Log In
Get Started
Two young children sit on a sandy beach facing the ocean at sunset. One child is raising their arms while the other sits quietly. Both wear sleeveless outfits and look toward the colorful sky.

Florida, say hello to LENA Grow

96% of teachers recommend it!

LENA Grow is evidence-based professional development that delivers powerful data without the hassle. Backed by 20+ years of research, LENA Grow focuses on the key marker of quality in early childhood education: teacher-child interactions.

Submit an Interest Form

Right Now in Florida ...

tree icon

Only 1 in 11 children

gets the optimal amount of language interaction.

rocket icon

1 in 8 children

spends most of the day in language isolation.

comment icon

Only 1 in 10 classrooms

provides the level of interaction necessary for ideal language development.

LENA Grow Empowers Early Childhood Education

higher kindergarten readiness
0 x
increase in teacher-child interactions
0 %
boost in social skills assessment scores
0 %
better teacher retention
0 x

On the Ground in the Sunshine State

In 2016, LENA partnered with the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County to pilot a brand new professional development program called LENA Grow.

In the years since, LENA Grow’s impact in Florida, and around the world, has grown dramatically. The sky is the limit …

A teacher reads a picture book titled "Not Fair, Bear" to a group of young children sitting in a circle on the classroom floor, all listening attentively and wearing matching purple vests.
The logo of the Orlando Sentinel, featuring the publication’s name in bold, black serif font on a white background.

‘Every hour counts’:
Daycares track conversations to boost language skills

Michael Cuglietta | April 29, 2026

Read More

Powered by Partnerships

As of April 2026, LENA Grow has reached 2,000+ classrooms across Florida, partnering with 28 early learning coalitions. That’s just the start!

LENA Grow's Reach in Florida

A woman in a pink shirt smiles as she interacts with a toddler holding a white cup in a colorful playroom filled with toys and shelves. Another child is partially visible on the right.

LENA boosts classroom quality — period.

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. LENA Grow measures — and improves — the teacher-child interactions at the heart of CLASS® assessments.

LENA Grow aligns to FSU’s 10 Components of Quality Care and Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards.

A solid blue badge shape with scalloped edges, resembling a starburst or seal, on a transparent background.

Improving child outcomes, and proving our results.

Studies show that increasing interactions with LENA Grow boosts CLASS® scores, early literacy skills, kindergarten readiness, teacher confidence, and more. 

A solid orange shape resembling a rounded plus sign or cross, with four equally sized semicircular lobes extending from a central point, on a transparent background.

LENA Grow preschool classrooms saw significant increases in all three CLASS® domains, especially Instructional Support.

Children in LENA Grow classrooms saw significant increases in early literacy scores.

Children in LENA Grow classrooms were approximately two times more likely to demonstrate readiness for kindergarten.

Teachers who participated in LENA Grow reported feeling significantly more valued as early childhood professionals.

Five Weeks That Change Everything

Teachers are loving LENA

  • 90% of Florida educators reported increased confidence in their teaching abilities after LENA Grow.
  • 96% say they would recommend LENA Grow to other teachers.
A woman with straight, shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a green top, smiling in front of a plain gray background.
Large, white, left-facing quotation mark on a solid black background.

This helps teachers to identify: Are they, in fact, using those conversational turns? They’re learning about how that correlates with CLASS. For us, it’s been a win-win.

– Nilda Price, HS/EHS Director of Training at Episcopal Children’s Services in Jacksonville, Fla.

A solid orange shape with a scalloped edge resembling a circular seal or splash, set against a transparent background.

Ready to transform your early childhood program in Florida?

Whether you’re ready to implement LENA Grow or just want to learn more, we’d love to connect. 

A woman with long blond hair wearing a light blue button-up shirt stands indoors, smiling at the camera. Natural light comes through a window in the background.

Connect with Gina Gates

Regional Partnerships Director GinaGates@LENA.org

See the latest resources ...

Free Webinar: Redesigning Support for New Teachers

What if the key to a stronger early childhood workforce isn’t just better hiring — it’s better beginnings?
New research from LENA, in partnership with Porter-Leath in Tennessee, reveals that the first months of a teacher’s career are pivotal — not just for retention, but for informing quality, confidence, and long-term growth.
Read more here > 

June 10 at 1:00 p.m. ET

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name(Required)
State / Region
News & Updates