CLI Engage helps over 23,000 teachers from more than 900 school districts in Texas. The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston developed this detailed online platform. Since its Texas-wide launch in 2015, it has become a vital resource for early childhood education professionals.
CLI Engage is a digital system packed with resources for infant and toddler teachers, administrators, and specialists. Teachers can access professional development courses, classroom activities, progress monitoring tools, and resources to connect with families. The CLI Engage dashboard offers more than 2000 activities in both English and Spanish. Users can watch example videos with most activities to see how they work in practice.
This piece will show new users everything in CLI Engage. You’ll learn to create an account, find your way around the dashboard, and use the main tools. After reading this, you’ll know how to use this platform to improve your early childhood education programs.
What is CLI Engage and Who Should Use It
The Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) created CLI Engage in 2014 to deliver early childhood program improvement tools across Texas in a cost-effective way. The Texas Education Agency collaborated with CLI to transform years of research and large-scale early education interventions into an online format anyone could use.
Overview of CLI Engage’s Purpose and Audience
CLI Engage serves as a complete e-learning platform with professional development resources, assessment tools, and quality improvement systems. Early childhood professionals make up the main user base. Teachers working with children from birth through early elementary, program administrators, support specialists, and families looking to improve their children’s learning all benefit from the platform.
What started as a tool distribution system for the Texas School Ready (TSR) program has grown into a resource hub. The platform now connects online professional development with classroom teaching and data-driven planning. Research-based practices and practical tools come together to support learning environments of all types.
Key Benefits for Teachers, Administrators, and Families
Teachers will find several valuable resources:
- Professional development courses that offer continuing education certificates
- Classroom observation tools that help improve teaching
- Systems to track student progress
- More than 2,000 classroom activities in English and Spanish
Program leaders can track teacher growth and student results with the platform’s data management features. Quality improvement frameworks help them bring research-based practices to their organizations.
Parents can find age-appropriate activities to help their children learn at home. CLI believes in the power of play-based learning and meaningful interactions. The CIRCLE Activity Collection: Family gives parents play-based activities using common household items to build school readiness skills.
How CLI Engage Supports Early Childhood Education
Research shows that program improvement works best when different elements work together. CLI Engage puts this into practice. Teachers can apply what they learn from online courses directly in their classrooms thanks to the platform’s complete resource collection.
Teachers can quickly check children’s progress in specific skills using the Circle Progress Monitoring System in both English and Spanish. The platform also includes the Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI), which helps assess early reading skills from kindergarten through third grade.
Coaches and mentors can watch teacher performance and suggest improvements using classroom observation tools. The Classroom Environment Checklist (CEC) helps professionals review and improve their classroom settings.
Regular updates keep CLI Engage fresh and relevant. This ongoing work helps maintain high-quality early childhood education throughout Texas.
Creating Your CLI Engage Account and Logging In
Creating a CLI Engage account takes just a few steps. The platform uses Google authentication to provide secure access to educational resources.
Step-by-Step CLI Engage Sign Up Process
CLI Engage offers two access options based on your eligibility. Start by visiting www.cliengage.org and clicking the “sign up” button on the homepage. You’ll need to choose your access type:
- TSR Online – Free access for eligible programs including Texas public school districts, charter schools, Head Start programs, higher education institutions, Texas Rising Star providers, and former Texas School Ready participants.
- Public Access – This option serves individual users not connected to eligible programs. You can still access many resources at no cost.
Click the blue signup button after selecting your access type. You’ll need a Google account for login credentials. Your existing Gmail or Google account works fine. If you don’t have one, click “Create account” to set up a new Google ID.
The system needs permission to access your basic account details such as name and email. This information sets up your CLI Engage account. After giving permission, fill out a brief sign-up form and click “Submit.”
Navigating the CLI Engage Login Page
Logging in becomes simple once you have an account. Visit www.cliengage.org to access the platform. New users should watch for an email titled “You’re invited to Register for CLI Engage” with a registration link.
Teachers should log into CLI Engage before accepting course invitations. When you get an email from a course instructor (subject: “invitation to enroll in…”), the “Click to Enroll” link takes you to a confirmation page.
Former Texas School Ready participants can get ongoing access through a brief application about their previous involvement. The support team sends registration instructions after confirming eligibility.
Account Setup Tips for First-Time Users
Your dashboard’s message center on the right shows important updates and news about new tools. Check it right after your first login.
