the tools and support needed to drive better outcomes for young learners.
Your program will recieve:
Essential Classroom Materials
Get the materials you need to bring learning to life – books, art supplies, furniture and more – to enrich your classrooms and support student growth.
Instructional
Supports
Strengthen your program with high-quality, reasearch-backed curriculum tools to help reimagine learning in your classrooms.
Implementation Stipend
Receive direct funding to turn plans into action—allowing time for training and professional development for classroom teams.
Who's Eligible?
Who's Eligible?
Non-profit licensed child care centers, registered ministries and school-based programs can train a team member to conduct assessments and lead intervention selection.
Licensed family child care programs can join a cohort facilitated by a community partner who will conduct assessments.
Non-profit licensed child care centers, registered ministries and school-based programs can train a team member to conduct assessments and lead intervention selection.
Licensed family child care programs can join a cohort facilitated by a community partner who will conduct assessments.
Through this initiative, selected early learning programs will:
Assess Classrooms
Family child care homes join cohorts for partner-led assessments using FCCERS tools.
Understand
Your Data
Receive technical assistance from national experts to interpret findings and identify interventions.
Select appropriate interventions.
Implement an Intervention
Start implementing specific improvements.
Attend specialized professional development.
See Results
Submit follow-up data.
Observe measurable improvement in child learning outcomes.
Informational Webinars
Informational Webinars
Licensed Family Child Care Homes Webinar
Learn how to access environment assessments and effective interventions to deepen learning.
Eligible Early Learning Program* Webinar
Learn how to assess your classrooms and choose effective interventions to deepen learning.
*must be licensed, registered and/or regulated
Want to engage Family Child Care Programs?
If you are a nonprofit, community organization interested in completing assessments for family child care programs in this initiative, visit the Early Learning Exchange.
Ready to Elevate Learning?
Join the Elevate Learning Project and be part of a statewide movement to create stronger, more engaging classroom practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
We know the single most important ingredient in the early education classroom is the relationship adults build with the children. Focusing on classroom practices will enable adults to create classroom environments where children flourish.
Full participation takes an average of six months and includes:
- Assessing classrooms using the appropriate Environment Rating Scale(s)
- Exploring assessment data through technical assistance and coaching
- Selecting and implementing a targeted intervention
- Reassessing classrooms to show impact
Selected non-profit licensed child care centers, registered ministries and school-based programs will learn how to assess your classrooms and choose interventions to deepen learning.
Through participation, you will:
- Receive training and resources to complete Environment Rating Scale(s), including training manuals that walk you through the process and include resources on how to complete assessments.
- Submit selected scores from your assessments.
- Participate in technical assistance facilitated by experts from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) to explore assessment data and review a menu of interventions in areas like literacy, math, whole child curriculum and more that can foster deeper learning.
- Select and implement an intervention with funding support from Early Learning Indiana.
- Receive new classroom materials and professional development for classroom teams.
- Reassess classrooms and see the impact made.
Interested licensed family child care providers will work alongside a community facilitator to assess your setting and explore interventions.
Through participation, you will:
- Receive resources supporting completion of the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS), including All About the ECERS-3.
- Have your program assessed and assist in submission of selected scores from your assessment.
- Participate in technical assistance facilitated by experts from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) to explore assessment data and review a menu of interventions in areas like literacy, math, whole child curriculum and more that can foster deeper learning.
- Select and implement an intervention with funding support from Early Learning Indiana.
- Receive new classroom materials and professional development for classroom teams.
- Have your program reassessed and see the impact made.
Experts from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) will facilitate technical assistance and coaching to support exploration of assessment data.
Early Learning Indiana will offer a menu of interventions in areas like literacy, math, whole child curriculum and more. Specific options will be shared based on the results of your assessment.
Yes, participating educators will receive professional development hours for professional development taken while implementing an intervention.
Due to the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc., there is no cost for programs to participate in the Elevate Learning Project.
Interested organizations can complete an interest form here.
Interest forms are processed on a rolling basis, but funds are limited and programs will be selected on a first-come, first served basis. Complete the interest form as soon as possible to secure the opportunity.
For general questions about the Elevate Learning Project, please email info@earlylearningindiana.org.
Eligibility
- Non-profit licensed child care centers, registered ministries and school-based programs can train a team member to conduct assessments and lead intervention selection.
- Licensed family child care programs can join a cohort facilitated by a community partner who will conduct assessments.
Any organization that meets all eligibility criteria, including a licensed family child care home, may participate.
Yes, current grantees of Early Learning Indiana are eligible to participate in this initiative.
Because instructional leaders currently participating in Building Impact with Early Learning Indiana have already begun assessing classrooms using Environment Rating Scales and will implement interventions at their sites through Building Impact, they should not apply for the Elevate Learning Project for these specific sites. However, these organizations could still apply for the Elevate Learning Project for sites where leaders are not participating in Building Impact or to support a cohort of family child care homes.
Yes, an organization may have more than one location participate in Elevate Learning Project. An individual interest form must be submitted for each site.
Yes, if your organization fits more than one of the participant descriptions, you can submit an interest form for each type.
Environment Rating Scales
The Environment Rating Scales (ERS) are widely used, comprehensive assessment tools that measure both environmental materials and teacher–child interactions that affect the broad developmental needs of young children, including cognitive, social-emotional, physical and health and safety. Recent changes to these tools also address early language and literacy, as well as math experiences.
Yes, to participate in this initiative, programs are required to use the ERS.
Programs should use the Environment Rating Scale that best fits their needs:
- Those that only serve infants and toddlers should use the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS).
- Those that only serve preschool and pre-K students should use the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS).
- Those that serve infants and toddlers, as well as preschool and pre-K students, should use both the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS).
Licensed family child care homes should use the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS) regardless of ages of students served.
Yes, to be able to administer the assessment, you must take the ERS training.
Individuals are only required to take training for a specific ERS once. If you have previously completed the training, you do not need to retake the training; however, you can choose to retake the training as a refresher if helpful. Early Learning Indiana will require an upload of your training certificate as part of your submission for a technical assistance session and to select an intervention.
If you completed the appropriate ERS assessment on a classroom within the last six months, you do not need to reassess. If the assessment was completed more than six months ago, you will need to reassess.