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The BRIDGE Initiative at Rutgers CESP Return to CESP Home Resources Events Blog Support More SEPAG Development Supporting NJ's Special Education Parent Advisory Groups Thanks for visiting! This page is still under development, and more content will be available soon. THE BRIDGE INITIATIVE | MAJOR FOCUS AREA SEPAG Development, Growth & Sustainability Special Education Parent Advisory Groups (SEPAGs) are parent advisory groups required by New Jersey law that work with districts to improve services and create inclusive environments for students with disabilities. SEPAGs provide a structured space where parents, educators, and administrators come together to collaborate on policies, programs, and practices that impact students with disabilities. These groups give families an opportunity to share their lived experiences, raise concerns, offer feedback, and help shape more responsive and effective special education services. SEPAGs are most successful when they're built on genuine partnership between families and districts. For families, SEPAGs offer a way to connect with other parents, stay informed about district initiatives, and have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their children. For schools and districts, SEPAGs provide valuable insight into what's working, where improvements are needed, and how to better support students with disabilities and their families. Strong SEPAGs foster transparency, two-way communication, and collaborative problem-solving that benefits the entire school community. SEPAG GROUP PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY SEPAG Development, Growth & Sustainability The BRIDGE Initiative works with both parent and district leaders to strengthen and develop SEPAGs. Whether your group is just getting started, looking to grow membership, or seeking ways to develop more parent leadership, we can provide hands-on support tailored to your needs. Our assistance includes leadership training, meeting planning and facilitation, resource development, and strategies for engaging more families. If you're interested in working with us to strengthen your SEPAG, we'd love to hear from you. We start with a conversation to learn about your group's current situation and goals, and go from there. There are no costs or strict requirements, just a shared commitment to strengthening family engagement. Request More Information The BRIDGE Initiative is funded by the NJ Department of Education Office of Special Education (Engagement of Parents of Students with Disabilities; Grant #26000007) through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-B; 84.027A). Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Rutgers websites to accessibility@rutgers.edu or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier / Provide Feedback Form . Copyright 2025 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

The Rutgers University Center for Effective School Practices is a research and evaluation center within the Graduate School of Education dedicated to excellence and integrity in research and evaluation across educational contexts for over 25 years. Excellence & Integrity in Research & Evaluation For over two decades, Rutgers CESP has connected a broad range of stakeholders to research evidence and best practices through authentic collaboration, high quality technical assistance, and real opportunities for growth and development. View Our Services See Our Work Read Our Research Get in Touch The Center for Effective School Practices Rutgers CESP is a research and evaluation center within the Graduate School of Education dedicated to facilitating the translation of research into best practices and building the capacity of the educational community through collaborative structures that capitalize on short-cycle improvement and ongoing evaluation. With over 25 years of expertise, Rutgers CESP has a record of excellence and integrity in research and evaluation across educational contexts. Research Drawing on expertise in study design, mixed methods research, and data analytics, Rutgers CESP regularly leads and collaborates on projects to output high-quality research. Evaluation With expertise in the application of many evaluation frameworks, Rutgers CESP partners with organizations to understand outcomes, drivers of success, and areas for growth. Education For over 25 years, Rutgers CESP has reached across educational contexts to facilitate collaboration, create learning opportunities, conduct educational audits, enrich practice, and more. Development Through strategic planning, needs assessments, project management, and more, Rutgers CESP is a strong partner in planning, implementation, scaling, and dissemination. Meaningful Projects Rutgers CESP's work cuts across levels and domains. From K-12 and higher education, workforce development, training programs, and beyond, our work has included computer science, public health, biomedical training, translational research, and more. Our center has a proven history of applying a deep understanding of best practices in research in education across contexts. As an agile team, we stand