Colorado Even Start Progress Report

Author : Beckie Anderson
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 52 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (16 download)

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Download or read book Colorado Even Start. 2004-2005 Progress Report written by Beckie Anderson and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of Even Start, as outlined in federal legislation, is to help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and low literacy by providing a unified family literacy program for low-income families. Even Start has three related goals: (1) to help parents improve their literacy or basic education skills; (2) to help parents become full partners in educating their children; and (3) to assist children in reaching their full potential as learners. An Even Start family literacy program is an integrated adult education, early childhood education, and parent education program that facilitates parents and children spending time together in literacy activities. This Progress Report provides information about the thirteen Colorado Even Start programs, and the educational and self-sufficiency gains made by the families they serve. It includes program data for the past five years collected using the Colorado Family Literacy State Performance Measures. The report concludes with a look toward the future for Even Start and family literacy services in Colorado. For the past eight years, the Colorado Department of Education has supported a statewide evaluation of Colorado Even Start programs. The following evaluation findings are highlights from 2004-2005: (1) Colorado Even Start programs met 89% of the targeted goals contained in the state performance measures, an increase from last year when 71% of the goals were met; (2) Colorado Even Start programs served 422 families with 657 children; (3) The percent of families with 300 hours or more of participation in Even Start has increased every year for the past five years, beginning with a participation rate of 36% in 2000-2001 and moving to a rate of 65% in 2004-2005; (4) Of Even Start parents studying to pass the General Educational Development (GED) exam and teen parents working toward obtaining a high school diploma, 55% attained their goals this year, an increase from last year when the GED/diploma attainment rate was; (5) The average graduation rate for teen parents in Even Start over the past six years is 82%; (6) The percent of preschoolers in Even Start who are enrolled in an additional early childhood education program has steadily increased over the past five years from 45% to 77%.; (7) This year 76% of primary-grade children in Even Start were reading at or above grade level, or demonstrated one year's growth in literacy skills within one year (last year, 80% of kindergartners through third-graders met this goal); (8) The U.S. Department of Education reports that 74% of poor, preschool children are read to frequently (three or more times per week) by a family member -- children in Colorado Even Start programs fare better: 86 percent of the Colorado preschoolers in Even Start were read to regularly by their parents this year and the average of this state statistic for the past four years is 84%; and (9) Although some variation exists, five years of data show a pattern of the majority (always 72% or more) of Colorado Even Start parents of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers demonstrating important skills linked to educational benefits for children. The report concludes with reiteration of two recommendations previously made, calling for the Colorado Department of Education to fiscally support the Colorado Family Literacy consortium's effort to assist programs in view of uncertainty regarding federal funding, and for the Colorado State Legislature to provide new funding to support the Family Literacy Education Fund with expanded existing programs, new family literacy services and ongoing professional development for family-literacy staff. Three appendixes include: (A) Colorado Even Start 2004-2005 Progress Report Data Collection Form; (B) Colorado Family Literacy State Performance Measures; and (C) Colorado Even Start Directory.