The Children's Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) is an institute that combines scholarship from the fields of education, psychology, neurodevelopment and medicine, dedicated to designing, researching, and implementing programs for children based on empirical research.
The goal was to help families and teachers assist young children in preparing for reading and learning before they entered kindergarten.
Texas Governor Rick Perry designated CIRCLE as the State Center for Early Childhood Development in 2003.
Pleased with the changes occurring in participating early childhood classrooms, the 78th Legislature passed Senate Bill 76 that same year, appointing the State Center with the task of implementing the statewide school readiness demonstration research project known as the Texas Early Education Model (now known as Texas School Ready).
The University of Texas System Board of Regents officially merged the two centers and their various programs in 2003, creating the Children's Learning Institute.