FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LENA Launches App-Based LENA Grow and New Hardware for Simpler, More Scalable Early Childhood PD
Louisville, Colo. — August 19, 2026 — LENA, the national nonprofit dedicated to transforming children’s futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs, today announced the evolution of LENA Grow, its professional development program for early childhood educators.
The challenge is familiar to program leaders: limited coaching capacity and staff time often leave programs unable to access the support they need to improve child outcomes. LENA has launched a new app-based LENA Grow along with innovative new hardware to deliver a simpler yet more robust program.
LENA’s solution introduces a more flexible technology suite:
- A new wearable device that’s more compact, lighter weight, and syncs automatically with classroom rosters
- A new connected dock that that leverages cellular or WiFi to automatically process data and charge devices between uses
- The LENA Grow teacher app, which guides teachers in their weekly sessions — reviewing room- and child-level insights, setting individualized goals, and learning through live modeling videos and responsive feedback.
LENA Online, the secure cloud-based reporting tool, continues to provide data to center directors and coaches with weekly reports to monitor progress and support teacher development.
With the new app, LENA Grow can now flex to match any level of coaching capacity: Weekly Coaching; Flexible Coaching on a program’s schedule; and Teacher-Led learning with onsite leadership supporting setup and development.
“Making data-driven professional development more accessible is a pressing need in early childhood education,” says Steve Hannon, President & CEO of LENA. “Our updates to the LENA System™ and the introduction of the teacher app dramatically expand programs’ capacity for improvement. We designed the new system and app with its users – teachers first, plus coaches and center directors – to help entire programs benefit from LENA Grow and ensure they can scale their commitment to continuous improvement and stronger child outcomes.”
The core of LENA Grow has not changed: it’s based on 20+ years of research and implementation in more than 15,000 classrooms, with the same dedication to measurable outcomes. Surveys show 96% of teachers recommend the program — and thanks to a user-centered design approach, early results from teachers using the app reflect that same level of satisfaction. Results also show the app-based model can achieve child outcomes comparable to traditional coach-supported LENA Grow while expanding access and reducing reliance on intensive coaching supports. The new hardware and app are rolling out in phases through fall 2026 and into 2027. More information on LENA grow can be found at lena.org/grow, and more information on the LENA System is available at lena.org/technology.
About LENA
LENA is a national nonprofit on a mission to transform children’s futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs. Used by educators, researchers, and clinicians around the world, LENA technology measures children’s language environments and provides actionable feedback to help adults strengthen the interactions that support children’s development. LENA Grow emphasizes the amount of interaction each child experiences because responsive interactions are known to be a key marker of quality and positive child outcomes. Learn more at lena.org.
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Curtis Kuhn
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303-441-9018