The Read-Write Cycle Project was designed around what researchers had proven to be the most critical factor influencing student achievement, the classroom teacher. Principal Investigators Calfee and Miller contend that the promotion of knowledge requires more than reliance on scripted material, such as is seen and promoted in many classrooms today. They believe that innovative practices need to be responsive to teachers' work and needs, rather than disconnected from the reality of today's classrooms and students. Therefore, all of the techniques that were used in this project were designed to be efficient, effective, and adaptable, making them "teacher-friendly" while aiming for the highest quality of instruction.

The teachers who participated in the Read-Write Cycle Project were involved in ten days of professional development activities during Year One of the Project. During those ten days, they learned new ways to conceptualize reading and writing in the content areas and how to apply these concepts to their daily planning of instruction and to assessment.  In Years Two and Three, they revised their units after implementing them with students, with the goal of maximizing the impact of their activities on students' learning