WHAT IS PRIMARY PROJECT?

Primary Project is a tier two prevention program to help children in pre-K to 3rd grade adjust to the school community using a child-centered play approach.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

Primary Project was built on decades of research conducted by Children’s Institute. Children who participate in Primary Project have been shown to:

• have more confidence​
• have improved attendance​
• be better able to connect to school
• more successfully interact with peers and adults

EVIDENCE-BASED FOUNDATION

• Primary Project is the flagship program of Children’s Institute, developed by Dr. Emory L. Cowen in 1957 and was first implemented in the Rochester City School District.
• Dr. Cowen is largely considered to be the father of community psychology and was a student of Abraham Maslow, who famously developed the Hierarchy of Needs.
• Building on it's rich history, Primary Project stays grounded in evidence-based program implementation guided by best practices to support ongoing research, resources, and training nationwide.

 

Primary Project has been critical to our success in delivering high quality social emotional supports to students, while at the same time freeing up mental health professionals to work with students that are at a higher risk. 

—John Bittner, School Counselor

Primary Project teams across the country bring joy to their schools each day. Our Primary Project Proud initiative offers schools a chance to share powerful stories of success. Check out our featured schools.

Interested in being featured in a future edition of Primary Project Proud? 

Submit Your Story Here

Learn why the Watertown City School District is Primary Project Proud

Learn why PS/MS 20 in the Bronx is Primary Project Proud

Improved Social-Emotional Health

T-CRS data from 2024-2025 highlights improved Assertive Social Skills for

81%*

of students who received Primary Project services for this area of concern. 

*Collected from Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS) data for NYSED funded schools in the 2024-2025 school year

Declines in Chronic Absenteeism

Students who participated in Primary Project programming were

51%*

less likely to be chronically absent than similar students who did not participate.

*Lotyczewski, B. S., et al. (2023). The effect of the Primary Project program on school attendance in early childhood. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 1–13

CASE STUDY: WOODLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

For the past 13 years, Woodland Elementary School in the East Syracuse Minoa School District has successfully implemented Primary Project in partnership with Contact Community Services. Woodland's school data demonstrates the program's positive impact on student confidence, attendance and social connections.

 Learn more here. 

Stay informed on the latest Primary Project updates. 

 Read our newsletter From the Playroom for updates and resources. 

 Explore our individualized approach for strengthening program implementation. 

 Learn how Children's Institute provides ongoing assistance.