In a 28-classroom cluster randomized trial, Building Blocks raised end-of-intervention REMA scores with an effect size of 1.07 (improvement index +36)¶
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Evidence · 1 study · causalr3·q4·i3large
Currency · newest study 2023 · checked against its sources 2026-10-07 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
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This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q4 i3 Clements & Sarama (2008), a cluster randomized controlled trial with 202 children in 28 preschool classrooms, found a statistically significant effect of Building Blocks on the REMA (effect size 1.07, improvement index +36, p < 0.01). → study-2008
Evidence¶
study-2008¶
What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. (2023, December). Building Blocks. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/733
q4 · i3 · causal · r3
Cluster randomized controlled trial rated Meets WWC Group Design Standards Without Reservations; classrooms randomly assigned to Building Blocks or business as usual in Head Start and state-funded preschool sites in New York. Effect size 1.07 (improvement index +36); intervention mean 61.78 (7.46) versus comparison 53.22 (8.38) on the REMA.
"End of 26 weeks of implementation 202 children 28 preschool classrooms in the United States 61.78 (7.46) 53.22 (8.38) 1.07 +36 Yes (p < 0.01)"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- In a large-scale 106-classroom cluster randomized trial, Building Blocks raised end-of-intervention REMA scores with an effect size of 0.48 (improvement index +18) — related
- Building Blocks for Math has positive effects on preschool mathematics achievement according to the WWC — related
- Building Blocks has a potentially positive effect on preschool mathematics achievement, with a pooled effect size of 0.58 across three studies meeting WWC standards — a broader claim this one bears on
- Connect Science raises fourth-grade science achievement more than business-as-usual science instruction (effect size +0.36) — related
- In a 2006 randomized trial, Building Blocks for Math significantly outperformed business-as-usual on the Early Mathematics Assessment — related
- Clustering effects in education random-assignment trials vary by design but are typically large, requiring large school samples — related
- Building Blocks for Math outperformed Pre-K Mathematics with DLM Express in a head-to-head comparison on the Early Mathematics Assessment — related
- In a 2007 randomized trial, Building Blocks for Math significantly improved geometry but not number outcomes — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
building-blocks-clements-2008-large-effect |
title |
In a 28-classroom cluster randomized trial, Building Blocks raised end-of-intervention REMA scores with an effect size of 1.07 (improvement index +36) |
description |
In a 28-classroom cluster randomized trial, Building Blocks raised end-of-intervention REMA scores with an effect size of 1.07 (improvement index +36) |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2023 |
source_checked |
2026-10-07 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-07 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — study-2008 |
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