Noting that a high-quality preschool program is one that promotes learning through rich play experiences, this book gives parents information needed to select the right preschool for their children. Chapter 1, "Thinking about Preschool," discusses questions parents ask, practical considerations, beginning the search, and the screening phone call.…

A family literacy program for increasing 3- to 5-year-old children's literacy skills by educating their Mexican American parents is evaluated. Project Family Literacy--Aprendiendo, Mejorando, Educando ("Learning, Improving, Educating") (Project FLAME) is a federally funded program addressing Hispanic Americans' academic failure,…

Information about limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) is summarized. In the 1990-91 school year, 5,047 students in the AISD were served in LEP programs at elementary schools (3,933 students), middle schools (555 students), and secondary schools (559 students). Most were Spanish…

This sample guide is intended to assist local Kentucky education agencies to establish policies and procedures to fulfill the legal requirements of Child Find, a federally mandated program to locate, identify, and evaluate children with disabilities. Generally provided for each legal requirement are an example of the concept, suggestions for…

This report describes an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Oklahoma City Public Schools' Even Start Family Literacy Project (ESFLP). The ESFLP sought to: (1) improve parents' basic literacy and employment skills; (2) enable parents to take a teaching-guiding role with their children; (3) encourage parents to become true partners with schools…

Project PALS (Parenting and Literacy Skills) was designed as a model of holistic comprehensive family literacy for those families connected with a Head Start program. Forty-three of an anticipated 75 families were served. Adult students who were referred by Head Start personnel participated in classes in English as a Second Language, Adult Basic…

This document reports the findings of the 1990-91 process evaluation of the Saginaw, Michigan Early Childhood Education Preschool (MECEP) program for 4-year-olds at risk of academic failure. As of January 18, 1991, a total of 285 pupils were participating in the program at 8 sites. The overall goal of the program is to provide 4-year-olds with an…

The sixth of 10 reports from a longitudinal, national evaluation study in which Project Head Start children and their parents were followed from preschool through the fourth grade, this document describes the process data which were collected in the spring of 1979 during one-week site visits to each of the 65 participating programs. Chapter I…

This report (1975-76) details the extent to which the Urban, Rural, Racial, Disadvantaged Educational Programs (URRD) in Seattle have met the URRD minimum standards for evaluation of effectiveness as defined in the Washington State Administrative Code. URRD programs are defined as state funded efforts which provide special services to students who…

The School District of Philadelphia, through its Prescriptive Educational Approach to Children with Handicaps (PEACH) Project, funded under E.S.E.A. Title VI-B, provided diagnostic, referral, and prescriptive educational services for preschool children (between 3 and 4.7 years). Priority was given to those children most severely handicapped and…

This book aims to provide a comprehensive history and analysis of the operation and evolution of Project Head Start. The volume consists of 23 original articles covering program history, the preschool education and developmental components of Head Start, and Head Start program development and evaluation. In Part One, the historical roots of Head…

This report describes (1) the development of a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to early health assessment and follow-through for 750 children in day care centers and family day care homes, and (2) training and consultation provisions for day care staffs to aid children and their families. Objectives of the three year project were to…

Five program components were evaluated in the second program year of a preschool program for American Indian children (N=27) aged 2-6 years and residing at Fort McDowell, Arizona. Program components were: (1) classroom and training activity (to promote maximum social, intellectual, physical, and emotional development and to provide a training…

This paper provides a theoretical discussion of educational program evaluation. Psychometric theory and developmental psychology are compared as they pertain to the testing of children. The nature of change in childhood makes it necessary to examine the assumptions and goals related to the testing of children as a means of evaluating educational…

The ten papers in this volume present integrative reviews, analyses and syntheses of research and development of current concern to early childhood educators. Four papers represent investigations and reports of programmatic or educational activities. House and Hutchins critically analyze Abt Associates' national evaluation of Project Follow…