A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Biennial Evaluation Report - FY 93-94

Chapter 108

Follow Through--Grants to Local Education Agencies and Other Public and Private Nonprofit Agencies, Organizations and Institutions to Provide Comprehensive Services to Low-Income Children in Kindergarten and the Primary Grades

(CFDA No. 84.014)

I. Program Profile

Legislation: The Follow Through Act, Title VI, P.L. 97-35, as amended (42 U.S.C. 9861-77) (expires September 30, 1999).

Purpose: To sustain and augment, in kindergarten and the primary grades, the gains that children from low-income families make in Head Start and other preschool programs of similar quality by (1) providing comprehensive services that will help these children develop to their full potential; (2) achieving active participation of parents; (3) producing knowledge about innovative educational approaches specifically designed to assist these children in their continued growth and development; and (4) demonstrating and disseminating effective Follow Through practices.

Fiscal Year	Appropriation	Fiscal Year	Appropriation
1968	$15,000,000	1986	$7,176,000
1970	70,300,000	1987	7,176,000
1975	55,500,000	1988	7,133,000
1980	44,250,000	1989	7,262,000
1981	26,250,000	1990	7,171,000
1982	19,440,000	1991	7,265,000
1983	19,440,000	1992	8,632,200
1984	14,767,000	1993	8,478,000
1985	10,000,000	1994	8,478,000

II. Program Information and Analysis

Population Targeting

In FY 1992, the Department of Education funded 46 projects (12 sponsors and 34 LEAs). The program gave priority to LEA projects operating in Chapter 1 schools designated as schoolwide projects; as a result, 24 of the LEA grants were awarded to districts serving children in schoolwide projects. These projects were awarded for a 5 year period.

A local Follow Through project must serve primarily low-income children enrolled in kindergarten and primary grades who have participated in a full-year Head Start or similar preschool program, including other federally assisted preschool programs of a compensatory nature.

At least 60 percent of the children enrolled in each project must be from low-income families and at least 60 percent of the children must have had preschool education. Schoolwide project schools must enroll at least 75 percent of their children from low-income families. When Follow Through is operating in a Chapter 1 schoolwide project, no restriction is imposed regarding the percent of participants from low-income families or with previous preschool experience.

Services

Typically, projects are designed to:

implement an innovative educational approach specifically designed to improve the school performance of low-income children in kindergarten and the primary grades;
provide supplementary or specialized instruction in the regular classroom and education-related services to all students in the classroom;
orient and train Follow Through staff, parents, and other appropriate personnel;
provide for the active participation of Follow Through parents in the development, conduct, and overall direction of the local project;
provide health, social, nutritional, and other support services to aid the continued development of Follow Through children; and
demonstrate and disseminate information about effective Follow Through practices for the purpose of encouraging adoption of those practices by other public and private schools.

Program Administration

In FY 1991, the Follow Through program, under regulations published in the Federal Register on April 12, 1991, funded 40 projects and two research grants. The research grants were awarded to Temple University and the University of Kansas to develop new sponsor models. There also was a competition in FY 1992 during which six new grants were made. In 1993, all awards were non-competing continuations. The research grants were closed out in 1993.

III. Sources of Information

Margaret C. Wang and Eugene A. Ramp. The National Follow Through Program: Design, Implementation, and Effects (Philadelphia, PA: November 1987).
Margaret C. Wang and Herbert J. Walberg. The National Follow Through Program: Lessons from Two Decades of Research Practice in School Improvement, (unpublished) October 1988, ED 336191.
Program files.

IV. Studies in Progress

A 2 year study is currently underway to examine the implementation and effectiveness of Follow Through projects in both Chapter 1 schoolwide and non-schoolwide project schools. The study is mandated by Congress. A final report is due in spring 1995.

V. Contacts for Further Information

Program Operations:: Robert Alexander, (202) 401-1692
Program Studies:: Robert Glenn (202) 401-1958

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