ready to respond to the evolving needs of our communities, our partners, and our society. See All Projects Biomedical Excellence Achieved through Coaching Networks (BEACON) National Institutes of Health Hypothesis-driven research examines the impact of individualized coaching on biomedical Ph.D. students in terms of short-term outcomes (e.g., self-efficacy, resilience, reduced anxiety, depression) and sustained positive effects (degree persistence, goal attainment, ease in career transitions, tangible scholarly outputs). Extending the CS Pipeline: Enhancing Rigor and Relevance in Middle School CS U.S. Department of Education Rutgers researchers are collaborating with partner schools and industry and education experts to develop and implement a technical assistance framework that involves tailored, purposeful professional learning in the integration and expansion of middle school computer science (CS), with a focus on universal access to computer science education. Employment, Development, Guidance, and Engagement (EDGE) Program Evaluation N.J. Commission for The Blind As the external evaluator, the center collaborates with EDGE stakeholders to assess the program’s efficacy and impact. The comprehensive evaluation involves detailed reviews of program implementation, mentor and staff engagements, student achievements, and overall outcomes. The BRIDGE Initiative, Engagement of Parents of Students with Disabilities N.J. Department of Education, OSE In partnership with the NJ Department of Education, The BRIDGE Initiative works to improve the engagement of parents and caregivers of students with disabilities by providing curated, actionable resources and technical assistance to educators and families. The Latest News Now Available! A New Way to Look at Online Math Platforms: Our Reference Sheets! The new "Math Platforms at a Glance" Reference Sheets give teachers a clear look at major digital math platforms like Khan Academy, IXL, and DreamBox. This free resource offers practical comparisons, classroom insights, and tips to find the best fit for every teaching style and purpose. Read More New Grant Award Rutgers CESP Awarded $1.2 Million from NJDOE for The BRIDGE Initiative Rutgers CESP receives three-year, $1.2 million NJDOE grant to develop accessible resources, provide technical assistance, and enhance support for Special Education Parent Advisory Groups statewide, strengthening meaningful partnerships between schools and families of students with disabilities across New Jersey. Read More Research Unpacking Six Years of High School Computer Science Participation New study shows computer science enrollment in high schools grew from 10% to 15% over six years, but gender gaps are widening. Read More See All News Informed Services Rutgers CESP is your trusted partner for work that matters . The dynamic, cross-cutting nature of Rutgers CESP's work makes our center an excellent partner in many scenarios. At the heart of all our services lies authentic collaboration, ensuring there is meaning and purpose to our work, and fostering and maintaining open and honest channels of communication. If you are interested in partnering with us on your next project, big or small, or are looking for more information on any of our services, please reach out ! We look forward to learning more and moving forward, together. Our research and evaluation work generates new knowledge through rigorous investigations and enables informed decision-making. We also welcome partners for research projects/grants. Grant Services Program Evaluation Research Project Partnerships Research & Evaluation Design Research & Evaluation Partner with experts to uncover knowledge and insight through high-impact studies. Learn More Our development services empower educators, leaders, and professionals through targeted, flexible learning opportunities. Professional Development Leadership Development Educator Learning PLC/Collaboration Facilitation Data-Use Capacity Evidence-based Decision Making Development & Training Build capacity through customized training and professional growth. Learn More With educational audits, we offer a wide array of services to understand educational access, participation, and outcomes. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Response to Intervention (RTI) Program Audits Scheduling Graduation Rates & Pathways Curriculum Audits Educational Audits Understand the efficacy of educational programs and their impacts on learners. Learn More We deliver robust data analysis and interpretation, grounded in rigorous methodology and effective communication. Case Studies Data Analysis Statistical Methods & Design Interpretation & Action Data & Analytics Transform data into clear, actionable insights with purposeful and rigorous methods. Learn More We collaborate with clients to plan, implement, sustain, and scale high-impact work through tailored support and guidance. Needs Assessments Strategic Planning Grant Planning Program Conceptualization Policy Implementation Support Communication & Dissemination Strategy Planning & Implementation Understand the efficacy of educational programs and their impacts on learners. Learn More If your project doesn’t fit within our listed services, we’re still here to help. Reach out to discuss how we can support your goals. Custom Solutions Collaborate with us for solutions tailored to your unique needs. One size does not fit all. Contact Us

