Children's Learning Institute
Children's Learning Institute is a UTHealth Houston academic research institute that develops and freely distributes evidence-based early childhood curricula, assessment tools, and teacher training via its CLI Engage platform, and provides billable neurodevelopmental clinical services through the Dan L Duncan Clinic in Houston.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Children's Learning Institute does
Children's Learning Institute (CLI) is an academic research-practice institute operating within The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), founded in 1990 and headquartered in Houston, Texas. CLI combines interdisciplinary research spanning psychology, neurodevelopment, education, and child development into applied programs and resources for schools, teachers, families, and early childhood professionals. Its core technology platform, CLI Engage, is a free e-learning system hosting proprietary assessment tools (Circle Progress Monitoring, Circle Kindergarten Progress Monitoring, TPRI, TBRS), curricula (Circle Pre-K, Circle Infant & Toddler, Circle Activity Collection, Reading RULES!), and professional development courses (eCircle, BEECH, CLI Micro-Credentials). The institute's commercial operation centers on the Dan L Duncan Children's Neurodevelopmental Clinic, which provides billable comprehensive assessments for children with developmental and behavioral concerns, autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
CLI's revenue model is structurally hybrid and mission-driven rather than commercial. Clinical revenue flows from insurance billing at the Duncan Clinic through UT Physicians. The institute also receives federal research grants (notably from the Institute for Education Sciences), foundation grants (Brown Foundation, Dan L Duncan Family Foundation), and state-level program contracts through the Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Education Agency. Most educational products on CLI Engage are provided at no cost, which functions as a public-good distribution channel supporting the institute's research mandate rather than a revenue stream. Go-to-market is primarily sales-led through institutional partnerships with Texas state agencies and direct clinical scheduling for the Duncan Clinic; families, teachers, and schools self-register on CLI Engage as a freemium product-led motion. CLI does not disclose revenue publicly and operates more like a state-affiliated applied-research organization than a venture-backed commercial enterprise.
CLI holds a quasi-regulatory position in Texas early childhood education: it developed official state guidelines (ITELG, Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines) and operates the statewide TECPDS professional development infrastructure. Customer concentration is anchored by Texas public-sector relationships and a small set of foundation funders, with the Duncan Clinic drawing patients from the Houston metro region.
Children's Learning Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children's Learning Institute
- Legal name
- Children's Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
- Website
- https://childrenslearninginstitute.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Children's Learning Institute is a UTHealth Houston academic research institute that develops and freely distributes evidence-based early childhood curricula, assessment tools, and teacher training via its CLI Engage platform, and provides billable neurodevelopmental clinical services through the Dan L Duncan Clinic in Houston.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children's Learning Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Assessment, Screening & Progress Monitoring Tools (0–5) (EDACANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Assessment & Screening Tools (Developmental, Readiness, Progress Monitoring) (EDACAJAC), Digital/Interactive Curriculum Content (Apps, Games, Multimedia Lessons) (EDACAJAK), Training & Credential Compliance Tracking (PD registry alignment) (EDACAKAH), Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides) (EDACAJAL), Adaptive & Personalized Learning Platforms for ECE (EDACANAJ), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start) (EDACAJAN)
Keywords
Where Children's Learning Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Children's Learning Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Clinical Services Revenue: The Dan L Duncan Children's Neurodevelopmental Clinic, part of UT Physicians, provides billable clinical services including comprehensive assessments for developmental and behavioral problems, autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Revenue is generated through patient appointments billed to insurance or families.
- Government & Foundation Research Grants: CLI conducts research funded by government agencies and foundations including the Institute for Education Sciences, The Brown Foundation, and the Dan L Duncan Family Foundation. Research projects span areas such as early literacy, language development, and multi-tiered systems of support.
