Even Start Family Literacy
Even Start is a federally funded family literacy program integrating early childhood,
adult education, interactive literacy activities, and parenting education through intensive coordination of existing
services and creation of a new range of services. The state receives an annual allocation.
Individual projects compete for funding for four years. A local match is required in increasing
amounts of 10% each year of the project. Public Schools are partners with
community based agencies. Collaborative entities provide supplemental
supportive services. Following are the program
characteristics:
1. Participants are eligible if there is an adult who qualifies for an adult education
program under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act does not have a
High School Diploma or GED, and is a parent of a child less than 8 years of age.
2. The focus of the program is on family/parent literacy, parenting skills and child
literacy skill development.
3. Projects must develop cooperative arrangements to avoid service duplication.
4. Support services are provided to enable the family's participation and may include:
transportation, referrals for employment services, mental health services, child care, and
assistance with other identified needs.
"Data Shows that by working with the
family as a unit, both children and parents gain more than they would in programs devoted
either entirely to the child or to the parent."
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