The onset of selective mutism (SM) is usually between the ages of three and five years, when the children first go to preschool. However, these children are most commonly referred for treatment between the ages of six and 11, when they are entering the elementary school system. Early detection and early intervention is suggested for effective SM…

The Native American and Alaska Native Children in School (NAM) discretionary grants program aims to reduce the persistent achievement gaps between Native American and Alaska Native (NA/AN) youth and their peers on measures of reading and English language arts (ELA) (NCES 2015) and on measures of college-readiness in reading (ACT 2017). One reason…

"Effective Programs for Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder" is written for teachers, parents, and the many service providers who work with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Part one reviews the characteristics of ASD, summarizes major theories and research findings regarding cause(s) of ASD, and discusses the most popular…

A withdrawal design repeated across three children enrolled in two Head Start classrooms was used to investigate the effectiveness of functional assessment-based interventions to decrease inappropriate behavior. The two questions addressed in the study were (a) Will a behavior intervention plan based on functional behavior assessment conducted in…

Some young children show signs that they may not be learning in an expected manner, even during the prekindergarten (PreK) years. These children may exhibit learning challenges in areas such as developing language, counting objects, hearing differences in letter sounds, paying attention during story time, or learning how to write. Teachers,…

Parent involvement in preservice teacher education is an important component of that preparation. Parents' stories of their everyday experiences having an infant/toddler with disabilities can bring insights to future interventionists that no one else can provide. How do we get parents into the university classrooms? How do we help them tell their…

The "2013 State Preschool Yearbook" is the newest edition of our annual report profiling state-funded prekindergarten programs in the United States. This latest "Yearbook" presents data on state-funded prekindergarten during the 2012-2013 school year as well as documenting a decade of progress since the first…

This synthesis presents summary information on curricula and intervention packages designed to help young children ages birth to 5 years improve their social-emotional functioning. It includes evidence-based manualized curricula and programs for use with children, in classrooms or small groups, or with families/parents. It builds and expands on…

During the growth of Reading Recovery in the United States, a growing body of research has accumulated. This publication seeks to clarify for teachers, administrators, parents, and policy makers the many facets and characteristics of this early intervention program in literacy. The first section, "A Review of Reading Recovery," presents…

This booklet is part of a series designed to give educators useful information as they build a sense of community. The text focuses on violence in schools and what stakeholders can do to address this complex problem. It establishes the context for assessing violence and the potential danger to students and educators. It describes violence as…

A project on the ways in which children and families move from one learning environment to another works to build awareness of and strengthen transitions in the early childhood years through a series of national and regional conferences and by identifying promising transition programs in five regions of the country. This document describes…

The National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) was appointed in 2002 and carried out its work under the auspices of the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL). NELP's primary goal was to identify interventions, parenting activities, and instructional practices that promote the development of children's early literacy skills. The National Institute…

If schools improved the academic performance of at-risk students beginning in the early years and continuing through the elementary grades, this improvement would have multiple positive effects on student dropout, delinquency, pregnancy, substance abuse, and other behaviors. Early improvement of poor academic performance could greatly alleviate…

Begun in Israel in 1960, the HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program is a family support, parent-focused, early childhood literacy program. This book compiles 17 evaluation studies of the program, from researchers and practitioners in 7 countries. The studies are organized around five themes: exploring theoretical…