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Texas Even Start Administrative Manual

June 2004, (Revised January 2008, September 2008)

Instructional Services

Four Components of Even Start

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The purpose of Even Start is to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving the educational opportunities of the Nation’s low-income families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education and parenting education into a unified family literacy program. The program integrates early childhood education, adult literacy (adult basic and secondary-level education and/or instruction for English language learners), parenting education and interactive parent and child literacy activities into a single, unified family literacy program. The design is based on the premise that these components build on each other and that families need to receive high-quality instructional services in all four areas in order to bring lasting change and effectively improve parents’ and children’s literacy achievement.

According the Guidance for the William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Programs, these four components have the most impact when delivery of the four components is integrated.

Early Childhood Education

Even Start defines early childhood education as an age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences. Local programs select early childhood curricula that best meet the needs of their target population with the stipulation that early childhood instructional activities that are grounded in scientifically based reading research. The Texas Early Education Model is an example of a scientifically-based instructional program.

USDOE requires states to report on promotion rates for kindergarten, first and second grades, reading and reading readiness for Kindergarten, first, second and third grades and school attendance. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Third Edition and Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening are also federally required assessments. Texas has created Indicators of Program Quality for early childhood instruction, including developmental screening of infants and toddlers.

Even Start grantees can provide early childhood education directly or through a partnership with other entities. For example, school attendance is mandatory for first through 12th grades. It is expected that first and second graders in Even Start will attend school offered by the local education agency. Even Start students qualify for Prekindergarten and Kindergarten, so Even Start four and five-year olds are encouraged to enroll in those classes. The Even Start program may extend early childhood services before or after the regularly scheduled school day. Infant, toddler or preschool classes could be offered through Head Start, early childhood centers operated by the grantee or through a partnership arrangement. Regardless of the method of service delivery, grantees are required to report on student indicators of program quality.

Adult Education

Adult education is parent literacy training that leads to economic self-sufficiency. Adult education can be adult basic education, adult secondary education or English As A Second Language. Adult education is provided through partnerships whenever possible, although Even Start grantees can provide adult education services directly when no partnership is available. This includes instructional activities grounded in scientifically based reading research with documented significant literacy achievement results. Texas has a Policy for Adult Education-Family Literacy Coordination. It sets forth the expectation that family literacy and adult education programs in the state will work together to deliver intensive adult education services to family literacy participants.

Texas measures adult literacy achievements through student performance on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), the Basic English Skills Test (BEST-Plus), and the BEST Literacy.

Even Start has the most impact when delivery of the four components is integratedIntegration of instructional components. Even Start funds can be used to cover the cost of joint staff planning for the purpose of integrated instruction.

Parent Education

Parent education is training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children. As in adult education and early childhood education, instructional activities are to be grounded in scientifically based research. Parent education is delivered through home-based and center-based instruction. Each family participates in at least one home visit per month plus center-based instruction. Parent education can be delivered directly by the Even Start grantee or through partnerships. Parent education is currently measured in Texas by the Caldwell Bradley Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory.

Content for parenting education is explained in Guide to Improving Parenting Education in Even Start Family Literacy Programs. The guide states that the overall goal of parenting education in Even Start Family Literacy programs is to strengthen parents’ support of their young children’s literacy development and early school success. Specific goals for parents fall into five areas:

1. Engage in language-rich parent-child interactions;
2. Provide supports for literacy in the family;
3. Hold appropriate expectations of the child’s learning and development;
4. Actively embrace the parenting role; and
5. Form and maintain connections to community and other resources for meeting individual and family needs.

Parent and Child Interactive Literacy Activities (ILA)

The Parent and Child Interactive Literacy Activities component is commonly referred to as Interactive Literacy Activities Time (ILA). This component is interactive literacy activities between parents and their children. ILA Time can be an opportunity for parents to put theory into practice. Parents incorporate literacy skills from adult education and knowledge from parent education into literacy activities with their children with the support of Even Start staff as needed. This component is typically provided directly by the Even Start grantee, although collaborations are possible.

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