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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The First Lady's Family Literacy Initiative for Texas, 1997-98 was a statewide initiative designed to complement important school reform efforts at the PreK-3rd grade levels, which are currently underway in the state. Grants were awarded, on a one-time basis, to applicants who focused on building literacy skills for parents, other caregivers, and their young children. This initiative is a partnership of The Barbara Bush Foundation, First Lady of Texas Laura Bush who is Honorary Chairperson, and Texas literacy providers.

This was the second year of the grant program.

Ten grants, of up to $20,000 each, were awarded to applicants who focused on reading instruction for both parents and their children. The projects included literacy interaction between parents and their children. Priority was given to projects that collaborated with public schools or school districts that used validated assessment instruments to diagnose students' reading skills in the early grade levels; used standardized assessment instruments, as well as other validated measures that provided the ability to document gains scores, and to evaluate parents1 reading skills; worked with families and students who were economically disadvantaged; required the achievement of set goals and objectives; and demonstrated the greatest effort in generating matching funds and other local support.

The ten programs that participated in the literacy initiative include:

• Advocacy Outreach, Elgin
• Communities in Schools - Central Texas Austin
• Deaf Action Center, Dallas
• Giddings Independent School District
• Martin's Mill Elementary School, Ben Wheeler
• Ralls Independent School District
• Taylor Independent School District
• University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
• Woodville Independent School District
• Yoakum Independent School District

A multitude of program models were demonstrated among these ten sites, indicating that the objectives and delivery of the program services were designed to meet the needs of the target population of each individual community. A variety of curriculum models also indicated the attempt to deliver services based upon the needs of the participants.

The data collected from the programs implied five significant outcomes:

Actual participation exceeded projected participation of both children and adults in eight of the programs. Two of the programs did not employ a realistic enrollment projection for a $20,000 enrichment grant, even with the support of collaborators.

The families indicated that they were eager to have the opportunity to participate in a program that strengthened their academic and social foundations.

These numbers reflect the total number of parents, children, and families enrolled in the programs.

Programs	Parents/Caregivers	Children	Family Units
Elgin-Advocacy Outreach	209	298	160
Austin-Community in Schools	25	27	25
Dallas - Deaf Action Center	24	30	21
Giddings-Giddings lSD	56	104	56
Ben Wheeler - Martin's Mill ISD	30	35	17
Ralls - Ralls ISD	34	60	31
Taylor-Taylor ISD	36	60	36
Houston - UTMB Health Science Center	34	276	307
Woodville - Woodville ISD	29	46	25
Yoakum-Yoakum lSD	29	40	29
Totals: 10 Programs	506	976	707

 

Families learned new family-oriented activities and became active participants in the education of their children.

Parents increased the amount of time spent reading to their children.

Strong community partnerships were established and/or strengthened that would lead to future funding and program continuation. All ten programs indicated that the program to deliver services to the families would continue.

The use of appropriate assessments for adults and children was an important element in this program. The table below demonstrates the wide variety of assessment instruments that were used in the programs.

Program	Adult Assessment	Children's Assessment
Elgin Advocacy Outreach	Adult Placement Indicator (API) Adult Adolescent Parenting Indicator (AAPI) Participant Questionnaire (FLFLFT)	TAAS Practice Test Reading Benchmark Math Benchmark 2 Locally developed assessments
Austin Communities in Schools	PSI CASAS	PALM PPVT
Dallas Deaf Action Center	Weekly Vocabulary Tests	Weekly Vocabulary Tests
Giddings Giddings ISD	Adult Basic Literacy Test (ABLE) Survey: Changes in Parent/Student Behaviors GED	TAAS Scores
Ben Wheeler Martin's Mill ISD	ESL Placement Tests Reading Progress Scale WRAT-2R Gates-MacGintie Reading Tests GED Practice Tests	Cooperative Preschool Inventory
Ralls Ralls ISD	Diagnostic Screening Test Accelerated Reading Record Report	Boehm Test of Basic Concepts Early Skills Assessments (ESA)
Taylor Taylor ISD	Adult Placement Indicator (API) PLATO CASAS	Texas Reading Inventory (Adapted) Basic Reading Inventory IPT
Houston UTMB Health Science Center	Reach Out and Read Survey HCDE Class Survey TABE	Observations
Woodville Woodville ISD	Observations	Observations
Yoakum Yoakum ISD	Parent Inventory Reading Progress Scale Portfolios	Iowa Basic Skills Texas Primary Inventory Portfolios