Effectiveness of Structured Teacher Adaptations to an Online Content Literacy Intervention for Third Graders: A Randomized Controlled Trial During COVID-19

This research brief from CEPR's READS Lab examines how Adaptive MORE, a modified version of the Model of Reading Engagement (MORE) program, balances fidelity to evidence-based practices with teacher flexibility. Conducted in 95 third-grade classrooms, the study compared Core MORE (strict fidelity) to Adaptive MORE, which empowered teachers to make structured adjustments while maintaining the program’s core principles. The results showed that students in Adaptive MORE classrooms demonstrated stronger science knowledge, higher reading comprehension, and greater motivation. The study highlights that structured, guided adaptations can improve learning outcomes by combining teacher expertise with research-based design.

Read more about the READS Lab at readslab.org/research.