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

National Evaluation of The Even Start Family Literacy Program - 1998

Introduction

This report summarizes what has been learned about the Even Start Family Literacy Program after 10 years of demonstration and evaluation activities, and points out some of the directions, possibilities, and problems facing the program in the future. Evidence about the nature and effectiveness of Even Start comes primarily from the ongoing national evaluation; speculation about the future draws on the experience of staff who have been involved in implementing and evaluating the program for a decade.

The report first describes the Even Start program as it has been implemented in more than 600 locations across the nation. The second section focuses on major changes that have occurred over the past decade — changes in the program size and administration, changes in the types of families served, changes in services and participation, and changes in program costs. The third section describes the kinds of impacts that Even Start has had on participating families, with an emphasis on implications for improving practice. The final part of the report looks to the future and addresses issues of recent legislative changes, program quality, program institutionalization, the effect of welfare reform, and improving evaluations.

Many of the findings presented in this report are relevant to the performance objectives and indicators that the Department of Education has established in its strategic plan, as required in the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 (P.L. 103-62). Where this is the case, we have referenced the appropriate objective and indicator. The Even Start performance indicators are shown in Exhibit 4.

We hope that this report is a helpful resource to program practitioners, policy makers, and researchers and that it not only captures the successes and difficulties of an innovative program such as Even Start, but also illustrates the long-term utility of having access to information from an ongoing program evaluation.


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[Acknowledgments] [Table of Contents] [The Even Start Family Literacy Program]