As an early childhood education leader, how do you know if what’s going on in early childhood classrooms is actually working for children? How do the teachers know? Early childhood education assessments help answer those questions, but many programs struggle to connect assessment data with real classroom improvement.
That’s why LENA partnered with Teachstone for a recent webinar exploring what happens when complementary tools work together instead of in isolation.
Our panel brought expertise from across the field. Dominique McCain leads Educational First Steps in Texas. Veronica Fernandez serves as Vice President of Impact at Teachstone. Lesha Buchbinder directs the Early Learning Coalition of Lake County in Florida. And Patricia Rodriguez oversees early childhood programs at Youth Development Inc. in New Mexico.
These leaders shared how quality early childhood programs can use both CLASS and LENA Grow to strengthen teacher-child interactions and drastically improve quality. But first, what does “quality” actually look like in everyday moments?
The Heartbeat of Quality in Early Childhood Education: Defining High-Quality Interactions
High quality interactions happen when teachers stay engaged, attentive, and purposeful with children. The interaction feels rich and warm, creating curiosity and a sense of belonging. Lesha said, “Children thrive when they feel connected, and that high quality interaction is the heartbeat of that connection.”
Patricia added to this the key elements she looks for in classrooms. She wants to see teachers and children actively engaging in the moment together. Teachers should be acting as a catalyst for learning by knowing the children well enough to support their unique needs. Most importantly, she wants to see trust. Trust between adults and children gives children confidence to take risks and try new things.
This trust creates space for what Veronica calls “co-construction.” Children don’t just receive information. They actively participate with adults who genuinely care about their thinking. “When children experience warmth and responsive interactions paired with rich back-and-forth communication,” she noted, “we see so much growth in their development.” Development happens through these meaningful exchanges.
Dominique said, “Interactions are going to happen whether we like it or not. Why not ensure they’re high quality?”
Understanding CLASS®: Evaluating the Quality of Classroom Interactions
Programs rely on CLASS for good reason. The scores help identify where teachers already shine and where they could grow. Many states tie CLASS results to quality improvement systems, which affect funding and family access to programs. “CLASS has become the standard for assessing quality interactions in early childhood settings,” Veronica explained. It gives programs concrete data about what’s working and what needs attention.
In pre-K classrooms specifically, CLASS looks at three domains. The first, Emotional Support, looks at how teachers create warm, respectful relationships with children. Classroom Organization examines how teachers manage behavior, time, and learning activities. Instructional Support focuses on how teachers extend children’s thinking and language development.
Yet CLASS observations typically happen just a few times per year. How can teachers maintain and improve their practice between those formal assessments?
Complementary Early Childhood Education Tools: How LENA Grow Supports CLASS Goals
Teachers deserve the power of knowing how they’re doing. Of knowing if the strategies they’re implementing in the classroom are actually making an impact on children. That’s the power of pairing different early childhood education tools strategically.
“LENA [Grow] provides daily feedback, versus periodic CLASS observations,” Patricia said. Teachers can see their interaction data after every LENA Day, giving them near-immediate insight into their practice. They don’t have to wonder what’s working and what’s not. They know whether something is working or not and they can adjust accordingly.
“CLASS helps us understand the interactions that matter most,” Veronica said. “And tools like LENA or other improvement initiatives can help educators see their progress in real time.”
Lesha talked about how she saw this transformation firsthand. Between formal CLASS assessments, teachers used LENA Grow to track their progress and adjust their approach. “LENA helped teachers see their impact,” she shared. This frequent feedback built confidence and kept momentum going strong.
What makes this partnership so effective is that both tools focus on the exact same thing. Quality interactions between teachers and children. CLASS evaluates what those interactions look like. LENA Grow measures how often they happen and helps teachers increase them. Programs using LENA Grow and CLASS consistently see significant improvements in CLASS scores.
Dominique McCain added one more advantage: “The beauty of CLASS and LENA both are that they are curriculum agnostic.” Whether programs use Montessori, Creative Curriculum, or HighScope, these tools work seamlessly with any approach.
Of course, choosing the right tools is just the beginning. Successfully implementing them requires thoughtful planning and strong leadership.
Making It Work: Real Strategies for Implementation Success
Lesha learned early on that provider buy-in makes or breaks any new initiative. Transparent communication proved essential. Providers and teachers needed to understand what the program actually was — and just as importantly, what it wasn’t. Taking time for those conversations upfront created genuine enthusiasm instead of reluctant compliance. When teachers feel connected, when they feel important, they want to contribute to the culture of the center for the long term.
These implementation strategies work because they honor something fundamental about how people grow and change.
The Power of Everyday Interactions
Small, everyday moments really shape children’s futures. Smiling when they arrive, using their heritage language throughout the day, genuinely listening even when their stories ramble. “Those moments might seem really small, but they are impacting those children’s lives in such meaningful ways,” Veronica said.
Lesha stressed that teachers also need those same powerful moments every day. They need someone listening to their challenges, celebrating their wins, providing support when things feel hard. Adults deserve the same intentional relationships we want them to build with children.
When administrators support teachers well, teachers support children well. When teachers see their impact through data and coaching, children experience more brain-building conversations. Everyone benefits.
Improving quality early childhood programs starts with measuring and supporting what matters most: the interactions that shape young lives.
Stronger Together: Tools That Complement, Not Compete
CLASS and LENA Grow work together to improve quality in early childhood education in ways neither tool can accomplish alone. CLASS® provides the observational lens. LENA Grow delivers the daily data and coaching. Together, they create a powerful system for continuous improvement.
When programs choose complementary early childhood education tools strategically, everyone wins. Teachers gain confidence and clarity. Children experience more responsive relationships. Programs see measurable improvements in quality ratings and outcomes.
Ready to see how LENA Grow can help improve your CLASS scores? Download The ECE Leader’s Guide to Improving CLASS® Scores with LENA Grow to discover proven strategies and real results from programs like yours.
Want even more insights on collaborating for quality? Watch the full webinar replay here!
