A number of preschool and kindergarten assessment systems are being put into place across the nation, with a variety of purposes and collection methods. The "Assessing the State of State Assessments" symposium was convened to provide an opportunity for persons working most closely with state assessment systems to identify common…

Evaluated effectiveness of abbreviated Printing Performance School Readiness Test in identifying at-risk or failure-prone children (N=171) at the start of prekindergarten by following subjects for three years. Found form errors in children's printing could be scored reliably and that they remained stable over time and were tied to children's…

The Even Start project in the Poudre (Colorado) School District involves a learning center where parents receive literacy instruction and are trained to become partners in their children's education. The program features separate parent and child activities, group activities, home visits from family monitors, field trips, and support groups. (SK)

Examines factors associated with the presence of social fathers in the lives of preschoolers, using data from the Fulton County Descriptive Study. Results indicated that most children have a social father and association differs depending upon his relationship to the mother. A relationship with a social relative father was associated with higher…

The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) collects data on a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs, classrooms, teachers, parents, and children examining the quality and effects of Head Start. Three waves of data collection have occurred: in 1997, 2000, and 2003. Information presented in this publication is…

A second year evaluation of the educational television series "Sesame Street" was carried out. One aspect of the study was a replication of the first year study and an exploration of the impact of the second year's extended and new goal areas. The second aspect was a followup of at-home disadvantaged children who were subjects in the…

Examines the school readiness of a group of poor children enrolled in a Neighborhood Development Center, of a group of middle class black children, and of a group of middle class white children. Also compares the intelligence test scores of the three groups of children. (Author/DEP)

This report describes six local government efforts to develop early learning systems to achieve the goal of school readiness--efforts that use federal and state resources but are locally owned. These efforts were identified and selected based upon discussions with a number of early childhood experts in the field. They represent some of the most…

Although kindergarten entry is delayed for a significant number of children each year, many aspects of this practice have not been investigated. This study examined reasons mothers chose to delay their child's kindergarten entry and the decision-making process related to this choice. Participating in this qualitative interview study were 15…

North Carolina's Kinder Camp is a 4-week program designed to prepare children for entry into kindergarten. All participants must have completed Project Family Read. A North Carolina elementary school measured the programs effectiveness by using the Cognitive/Language Profile of the American Guidance Service Early Screening Profiles as a pre- and…

This manual describes an approach to enhancing children's transitions into kindergarten. This approach, developed as a collaborative effort among researchers at the National Center for Early Development & Learning Kindergarten Transition Project at the University of Virginia and local school personnel, focuses on forming a network of social…

This report describes the progress that the 16 states in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) region have made in meeting the first of the Goals for Education 2000: that all children will be ready for first grade. The report describes SREB states' efforts in: (1) increasing the percentage of at-risk children served by prekindergarten and…

To assist state policymakers in using limited resources to enhance young children's readiness for school, this report examines the development and effectiveness of prekindergarten and parent support programs in the Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB's) 16-state region. States in the region are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,…

The transition to formal schooling is a landmark event for millions of children, but transition practices commonly used may not be well-suited to the needs of children and families. This research and policy brief, a quarterly synthesis of issues addressed by investigators and affiliates of the National Center for Early Development and Learning,…

Describes the Minnesota Preschool Inventory and provides data regarding its validity. Results based on a study of (N=360) prekindergarten children indicated that low scores on certain developmental scales question children's abilities to meet kindergarten expectations. Parent concerns, adjustment scales, and symptoms may point to a need for…