The BRIDGE Portal is an online library of high-quality materials and training for parents and educators around meaningful parent engagement in special education. The BRIDGE Initiative at Rutgers CESP Return to CESP Home Resources Events Blog Support More Resource Portal FEATURED RESOURCE Templates SEPAG Parent Outreach: Grow Membership Ready-to-use materials for parent leaders to promote their group and encourage participation View Resource IN THE SPOTLIGHT General SEPAG Informational Materials One-pagers to help you and others learn what SEPAGs are and why they matter One-Pagers SEPAG District Outreach: Grow Membership Materials for districts to engage parents in SEPAG events and leadership opportunities Templates SEPAG Development Parent Starter Kit Develop your SEPAG with ready-made emails, step-by-step guides, and planning tools. Guide FILTER RESOURCES Resource Area All SEPAGs Type Guide One-Pagers Templates Webinar Audience Educators Parents/Caregivers SEPAG Leaders (District) SEPAG Leaders (Parents) Topic Parent Engagement SEPAG Development SEPAG Formation SEPAG-District Collaboration Language English Spanish One-Pagers General SEPAG Informational Materials One-pagers to help you and others learn what SEPAGs are and why they matter Webinar Parent Voices in Action: The SEPAG Experience A virtual parent panel featuring SEPAG leaders that took place on December 8th, 2025. Templates SEPAG District Outreach: Grow Membership Materials for districts to engage parents in SEPAG events and leadership opportunities Guide SEPAG Development Parent Starter Kit Develop your SEPAG with ready-made emails, step-by-step guides, and planning tools. Templates SEPAG Parent Outreach: Grow Membership Ready-to-use materials for parent leaders to promote their group and encourage participation 1 1 ... 1 ... 1 The BRIDGE Initiative is funded by the NJ Department of Education Office of Special Education (Engagement of Parents of Students with Disabilities; Grant #26000007) through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-B; 84.027A). Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Rutgers websites to accessibility@rutgers.edu or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier / Provide Feedback Form . Copyright 2025 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

NEWS & BLOG Monday, September 22, 2025 A New Way to Look at Online Math Platforms: Our Reference Sheets! The new "Math Platforms at a Glance" Reference Sheets give teachers a clear look at major digital math platforms like Khan Academy, IXL, and DreamBox. This free resource offers practical comparisons, classroom insights, and tips to find the best fit for every teaching style and purpose. Read More Monday, September 15, 2025 Welcome to the CESP Team: Solangel Troncoso We’re excited to welcome Solangel Troncoso to the team. A published scholar whose work spans gender, adolescence, and resilience, Solangel brings experience in qualitative research and community engagement to CESP's applied research, outreach, and resource development work. Read More Monday, September 1, 2025 Celebrating Progress: Annual Reflections on the EDGE Program An external evaluation of the EDGE program shows continued progress in supporting blind and visually impaired students as they prepare for college, careers, and independent living. Year-two findings highlight strong self-efficacy, record-breaking participation, high event satisfaction, and increased employment-related activity. Read More Monday, August 18, 2025 Welcome to the CESP Team: Taylor Clough We’re excited to welcome Taylor Clough to the team. With experience in program implementation, evaluation, and data analysis, Taylor has co-authored practitioner resources on special education, social-emotional learning, and computer science; his social-work lens centers the lived experiences of students, families, and communities. Read More Friday, August 1, 2025 Rutgers CESP Awarded $1.2 Million from NJDOE for The BRIDGE Initiative Rutgers CESP receives three-year, $1.2 million NJDOE grant to develop accessible resources, provide technical assistance, and enhance support for Special Education Parent Advisory Groups statewide, strengthening meaningful partnerships between schools and families of students with disabilities across New Jersey. Read More Load More

