Literacy Links

Family Literacy

Preliminary Research
Findings Indicate Even Start Programs Make a Difference

By: Don Seaman, Texas A&M University

When legislation for Even Start family literacy programs was initiated in the 1980's, there were definite expectations from the proposed programs by policy-makers in Washington, D.C. Three principal program components were advocated in the law: adult education, early childhood education, and parent education. So, after several years of operation, are any expectations being fulfilled?

Although data are sometimes difficult to acquire, findings from some programs are favorable. Lori Conners-Tadros, Center on Families, Communities, Schools, and Children's' Learning at Johns Hopkins University reports findings which include: (a) parents improve their literacy skills proportionate to the time they spend in the program; (b) most are successful in acquiring their GED certificate; (c) participating parents develop better ways to support their children's literacy at home, and (d) families are utilizing community resources better.

Staff at the Texas Center for Adult Literacy and Learning (TCALL) are evaluating several Even Start programs in Texas. Their findings are preliminary because data are being received continuously from the programs. However, findings to date, include: (a) in one program, children who have participated in Even Start have reduced their absenteeism by 30% during their following years in kindergarten and first grade. Not only have the children benefited, but so has the school system, financially, through that reduced absenteeism; (b) in four programs, when elementary teachers ranked all students in their classes on the basis of "probable success in school", those who had been in Even Start were mostly ranked in the upper-half and often in the upper-fourth of their classes; (c) in three programs, the number of parents who became employed either while in the program or shortly thereafter virtually tripled (from 14% to 42%) and the average hourly income level increased from $4.92 to $6.73, a 37% increase in average hourly wage; (d) in the same three programs, the percent of parents who had previously never helped their children with homework decreased from 38% to 7%, while the percent who now assist their children every day increased from 6% to 26%; and (e) in addition to those parents (42%) who had attained employment, another 34% of the parents are currently enrolled in schooling or training, i.e., community college, computer classes, business school, parenting classes, and citizenship classes. These preliminary findings clearly document the positive effects of "family" educational programs.