Research Institute for Learning and Development (ResearchILD)

09/08/2026

Are you a k-12 educator looking for professional development on executive function, educational equity, and culturally responsive teaching?

Applications are open for the Research Institute for Learning and Development’s 2026-2027 Executive Function & Equity Fellowship.

This year-long program is for K–12 public and charter school educators. Fellows join an online learning group and learn research-based executive function strategies they can use with students.

How can executive function instruction support equity?
Executive function strategies help students set goals, plan, organize, use working memory, think flexibly, and monitor their learning. Yet, students with executive function challenges are often misunderstood or do not get enough support. This is especially true for students of color, students who speak more than one language, students with learning differences, and students facing other systemic barriers.

What will Executive Function & Equity Fellows gain?
‣ Training on executive function and its impact on learning
‣ Research-based SMARTS lessons and tools for goal setting, cognitive flexibility, organization, working memory, and self-monitoring
‣ Monthly online coaching from executive function experts
‣ A national community of passionate educators
‣ Access to additional ResearchILD professional learning events
‣ Support for teaching at least six research-based lessons
‣ Practical approaches for centering student identity, voice, and community in executive function instruction

Educators across all K–12 grade levels and roles are welcome if they:
‣ Work full-time with students in a U.S. public or charter school
‣ Serve Title I communities and/or students of color, multilingual learners, or students with learning differences
‣ Can attend at least 6 of 8 monthly, one-hour meetings from October through May
‣ Can teach executive function strategies for at least 20 minutes each week
‣ Are committed to anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally responsive educational practices

ResearchILD and SMARTS bring more than 40 years of executive function research into classroom practice. Our resources have reached 486,000+ students and 36,000+ educators in 46 countries.

Learn more and apply 🔗 https://smarts-ef.org/professional-learning-events-training-ef-equity-fellowship/

09/08/2026

Every student matters.

And when students truly feel that they matter, it can transform their happiness, confidence, and motivation.

As Jennifer Breheny Wallace writes, “Mattering is the assurance that our presence and actions are significant to others... It is the meaningful way we fit into each other’s lives and the wider world, like essential pieces of a puzzle.”

Self-determination theory helps explain why this feeling is so powerful. Students are more likely to thrive when they know:
‣ Their choices have weight
‣ Their efforts can make a difference
‣ They are valued members of their community

In other words, when students experience autonomy, competence, and belonging, motivation can grow from within.

Read more about self-determination theory here: https://smarts-ef.org/blog/motivation-monday-self-determination-theory/

09/02/2026

The first month of school can be hard for students and staff alike. However, it can be especially challenging for students with learning differences.

Learn why (and how to help) here 🔗 https://smarts-ef.org/blog/first-month-of-school-for-students-with-learning-differences/

09/01/2026

School interventionists are reaching a breaking point because their offices are filled with smart students who simply don't know how to start a task.

The SMARTS CONNECT Executive Function Curriculum is a research-validated intervention framework designed by Dr. Lynn Meltzer and her team at the Research Institute for Learning and Development to foster student independence and cognitive agency. By implementing this evidence-based model, school psychologists provide a self-contained strategy basis that reduces office-level administrative overload and allows for more focused, individualized care for high-need students.

How does SMARTS CONNECT Executive Function Curriculum improve school-wide performance? Educators utilizing the SMARTS Executive Function Curriculum report:
‣ Reduced Intervention Fatigue: Significant decrease in repeat behavioral conversations.
‣ Enhanced Academic Outcomes: Bridging the gap between a student's high potential and their school results.
‣ Shared Professional Frameworks: Consistent strategy language between teachers, staff, and families.
‣ Tiered Student Independence: Stronger follow-through in school and independent life skills.

Which students benefit most from Executive Function training?
‣ Smart students who struggle to initiate or complete tasks.
‣ Students with recurring challenges in time management and organization.
‣ Neurodivergent Learners, specifically those with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia who require explicit strategy instruction.
‣ Students struggling with emotional or behavioral regulation in social settings.

Nearly 500,000 students have benefited from the SMARTS Executive Function Curriculum, join the movement today 🔗 https://smarts-ef.org/get-smarts-executive-function-skills-curriculum-products/

09/01/2026

Graduation doesn’t mean the end of learning.

Dr. Lynn Meltzer has built ResearchILD out of both that belief and her dedication to bringing the best of educational research to teachers.

And this quote from Dr. Rob Brooks at ResearchILD’s recent celebration in honor of her vision and leadership in advancing the role of executive function in education serves as a powerful reminder of that!

Read more about Dr. Meltzer’s story and impact here: https://smarts-ef.org/about-us-get-to-know-smarts-the-smarts-story

08/29/2026

Are you a parent of a neurodivergent child or a child who is struggling in school? Are you looking for answers?