Back to News Unpacking Six Years of High School Computer Science Participation What Enrollment Data Reveal About CS Participation Trends and Equity Gaps New study shows computer science enrollment in high schools grew from 10% to 15% over six years, but gender gaps are widening. By Anna Lasek, Communications Assistant at Rutgers CESP High school courses are often students’ first formal introduction to the field of computer science (CS), shaping their understanding of the discipline and how (if at all) they they see themselves in it. In our technologically evolving world, CS education helps us nuture tomorrow's problem-solvers, creators, and professionals across every discpline. Foundational CS courses introduce students to computing, build critical thinking and analytical skills, and open doors to a wide range of careers. But how many students are actually taking CS courses? And who’s being left out? A new study from the Rutgers University Center for Effective School Practices analyzes six years of CS enrollment data to provide valuable insights. You can view the full report available freely online here . What the Data Show: Participation Trends from 2018 to 2024 Using de-identified course enrollment data from nearly 16,000 students acrosss seven suburban, public high schools, the study examines who is taking CS classes - and who isn't. It distinguishes between foundational courses (like introductory programming or robotics) and advanced courses (such as AP courses and higher-level electives), and breaks down participation by sex and race. Key findings include: Participation Is Growing—But Slowly and Unevenly Overall CS course enrollment grew from 10% in 2018–2019 to 15% in 2022–2023, before dropping slightly to 13% in 2023–2024. While the increase is encouraging, the recent decline signals a need for attention: Is this a temporary dip, or an early warning sign? Gender Disparities Are Deepening One of the clearest findings: girls continue to be underrepresented in CS. Female participation dropped over time and remained steady around 7% by 2023–2024, exactly where it was six years prior. Meanwhile, over the same period of time, male participation rose from 13% to 18%. This growing gender gap highlights an urgent need to rethink how CS is marketed, delivered, and supported to female learners. Racial Participation Patterns Are Complex Asian students consistently had the highest CS enrollment, peaking at 24% in 2022–2023. Hispanic students showed encouraging growth, briefly surpassing their Black and White peers, but did not sustain those higher rates. Participation among Black and White students remained relatively stable over the six years, around 10–12%. These trends call for deeper research into how school demographics, cultural factors, and local policies influence CS access and interest. Foundational Courses Drive Overall Trends Most CS participation comes from foundational courses, which are typically more accessible and may serve as entry points for students new to computing. From 2021–2022 onward, male and female participation in these courses diverged sharply, with the gender gap reaching its widest point in 2022–2023 (16% of males vs. 7% of females enrolled). Participation in Advanced Courses Remains Low—and Skews Male Advanced CS courses have much lower enrollment across the board, in part due to pre-requisite structures, as many require first taking a foundational course. In 2020–2021, only around 5% of high school students enrolled in an advanced CS course, and the male participation rate was more than 3 times higher than that of female students. Moreso than foundational courses, access to advanced CS courses varies across schools, and many students may never get the opportunity to explore more specialized CS topics. This bottleneck in the CS pipeline deserves close attention from administrators and policymakers. Where Do We Go From Here? Although most high schools offer foundational computer science courses (86% in the 2022-2023 school year), taking a CS course is not a graduation requirement. Thus, access isn’t enough and doesn't automatically imply participation , especially among students in sociodemographic groups historically underrepresented in CS. Results confirm what research consistently shows: engagement and equity remain real challenges within CS education. Research also offers us some strategies for what we can do about it, such as: Engage underrepresented students, particularly girls and students of color, by connecting CS to their interests and lived experiences. Develop inclusive curricula that emphasize collaboration, creativity, and real-world problem-solving. Invest in teacher training and support systems that make CS welcoming and accessible to all students. Monitor and evaluate course offerings, prerequisites, and student outcomes to ensure equitable access to both foundational and advanced pathways. CS education must evolve to keep pace of the diverse educational landscape. This study offers a valuable lens into where we are—and where we need to go. The takeaway is clear: if we want a future where all students can participate in CS (and we do!), we must take effective action in and out of the classroom. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to News Building a Strong Computer Science Foundation at Randolph Middle School Shining the spotlight on Randolph Middle School's computer science program, redesigned through the Rutgers EIR project With support from Rutgers EIR, Randolph Middle School reimagined computer science education through hands-on lessons, cross-curricular integration, and teacher-led innovation, tripling student enrollment and transforming how CS is taught. By Anna Lasek, Communications Assistant at Rutgers CESP During the first two weeks of Randolph Middle School’s introductory computer science course, students don’t even touch a keyboard. Instead, they rewrite stories using emojis, analyze familiar music in 8-bit quality, and watch videos ranging from low- to high-definition. “This teaches them core computer science lessons like data storage and abstraction using concepts they already understand,” explains Science Supervisor Melissa Strype. This creative, accessible, and interdisciplinary classroom approach is just one element of the school’s new computer science education strategy, developed in partnership with the Center for Effective School Practices (CESP) at Rutgers University. For the past three years, CESP has contributed professional development, curriculum, and assessment support for Randolph’s teachers and administrators alike. And the results speak for themselves: enrollment in the school’s elective computer science extension course has tripled, and what was once a barely filled section has grown to nearly 80 students. “That’s a success,” says Strype, “and it’s a direct result of the changes we made to our courses, thanks to the Rutgers EIR program.” Rutgers EIR, formally known as “Extending the Computer Science Pipeline,” is a six-year federally funded research grant that partners diverse CESP experts with New Jersey middle schools to modernize computer science instruction from the inside out. CESP’s approach is deeply collaborative and relationship-focused, working side by side with teachers and administrators to define goals, co-create implementation plans, and make data-informed adjustments along the way. “They are wonderful to work with, always available, knowledgeable, and helpful,” says Strype. “They understand our time and budget constraints. And they’re honest. If something isn’t working, they tell us. That kind of honesty is what leads to real improvement.” Education Transformation CESP hit the ground running at Randolph Middle School with institution-wide professional development centered on computer science education. As the school’s first training of this kind, it focused on what computer science is, why it matters, and how it can be integrated across disciplines. Then, teachers collaborated to identify how they were already using computer science principles, often without realizing it, and brainstorm simple, meaningful ways to go even further. “At one point, computer science was taught in isolation,” says Strype. “Now, thanks to CESP’s support, every teacher in our district—from physical education to English—has been trained to embed computer science into their lessons.” Next, CESP helped teachers and administrators interpret new computer science curriculum standards, led an audit of existing programs, and held more than 20 sessions over the summer to rework the school’s curriculum into something both rigorous and engaging. “Then, they worked with teachers to develop lessons so they were empowered to teach the new material once they went back to the classroom,” Strype adds. Now in its third year, the partnership includes robust data collection and analysis to refine the improvements made so far. For example, administrators are now tracking which classes best prepare students for advanced computer science coursework, where roadblocks appear, and how to make recruitment even more inclusive. “Schools shouldn’t overlook the gift of time, expertise, and one-on-one support,” Strype says. “It’s not just about funding—it’s about having the right people beside you.” Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Research Predictors of Stable Employment Among Female Inmates in New Jersey Cynthia L. Blitz This study surveyed 908 female inmates at New Jersey's sole state correctional facility for women to identify factors that predict stable employment prior to incarceration. The research used two measures of employment stability: level of employment (full-time versus part-time work) and length of employment (ability to maintain jobs for one year or longer). Education emerged as the strongest predictor of stable employment. Women with high school education had nearly twice the likelihood of securing full-time employment compared to those without high school completion, while those with college education showed even greater employment stability. Behavioral health treatment also proved crucial, with women who received treatment for substance abuse or mental health disorders demonstrating significantly better employment outcomes than those who needed but did not receive such services. The study found that approximately half of the surveyed women were regularly employed prior to incarceration, with 63% working full-time positions. However, employment was predominantly in lower-prestige service occupations such as childcare, food service, and temporary positions. Factors commonly assumed to impact women's employment, such as having children under 18 or experiencing victimization, showed no significant association with employment stability. The findings underscore the importance of educational programming and behavioral health treatment in correctional facilities to improve post-release employment outcomes. The research recommends enhanced educational opportunities within prisons and expanded access to substance abuse and mental health treatment both during incarceration and upon community reentry. January 2006 Journal of Offender Rehabilitation | Volume 43, Issue 1 DOI: 10.1300/J076v43n01_01 This study examines factors that predict stable employment among female inmates in New Jersey, identifying education and behavioral health treatment as key determinants of employment success. Citation Blitz, C. L. (2006). Predictors of Stable Employment Among Female Inmates in New Jersey. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation , 43 (1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1300/J076v43n01_01 View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Research The Scratch Arcade: Deeper Learning & Authentic Engagement through Sustained Design & Collaboration David J. Amiel, Fran P. Trees, & Kristen Hickman The Scratch Arcade project engages middle school students in a multi-week effort to conceptualize, design, and develop arcade games using Scratch programming. Over approximately 12 elective class periods, students explore existing games, blueprint their own arcade game concepts, program their games while meeting specific technical requirements including multiple sprites, costume changes, variables, loops, and conditionals, and participate in peer review and beta testing phases. The project culminates with a class arcade celebration where students showcase their completed games, followed by reflection and debriefing discussions about their learning process and takeaways. The project emphasizes three key principles: authentic engagement through creating games for real audiences in a carnival format, sustained learning through the multi-week development cycle with daily check-ins, and collaborative construction via paired programming and peer feedback. The poster provides comprehensive educational materials including differentiation strategies for both struggling and advanced learners, cross-curricular connections to art, mathematics, and English language arts, and sample rubrics for assessment. All project materials are made freely available for educators to download, adapt, and implement in their own classrooms, with detailed pacing suggestions and daily class agendas provided to support successful implementation. July 2025 Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Annual Conference Cleveland, Ohio, USA A 12-day middle school project where students design, build, and showcase arcade games using Scratch, culminating in a class game fair; promotes relevant, sustained, and engaging CS learning. Citation Amiel, D. J., Trees, F. P., & Hickman, K. (2025, July 8). The Scratch Arcade: Deeper Learning & Authentic Engagement through Sustained Design & Collaboration [Poster presentation]. Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) 2025 Annual Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The BRIDGE Initiative at Rutgers CESP Return to CESP Home Resources Events Blog Support More Raising Readers: How New Research Can Help At Home Belal Jonaid, Research Communications Specialist As fewer children read for pleasure, parents are playing an increasingly important role in literacy development. This piece draws on the Science of Reading to offer practical, research-informed strategies families can use at home to support early reading skills and long-term engagement. Return to Blog Like many parents, you have likely wondered how to get your child to develop a habit of reading. In an increasingly digital world dominated by algorithms and bite-sized content, such concerns can feel pressing. Indeed according to one 2022 study, the percentage of American 9-year olds who read daily in their free time dropped a whopping 14% in just ten years (Heubeck, 2025). Parents can play an important role here. As new research on the frontiers of education and cognitive science teaches us more about how we learn to read, it becomes clear that reading does not simply start and end at school. In fact building language and meaning can occur in a wide range of environments, including at home. How can parents support literacy at home in everyday yet meaningful ways? How We Learn The Science of Reading is a broad approach to teaching literacy, informed by a large and evolving body of research. The method is based on systematically imparting five core skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This means that in place of context clues and visual cues, a methodical code-based approach is used to help students more efficiently grasp the fundamentals of reading (National Center on Improving Literacy, 2022). Since the Science of Reading is not a specific product or program students can enroll in but rather a set of insights based on ongoing research, parents can utilize these techniques in a number of everyday settings. In practice this can look like consistent work in key areas at home. Practical Tips for Parents Use Available Resources : There is a broad range of available material on engagement at home, and finding the best content can be a challenge. Building Resources for Inclusive Development and Growth in Education (BRIDGE) is an initiative