Texas Rising Star program teachers can use their administrator’s QR code for quick registration. Directors can verify teacher access through this method.
The Login Help screen offers solutions if you have trouble signing in:
- Reset your password
- Get a new invitation email
- Create an account as a new user
Your Google account access matters since CLI Engage uses Google authentication. The support team handles technical issues through help tickets submitted via the HELP button on your dashboard. They work Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
The Getting Started webpage helps new users navigate the platform’s features effectively.
Understanding the CLI Engage Dashboard
The CLI Engage dashboard becomes your main hub after you log in successfully. This user-friendly interface organizes all resources and tools that educators need into clear sections. You can navigate through everything quickly and easily.
Main Dashboard Sections Explained
The CLI Engage dashboard has several important parts that you can access easily:
- Screening, Progress Monitoring, & Observation – Contains assessment tools including CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System and Assessment Practice Area
- Online Learning and Professional Development – Provides access to professional development courses and training resources
- Activities & Materials – Houses resources for teachers and families, including the CIRCLE Activity Collections
- Quality Improvement & Innovation – Makes shared tools available to support teacher goal setting
- Administrative Tools – Allows management of student rosters and classes
The dashboard now features a direct link to the AERO reading program. You’ll find a new tile under Quality Improvement for Family Engagement Resources. The assessment systems sport a fresh design with a cleaner color scheme.
Your profile information shows up right on the dashboard. You can see your user role and login email address at a glance. The “My Reports” option sits at the top of the dashboard. You can quickly access administrative-level report results here. Report hyperlinks stay available for downloads up to 15 days.
Where to Find Your Courses and Certificates
You can find your completed courses and certificates in just a few clicks. Look for the purple banner labeled “Online Learning and Professional Development” on the dashboard. Click on “My Enrolled Courses”. Next, click “My Learning” to see the menu and select “My Certificates”.
You’ll see all your courses with issued certificates listed by date. Just click any certificate to view it. Each certificate comes in two formats – clock hour certificate or CPE (continuing professional education) hour certificate. You can print or download these.
You have the option to get your certificates by email with a simple click. The system automatically sends completion certificates to personal accounts on the Texas Workforce Registry for users with CLI Engage accounts linked to TECPDS.
Using the Message Center for Updates
The Message Center sits prominently on the dashboard’s right side as your main communication hub. Make sure to check this area every time you log in. You’ll find the latest news and updates about CLI Engage, plus announcements about new tools[163].
The Help button gives you quick support access throughout the dashboard. You can submit help tickets directly to the support team. They’re available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The new Help Center link lets you search how-to guides or use the “CLI Engage Help Desk” portal to submit support tickets.
Essential Tools and Resources for Beginners
CLI Engage gives new users powerful tools that support early childhood education. The platform’s core features provide teachers with research-backed materials they can use for assessment, teaching, and professional development.
CIRCLE Activity Collections by Age Group
CIRCLE Activity Collections turn research into practical activities that build language, literacy, social-emotional, mathematics, and science skills. Teachers can find these collections sorted by age groups from birth to age 6:
- Family Collection – Parents can use everyday items at home for these activities. They’re available at cliengagefamily.org without needing to log in
- Infant & Toddler Classroom – These adaptable activities help improve language quality and caregiver sensitivity
- Pre-K to Grade 2 Classroom – Standard lesson cycles come with helpful teacher tips and ways to extend learning
Teachers will find example dialogs with each activity, and many come with real classroom demonstration videos.
Progress Monitoring Tools: CIRCLE PM, TX-KEA, TPRI
These tools help teachers track how children develop:
The CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System lets teachers quickly check children’s progress in key areas. Texas public prekindergarten teachers and TSR Online eligible programs can use it free of charge. Teachers can choose when to give assessments and get automatic suggestions for activities based on results.
Circle Kindergarten Progress Monitoring (previously TX-KEA) looks at multiple areas of development in English and Spanish. Teachers can use it in different ways – three times a year for progress checks, once for kindergarten entry, or for literacy and dyslexia screening.
TPRI and Tejas LEE help diagnose early reading skills in 1st and 2nd grade students.
Professional Development: eCIRCLE and Play with Me Series
eCIRCLE offers 16 courses (73.5 hours) for teachers working with three to six-year-olds. Teachers can watch many videos showing effective teaching practices.
