What is the Even Start Family Literacy Program?

Texas Even Start utilizes a family-centered education model that improves the academic achievement of young children and the literacy skills of their parents in order to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and illiteracy. Texas Even Start programs serve families that are the most economically disadvantaged and have the lowest levels of adult literacy in the state of Texas. In 2004-05, 97.1% of parents participating had less than a ninth grade education and 25% of the parents participating were under the age of 22. Even Start integrates all of the following activities:

• Interactive literacy between parents and their children that transfer educational concepts and values into the home and family
• Training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children
• Parent literacy education that leads to economic self-sufficiency
• Age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences

Texas Even Start Family Literacy dollars are currently being used to provide instructional activities that utilize scientifically based reading research and must provide these instructional activities year-round including instructional and enrichment services during the summer months.

How do Texas Families Participate in the Even Start Family Literacy Program?

An eligible Even Start family must qualify for free and reduced lunch under Title I, have at least one parent who either needs a GED/high school diploma or has not yet mastered English, and have at least one child under the age of 8. Teenagers under the age of 16 who are parents are also eligible to participate with their children as long as the local school district provides the basic education component for the teen parent.

There were 92 programs with 207 sites across Texas in the last school year of 2004-2005. In past three years, Texas has doubled their enrollment of families served and significantly improved performance despite funding cuts. Texas’s goal for 2004-05 was to serve 4,652 families; not only was the service goal met by serving 6,170 families, Texas reached 33% more families. According to the most recent national data, Texas served an overwhelming 16.5% of the total amount of Even Start children served in the nation with 11,709 children participating and 7,237 parents participating. Out of the 11,709 Texas children participating, 68% of the children were less than 5 years old and 57% came from families that did not speak English at home.

Who Provides Even Start Family Literacy Instruction in Texas?

Even Start providers are awarded competitively to applicants who demonstrate proven effectiveness in providing family literacy services. Eligible applicants include: local education agencies, community-based organizations including volunteer literacy organizations, institutions of higher education, and public and private non-profit agencies and institutions. There were 66 independent school districts, 2 education service centers, 1 public charter school, 20 public or private nonprofit organizations, and 3 higher education institutions in 2004-2005.

What are the Outcomes of Texas Even Start Family Literacy?

• The families enrolled in 2004-2005 stayed an average of at least 7 months or longer; scientifically-based research shows prolonged participation equals higher performance in educational gains.
• 81% of the adult participants made significant educational gains, meaning almost 66% of the adults advanced to at least one or more levels last year.
• An average of 90% of the parents participating increased their involvement in their children’s education.
• 86% of Even Start kindergarteners and 82% of 1st and 2nd graders met or exceeded the standard on district selected reading assessments, which is remarkable since 57% of Even Start families are non-native English speakers.
• 80% of the adults enrolled improved their parenting skills in 2004-2005.
• 55% of the adults with a goal of entering post secondary education or a job training program, met their goal in 2004-2005.

What is the Even Start Family Literacy Investment in Texas?

Even Start programs apply for a fixed amount of federal funds. Local share/match is required for each program and the local share requirement increases with each year of implementation. The United States Congress appropriated $225,000,000 Even Start funds for the entire nation in 2004-2005. The total federal grant amount awarded to Texas for all the programs in 2004-2005 was $17,897,316 and the total local match for the state was $17,750,839. Due to the budget cuts made in November 2004, Texas Even Start was cut by 9% for the 2005-06 school year and Texas received $1,812,165 less than the previous year. Additionally, there was a 56% reduction in Texas for the 2006-2007 school year, resulting in the discontinuation of funding for 24 Even Start programs in Texas and a significant loss of families served.