What is Even Start Family Literacy?

A visit to one of the Even Start sites would show:

• parents and children talking and learning together

• young children participating in quality educational opportunities and activities

• parents learning how to be the primary teacher for their children and be full partners in their child’s education

• interactive literacy activities between parents and their children

• age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life

•  parents who are lifelong learners

Family literacy ties generations together in a unique educational opportunity. The single most important factor in parental influence and academic success is the expectation held by parents for the educational attainment of their children.

Even Start has four main goals:

1. to prepare children ages birth to eight with the prerequisite education and literacy instruction to succeed in school,

2.  to improve adult literacy,

3.  to enhance parenting skills, and

4.  to foster quality interaction between adults and their children.

Children are not “babysat” while adults attend class, but engage with trained early childhood educators in a preschool setting. That setting might be Head Start, Title I preschool, or the Even Start early childhood classroom. School-age children receive tutoring and additional educational opportunities when they participate in the evening program with their parents. Developmentally appropriate educational and literacy activities follow the Birth to Five Appleton Area School District curriculum.

In addition to classes for adults and children, each family receives a minimum of three home visits where learning for the family continues in a more intimate setting. The home visitors are trained Parents as Teachers educators. Parents learn appropriate activities and practices to engage their children and optimize their learning.

The Appleton Even Start Family Literacy Program is one of the top four most cost effective sites per family in the state. According to the local independent evaluation for 2004-2005 it also was one of the most effective. The site met or exceeded state indicators of quality, for example, literacy growth for adults and children, school attendance, public school achievement, and hearing, vision, and developmental screenings for the birth to three children.

Relevant statistics from the 2004-2005 evaluation include:

• 97 families served representing 96 adults and 140 children ages 14 and under

•  22% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 2% American Indian, 65% Hispanic, and 5% white

•  94% female

• 92% were married

• 80% were English Language Learner

• 54% were below poverty level, an additional 29% qualified for reduced lunch

• 13% had no formal schooling, 28% completed grades 1-6, 43% completed grades 7-12, 11% completed grades 13+, 1% were unknown

• 28% of children were not of school age, 21% were in a four year old preschool (Title I or Head Start), 24% were in Kindergarten through 3^rd grade

• 6% were in the U.S. less than one year, 31% 1-5 years, 55% more than 5 years, and 8% their entire life

Appleton Area School District and Fox Valley Technical College are the two primary collaborators beginning the partnership more than eight years ago. Other long-standing partners include Head Start, Appleton Public Library, Fox Valley Literacy Coalition, UW Extension, Appleton Park and Rec. Department, Outagamie County Parent Resource Program and Family Connections. In addition, many other agencies refer families to our program.

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