The Play with Me Series helps caregivers of children from birth to three years old. It covers early language, literacy, social-emotional skills, cognitive development, and physical health.
Classroom Observation and Goal-Setting Tools
These tools record teaching behaviors during classroom visits. The Classroom Observation Tool (COT) helps coaches discuss teaching practices with data. Teachers can set and track short-term goals using the built-in system. School leaders have access to a shorter version called the Administrator-COT.
Getting Help and Exploring Advanced Features
The CLI Engage platform provides rich support resources that help users make the most of its advanced features.
Using the CLI Engage Help Center and How-To Guides
The “HELP” button at the top of each page connects you directly to the support team. They’re available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The platform’s redesigned Help Center makes it easy to find support by category – from access requests to rostering, assessments, and reports. Users can search through the Help Center’s library or browse detailed how-to guides under the Training & Support tab. These guides come packed with videos, implementation steps, and tutorials that cover every platform feature.
Accessing Webinars and the Training Calendar
The Training & Support section includes a Training Calendar with free webinar sessions. Teachers can access recorded webinars to earn certificates through CLI Engage. The CIRCLE Progress Monitoring Pre-K Assessment Training and Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) Training webinars are essential requirements before administering these assessments.
Learning Data Management and Reporting Tools
CLI Engage’s reporting options cover multiple levels:
- Individual level (Student Reports for Teachers/Parents)
- Class level (Completion, Summary, Growth, Small Group)
- School level (Completion, Summary, Growth)
- Community/District level (Completion, Summary, Growth, Student Results Export)
Bar graphs and tables in these reports help visualize information that supports instruction based on analytical insights.
Conclusion
CLI Engage helps early childhood educators access resources, track student progress, and build their professional skills. This piece shows new users the basic steps to create accounts, use the dashboard, and work with tools that support quality instruction.
Teachers who use CLI Engage can access over 2,000 classroom activities in English and Spanish. Many activities come with example videos that show how to use them effectively. The platform also gives detailed assessment options through CIRCLE Progress Monitoring, TX-KEA, and TPRI. These tools let educators track how students develop and find recommended activities based on results.
The platform’s strong reporting tools help administrators a lot. They give a full picture at individual, classroom, school, and district levels to support evidence-based decisions across educational programs. Families can also find age-appropriate, play-based activities to help learning at home without logging into the platform.
The dashboard works as the main hub for all these resources. It has well-laid-out sections that make finding things easy. Users can quickly reach the Help Center when they need help. The center offers support resources by category, how-to guides, and direct contact with the support team on weekdays.
CLI Engage has grown since its Texas-wide launch in 2015. Regular updates and new features make it better for early learning programs. This detailed platform has become essential for early childhood education professionals across Texas. It connects research-based practices with real classroom use.
New users who read this piece will know how to use CLI Engage with confidence. They can improve their educational programs by using the platform’s rich resources and tools.
FAQs
1. What is CLI Engage and who is it designed for?
CLI Engage is a comprehensive online platform for early childhood education professionals. It provides resources for teachers, administrators, and families, including professional development courses, classroom activities, assessment tools, and family engagement materials. The platform is primarily designed for educators working with children from birth through early elementary years.
2. How do I create an account on CLI Engage?
To create a CLI Engage account, visit www.cliengage.org and click the “sign up” button. Choose between TSR Online (for eligible programs) or Public Access. You’ll need to use or create a Google account for authentication. After granting permission, complete the sign-up form and submit. Check your email for a registration invitation to complete the process.
3. What key features does the CLI Engage dashboard offer?
The CLI Engage dashboard provides access to various sections including Screening, Progress Monitoring, & Observation; Online Learning and Professional Development; Activities & Materials; Quality Improvement & Innovation; and Administrative Tools. It also features a Message Center for updates and a Help button for support.
4. What assessment tools are available on CLI Engage?
CLI Engage offers several assessment tools including the CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System, Circle Kindergarten Progress Monitoring (formerly TX-KEA), and TPRI (Texas Primary Reading Inventory). These tools help educators track children’s development across multiple domains and are available in both English and Spanish.
5. How can I access professional development resources on CLI Engage?
Professional development resources can be found under the “Online Learning and Professional Development” section of the dashboard. This includes access to courses like eCIRCLE for teachers of children ages 3-6 and the Play with Me Series for caregivers of children from birth to three. You can also find webinars and a training calendar under the Training & Support tab.