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• Evidence-based early childhood computer science curriculum utilizing the free ScratchJr programming, Coding as Another Language (CAL). • Results from cluster randomized controlled trial show CAL's feasibility to implement, and effectiveness for improving coding skills. • Despite the time taken away from the math and literacy blocks to teach CAL, standardized test for literacy improved and math remained the same. • During the cluster randomized controlled trial, both the control and the intervention groups improved equally on computational thinking. This paper describes the iterative research and evaluation of the Coding as Another Language (CAL) curriculum that utilizes the free ScratchJr programming language in kindergarten to second grade. CAL was designed using principles of three theoretical frameworks: Curriculum Research Framework (CRF), which proposes different phases in the creation of research-based curriculum; Constructionism, which presents a computationally-rich project-based methodology based on identifying powerful ideas from a learning domain; and Positive Technological Development, which intentionally integrates socio-emotional and ethical dimensions into curricular experiences. The pedagogical foundation of CAL involves the understanding of coding as a literacy, that is, putting developmentally-appropriate powerful ideas of computer science in conversation with those taught in language arts. The paper first describes CAL and then presents results from both a pilot study and a cluster randomized controlled trial that set to evaluate CAL's feasibility and impact on students' learning outcomes. Our findings showed that the CAL curriculum was not only feasible to implement, but also effective for improving coding skills. However, CAL's impact on computational thinking is less clear given that in the cluster randomized controlled trial, both the control and the intervention groups improved equally on a measure of computational thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]