A gold-standard study funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the federal Centers for Disease Control, and the W.T. Grant Foundation has demonstrated that The 4Rs Program has a significant positive effect on children's social, emotional, and academic competency, and on classroom climate.
The study, conducted by Drs. J. Lawrence Aber of New York University, Joshua Brown of Fordham University, and Stephanie Jones of Harvard University, was unusual both in its focus and rigor. Few studies have focused on programs that integrate social and emotional learning with a core academic subject like literacy instruction; and few have focused on programs that engage all children, not just those at highest risk. Even fewer have followed children’s development over several years and employed an experimental random assignment design, as this one does.
As part of the study, independent (“blind”) observers assessed the quality of classroom climate in all third grade classrooms in the 18 schools using a research-based observational instrument called the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). These observations showed significantly higher levels of overall classroom quality among classrooms in the 4Rs schools compared to classrooms in the control schools at the end of the first year. Specifically, classrooms in 4Rs schools had significantly higher levels of emotional and instructional support compared to classrooms in control schools. Other research has shown a strong correlation between higher levels on the CLASS and more positive social and emotional development and higher academic achievement.