- Free Public Resources (No Direct Revenue): CLI Engage hosts hundreds of free resources for schools, teachers, families, and early childhood professionals at no cost. These resources support the organization's mission but do not generate direct revenue. Some resources like Texas School Ready and professional development training are provided at no cost to participants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free resources on CLI Engage |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Clinical assessment services at the Duncan Clinic |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Children's Learning Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children's Learning Institute (CLI) at UTHealth Houston develops evidence-based early childhood educational programs, proprietary child progress monitoring and reading assessments, preschool curricula, and online professional development, delivered primarily through its CLI Engage e-learning platform. The institute also operates the Dan L Duncan Children's Neurodevelopmental Clinic, providing billable diagnostic assessments for children with developmental and behavioral concerns. Most digital resources are offered at no cost to Texas schools, teachers, and families, supported by state agency partnerships and foundation research grants.
Product overview
Children's Learning Institute offers CLI Engage, a comprehensive e-learning platform that serves as the central hub for its educational technology portfolio. The platform integrates multiple products including Circle Progress Monitoring, Circle Kindergarten Progress Monitoring (KPM), TPRI Early Reading Assessment, and various classroom observation tools (TBRS, Circle CQI Tools, Classroom Environment Checklist). CLI Engage also hosts curriculum offerings including Circle Pre-K Curriculum, Circle Infant & Toddler Curriculum, and the Circle Activity Collection. Professional development offerings include BEECH, eCircle, CLI Micro-Credential Program, and Play with Me Series. Reading intervention programs include Developing Talkers, Reading RULES!, and Idea Detectives. The Texas Workforce Registry and Texas Trainer Registry support early childhood career advancement. The Dan L Duncan Children's Neurodevelopmental Clinic provides clinical assessment services for developmental concerns.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CLI Engage: Comprehensive e-learning platform housing Texas School Ready professional development, child progress monitoring tools, classroom observation tools, curriculum, and family engagement resources available for free to Texas schools and early childhood programs.
- Dan L Duncan Children's Neurodevelopmental Clinic
- Texas School Ready
- Circle Progress Monitoring System
- Circle Pre-K Curriculum
- Circle Infant & Toddler Curriculum
- TPRI (Texas Primary Reading Inventory)
- Circle Kindergarten Progress Monitoring (KPM)
- Reading RULES!
- Texas Workforce Registry
- Texas Trainer Registry
- BEECH
- eCircle
- Developing Talkers
- Idea Detectives
Products and services
- CLI Engage
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% of brain development occurs before age 4
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Children's Learning Institute
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Children's Learning Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature10 records
Children's Learning Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UT PhysicianscoreThe Dan L Duncan Children's Neurodevelopmental Clinic at CLI is part of UT Physicians, the clinical practice of UTHealth Houston. This partnership enables CLI to provide comprehensive, research-based clinical services as part of a broader academic medical network.
- UTHealth Houston (The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston)coreCLI is the Children's Learning Institute at UTHealth Houston. The institute operates as a research-practice partnership within the university structure, leveraging academic resources and institutional infrastructure to advance child learning and health outcomes.
- Texas Workforce CommissioncoreCLI partnered with the Texas Workforce Commission to develop online training for the Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines (ITELG), assisting caregivers in understanding early childhood development.
- Texas Education AgencycoreCLI partnered with the Texas Education Agency to provide free, online training guiding teachers through the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, covering all ten learning domains with video demonstrations filmed in real Texas pre-K classrooms.
- Texas Early Learning CouncilcoreThe Texas Early Learning Council was an advisory council established by Governor Rick Perry in 2009. CLI housed the Council's offices and staff from 2010 to 2013, developing tools and resources including Texas Early Learning Guidelines, TECPDS redesign, and statewide needs assessment.
- The University of Texas at AustinminorCollaborating institution on the Preventing Reading Difficulties project (2014-2017), with CLI faculty including Tricia Zucker, PhD and Marcia A. Barnes, PhD contributing to multi-site research on early literacy interventions.
- Florida State UniversityminorCo-Investigator Sonia Cabell, Ph.D. from Florida State University collaborated on the Teaching Together research project (2021-2025) examining tiered school plus home interventions for young children at risk for language difficulties.
- Ohio State UniversityminorCo-Investigator Jessica Logan, Ph.D. from Ohio State University collaborated on the Developing Talkers: Building Effective Teachers of Academic Language Skills research project (2019-2025).
