The authors describe a zone defense schedule (ZDS), a system for organizing the staff and environment of a preschool classroom. Specifically, it is used to organize the roles of adults in the classroom so that transitions between activities are easier for children and provides greater opportunity for teaching (both during the transition and…

The purpose of this study was to examine how young children's homes and preschool programs influence kindergarten achievement by being "ready environments." Ready environments provide opportunities for cognitive and social growth through culturally and developmentally appropriate activities, interactions, and materials. This study used…

Divided into three parts, this book reviews the basic concepts of the High/Scope preschool curriculum and its development, implementation, and effectiveness. The introduction offers a retrospective of the program's history, describes the five basic principles that form the framework of the approach, and discusses some of the reasons for its…

This report evaluates the Chicago Public Schools' 1992-93 Prekindergarten Program for 3- to 5-year old children at risk of academic failure. During the 1992-93 academic year, the State Prekindergarten Program served 10,735 3- and 4-year-olds at 286 sites throughout the city. The report describes and evaluates the program's four components: (1) a…

In light of debate about the developmentally inappropriate and culturally questionable use of standardized testing for placement of preschool children, alternative approaches to screening and assessment are required. The impact of a Head Start program upon children must involve documentation of physical and mental health, speech, hearing, vision,…

Designed to celebrate the achievements and successful activities of professionals and community leaders throughout Texas, this yearbook describes 60 innovative programs that have confronted difficult issues, explored solutions, and taken risks to help families in Texas. The first section of the yearbook presents the Best of Texas Awards in six…

A 2-year study was conducted to determine whether service delivery variables in Head Start programs have a direct, positive effect on child performance and home environment. The study sample of 402 four-year-old children was drawn from 12 Head Start programs in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The centers represented three types of models:…

In an effort to help disadvantaged preschool children develop emergent literacy skills and improve their chances of future academic success, a cooperative project was implemented in 1991-92 by McNeese State University in Louisiana and a local Head Start agency to provide tutoring to Head Start children. University students enrolled in a teacher's…

High school outcomes were assessed for 123 young adults, originally toddlers in the home-based, low-intensity Mother-Child Home Program (MCHP) and at risk for dropping out of high school because of their parents' low income and education. Participants were recruited for the Pittsfield, MA, replication of the MCHP and randomly selected into program…

The primary objective of the Parents as Teachers project was to present a series of workshops to help parents understand the vital role they play in their children's preschool and educational development and help them develop techniques to encourage children to read, participate with their children in various craft and educational activities, and…

The Louisiana Department of Education provides formalized preschool programs for handicapped children in 65 public schools, with 40 of those programs serving sparsely populated areas. The statewide program was evaluated from January 1985 to June 1986 using a multiple-model research design that included data collection via 39 program visits, 59…

An overview is provided of a 5-year project conducted by the Early Intervention Research Institute (EIRI) which focused on the effects and costs of early intervention for young handicapped children. The bulk of the document consists of research reports of 14 investigations: (1) meta-analysis of the early intervention efficacy literature; (2)…

Designed to serve newly arrived, immigrant pupils in the Cleveland Public Schools, the English-as-a-Second-Language project aims to help participants acquire enough English proficiency for adequate functioning. The project uses a pull-out model in which, for about 30 minutes daily, small groups of students are given additional reading, language,…

THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH FUNDED UNDER CONNECTICUT PUBLIC ACT 523 IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TOWNS NOT SERVED BY TITLE I OF THE 1965 ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT. IN GENERAL, THE PROGRAMS ATTEMPTED TO IMPROVE THE STUDENTS' READING, LANGUAGE ARTS, AND BASIC SKILLS AND TO CHANGE THEIR…

This report discusses some "promising" compensatory education programs and presents statistical estimates which identify the disadvantaged population to be served by such programs. The discussion is based on observations of school systems and programs in all sections of the country and on interviews with over 200 educational administrators who…