Many students are bright and capable but struggle with executive function -- the part of our brains that helps students plan, stay focused, get started, and finish their work.

Dr. Lynn Meltzer’s Executive Function Consultations help families understand what may be getting in the way of their child’s success. Parents leave with a clear plan for what to do next.

How can you tell if your child is struggling with executive function? Your child may often have trouble with:
‣ Getting started and finishing tasks
‣ Staying organized and managing time
‣ Planning ahead and avoiding procrastination
‣ Paying attention and staying focused

Who is Dr. Lynn Meltzer? Lynn Meltzer, Ph.D., is President of the Research Institute for Learning and Development (ResearchILD). She has more than 40 years of experience helping students with learning differences. Her background includes:
‣ Former Director of Psycho-Educational Services at Boston Children’s Hospital
‣ Academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and Tufts University
‣ Creator of the research-based SMARTS Executive Function Curriculum

What do parents get from a consultation? Consultations are available for families of students from first grade through college. Families leave with:
‣ A clear picture of their child’s strengths and challenges
‣ Practical strategies to use at home and at school
‣ Guidance on school supports and accommodations
‣ Clear next steps for executive function coaching

The goal is to help students become more independent, build strong strategies, and rely less on parents to manage their schoolwork.

Find the right next step for your child today 🔗
https://smarts-ef.org/get-smarts-curriculum-products-educational-therapy-executive-function-coaching/

08/28/2026

Just because explicit executive function instruction can have an absolutely transformative impact on educational outcomes doesn’t mean that it only impacts education.

Better goal setting, organization, prioritization, self-understanding, and flexible thinking supports
‣ emotional regulation
‣ perseverance
‣ social agility
‣ successfully juggling responsibilities.. and more! These are all parts of daily life, not just life in school!

And this quote from Executive Function & Equity Fellow Jason Alemany, M.Ed. at ResearchILD’s recent celebration in honor of Dr. Lynn Meltzer’s vision and leadership in advancing the role of executive function in education serves as a powerful reminder of that!

Learn how EF helps build conflict resolution skills here 👉 https://smarts-ef.org/blog/help-kids-build-long-term-conflict-resilience/

Learn more about the role EF plays in career success here 👉 https://smarts-ef.org/blog/executive-function-for-technical-education-students/

08/25/2026

Sign up for executive function professional development for your fall 2026 before it’s too late!

ResearchILD’s SMARTS Professional Development equips educators with the strategies needed to foster student independence at scale. Grounded in over 40 years of Dr. Lynn Meltzer’s research, this professional development model provides educators with a roadmap to improve student outcomes across all demographics.

What are the core components of ResearchILD’s SMARTS PD?
‣ Ready-made training packages help teachers use new strategies in the classroom right away.
‣ Useful across many settings, these frameworks are based on learning sciences, helping limited budgets stretch further.
‣ Made for your district, as districts can choose the topics and session lengths that best meet your needs.

Which schools benefit most from SMARTS Executive Function training?
1. Schools that want to give students more support in regular classrooms and reduce the need for Tier 2 and Tier 3 services.
2. Schools looking for research-based strategies that can help all students learn and succeed.
3. Schools that need to make the most of limited time and money by teaching educators simple, high-impact strategies.

Why Executive Function? Research shows that EF strategies are the primary drivers of academic performance, classroom behavior, and post-graduation success.

Fall PD calendars fill quickly. As the recognized EF experts, ResearchILD partners with districts nationwide to transform school culture through strategy.

Secure your high-impact Fall PD window today: 🔗 https://smarts-ef.org/professional-learning-events-trainings-teacher-training-professional-development/

08/24/2026

In order to learn, kids first have to realize that they CAN learn!

This can be especially challenging for students with learning differences, who have been consistently told they are “stupid”, “wrong”, or “lazy”.

However, breaking these limiting beliefs is the first step in empowering students with and without learning differences.

And this quote from Billy Warren, B.S., at ResearchILD’s recent Celebration in honor of Dr. Lynn Meltzer’s vision and leadership in advancing the role of executive function in education serves as a powerful reminder of that!

Learn how to help students overcome limiting beliefs here: https://smarts-ef.org/blog/unlocking-student-potential-overcoming-limiting-beliefs/

08/18/2026

"As teachers, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves at the beginning of the school year. We’re expected to review last year’s content, assess where students are academically, establish classroom expectations, decorate bulletin boards, learn dozens of names, and somehow stay on pace with the curriculum. For years, I thought that was my job too."

Read what former teacher and current ResearchILD team member Reilly Mask has to say about the start of school 🔗 https://smarts-ef.org/blog/the-most-important-thing-i-teach-in-the-first-month-of-school/

I used to think my job was to cover content. Here's why I have changed how I approach the first month of teaching.