- CLI Solutions GroupminorThe Inspired Read-Alouds training, which incorporates strategies from the Developing Talkers research, is delivered by the CLI Solutions Group. Contact for professional learning services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Children's Learning Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Teaching Strategies: Major provider of early childhood curriculum (The Creative Curriculum), assessment (Teaching Strategies GOLD), and digital platforms (MyTeachingStrategies). Directly comparable to CLI's Circle curriculum and progress monitoring offerings at a national commercial scale.
- Teachstone: Provider of the CLASS observation tool and PD for early childhood educators, with deep research-practice roots. Comparable to CLI's TBRS, Classroom Observation Tools, and Classroom Environment Checklist.
- Waterford.org: Nonprofit providing early literacy, math, and science digital learning programs and parent engagement resources. Closely comparable to CLI Engage's free, research-backed digital curriculum and family engagement toolkit model.
- HighScope Educational Research Foundation: Long-standing research-based ECE organization offering the HighScope Curriculum, professional development, and assessment tools for preschool classrooms. Closely comparable to CLI's research-practice model and proprietary curriculum/assessment portfolio.
- Frog Street: Provider of early childhood curriculum (Frog Street Pre-K, Frog Street Infant & Toddler) and professional development serving Pre-K programs nationwide. Comparable to CLI's Circle Pre-K Curriculum and Infant & Toddler Curriculum lines.
Emerging players
- Child Trends: Nonprofit research organization focused on child development and early childhood policy research, frequently partnering with federal and state agencies. Comparable to CLI's research-practice partnership model and IES-funded evaluation work.
Broad incumbents
- NWEA: Nonprofit assessment organization offering MAP Growth and MAP Reading Fluency used across K–12. Comparable to CLI's progress monitoring tools (Circle Progress Monitoring, KPM, TPRI) and research-practice positioning.
- Scholastic Education: Major publisher of early literacy curriculum, classroom magazines, and intervention programs. Comparable to CLI's Developing Talkers and Reading RULES! early literacy intervention offerings.
- Pearson Clinical: Large-scale assessment publisher offering early childhood and clinical diagnostic instruments (e.g., PPVT, WJ-IV, PLS). Comparable to CLI's clinical assessment work at the Duncan Clinic and reading/language assessments like TPRI.
- Curriculum Associates: Provider of iReady diagnostic and instruction and the BRIGANCE Early Childhood screen. Comparable to CLI's screening, progress monitoring, and differentiated instruction offerings across Pre-K and early elementary.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Children's Learning Institute social profiles
Digital presenceChildren's Learning Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children's Learning Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Children's Learning Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children's Learning Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Children's Learning Institute
What does Children's Learning Institute do?
Children's Learning Institute (CLI) at UTHealth Houston develops evidence-based early childhood educational programs, proprietary child progress monitoring and reading assessments, preschool curricula, and online professional development, delivered primarily through its CLI Engage e-learning platform. The institute also operates the Dan L Duncan Children's Neurodevelopmental Clinic, providing billable diagnostic assessments for children with developmental and behavioral concerns. Most digital resources are offered at no cost to Texas schools, teachers, and families, supported by state agency partnerships and foundation research grants.
Is Children's Learning Institute a public or private company?
Children's Learning Institute is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Children's Learning Institute founded?
Children's Learning Institute was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Children's Learning Institute based?
Children's Learning Institute is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Children's Learning Institute make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Clinical Services Revenue is the primary driver. The others are government & Foundation Research Grants and free Public Resources (No Direct Revenue).
Who are Children's Learning Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Teaching Strategies, Teachstone, Waterford.org, HighScope Educational Research Foundation and Frog Street. Child Trends is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are NWEA, Scholastic Education, Pearson Clinical and Curriculum Associates.
Does Children's Learning Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children's Learning Institute.
What industry is Children's Learning Institute in?
Children's Learning Institute's product category is Early Childhood Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACANAI, Assessment, Screening & Progress Monitoring Tools (0–5), with a secondary code of EDACAJAC, Assessment & Screening Tools (Developmental, Readiness, Progress Monitoring). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.