from Rutgers University and the New Jersey Department of Education that collects some of the most high-quality resources for parents in one place. Read Together Daily : Besides simply encouraging the habit, reading together also models fluency and can organically teach key concepts. It allows children to recognize letters and understand “print concept,” the idea that printed words symbolically carry meaning as well as the rules of text (Duursma et al., 2008). Prioritize Phonics and Word Work : Focusing on sounding out words while reading together can teach letter sounds, decoding, and blending in small, playful ways. These abilities foster knowledge of phonics and phonemic awareness, which form the foundation for reading (Reading Rockets, n.d., Science of Reading). Build Vocabulary and Language : Integrating new and more challenging words into everyday conversations with your child can help immensely. Explaining the definition of newer terms and using them in context can allow you to build vocabulary and encourage word consciousness, the crucial skill that allows young readers to appreciate new words and their definitions. Encourage Comprehension Skills : When reading with your child, it is important to ask “why” and “how” questions. These discussions cement meaning for kids and allow them to infer, connect ideas, and think more critically about the texts they encounter. Another useful way to build comprehension is to connect stories to life experiences (National Center on Improving Literacy, 2022). Beyond the First Page When encouraging your child to read, it is always important to remember that sustained everyday involvement matters more than perfection. Reading fluently can be a long journey, and enthusiasm and consistency are key. Celebrating small successes and sharing stories can be just as vital as decoding and comprehension. Needless to say, educating the next generation of readers remains a priority in education today, and parents have a crucial role to play by fostering important skills at home. _____ References Duursma, E., Augustyn, M., & Zuckerman, B. (2008). Reading aloud to children: the evidence. Archives of disease in childhood, 93(7), 554-557. Heubeck, E. (2025, June 12). Fewer parents are reading aloud to their kids. Why that matters. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/fewer-parents-are-reading-aloud-to-their-kids-why-that-matters/2025/06 National Center on Improving Literacy. (2022). The science of reading: An overview. https://www.improvingliteracy.org/resource/the-science-of-reading-an-overview Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Science of reading. ReadingRockets.org. https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/evidence-based-instruction/science-reading Rutgers Center for Effective School Practices. (n.d.). BRIDGE portal. Rutgers University. https://cesp.rutgers.edu/bridge-portal Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link The BRIDGE Initiative is funded by the NJ Department of Education Office of Special Education (Engagement of Parents of Students with Disabilities; Grant #26000007) through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-B; 84.027A). Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Rutgers websites to accessibility@rutgers.edu or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier / Provide Feedback Form . Copyright 2025 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Back to Research Partnership and Progress: The Computer Science Teaching & Learning Collaboratory Cynthia L. Blitz & David J. Amiel In the March 2020 issue of Computer Science Newsletter, published by the International Society for Technology in Education, Rutgers Center for Effective School Practices researchers Cynthia L. Blitz and David Amiel describe dynamics often associated with computer science education in K-12 school districts and how lessons learned through the Rutgers Computer Science Teaching and Learning Collaboratory (CS-TLC) researcher-practitioner partnership can be applied. Understanding that CS-TLC is a large project that is not replicable for many school districts, the article includes a compilation of key, replicable takeaways listed below and explained further in the newsletter article that they believe can be implemented by any school district looking to increase its capacity to provide high-quality, rigorous, and inclusive computer science education to students: Bring administrators to the table. Be curriculum agnostic. PD at your own pace. Empower every voice. March 2020 Computer Science Network Newsletter | Featured Article International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Findings from the Rutgers Computer Science Teaching and Learning Collaboratory informed these recommendations for K-12 school districts looking to provide rigorous and inclusive computer science education. Citation Blitz, C. L., & Amiel, D. J. (2020). Partnership and Progress: The Computer Science Teaching & Learning Collaboratory. Computer Science Newsletter: International Society for Technology in Education , 13 (7), 1–3. http://bit.ly/CSN_Newsletter-Mar2020 View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link