This report highlights the critical role family literacy and learning play in breaking down barriers between different learning contexts and engaging hard-to-reach adults and children in education. This report was developed as part of a family learning project initiated by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in 2016. Based on the…

This booklet contains a self-assessment tool using the quality considerations in "The Guide to Quality for Even Start Family Literacy Programs." These rating scales are offered as a way to examine aspects of operations to identify Even Start program strengths and weaknesses, determine where local evaluation might be focused, or plan…

Capturing what has been learned over the past several years about the characteristics of effective Even Start Family Literacy programs, this book offers a guide for self-review by programs for the purpose of staff development and program improvement. The book also provides a focus for designing local program evaluations, serves as an outline of…

Seven model family literacy programs in Illinois were monitored for one year to determine successful program components and characteristics and to assist local programs in developing and implementing practical evaluation systems. Six were networking programs each of which involved several agencies, and one program was designed on a center-based…

The first-year report of the El Paso (Texas) Family Literacy for Parents of Preschoolers program describes the program and evaluates its progress toward stated objectives. The introductory section addresses the following topics: demographic and literacy characteristics of the community; the needs assessment; project design; and objectives for…

This manual was developed to help facilitators explain, implement, or expand a family literacy program. It is based on research and on the experience of developing and implementing the model program established by Literacy Volunteers of America-Chippewa Valley in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The program encompassed the four basic components of family…

As a follow-up to phase 1 in reports 1-2, this report presents the second and third phases of a project which examined changes in seven Illinois family literacy programs, assisted the sites in implementing evaluation systems, and tested the usefulness of an evaluation framework. In phase 2, structured and conversational interviews and site…

This research study provides an extensive compilation of information sources on the topic of family literacy for library professionals and other literacy providers. This paper includes the following main sections: (1) combined literature review and annotated bibliography; (2) survey results; and (3) family literacy program descriptions. The first…

The structure and function of family literacy programming in Illinois is examined in this two-part report. National models are reviewed to provide an understanding of research and practice in the field, and a framework is proposed for the systematic development and evaluation of family literacy programs. Based on visits to 19 sites (59% of the…

To investigate the initial experiences of the various Even Start programs in Ohio following approval and funding, a project developed a survey instrument and sent it to Even Start program directors. The survey asked directors open-ended questions aimed at getting a general description of each program and a discussion of the issues and concerns…

To investigate the initial experiences of the various Even Start programs, a project developed a survey that was sent to program coordinators in Ohio. It asked open-ended questions to get descriptions and perceptions of situations that preceded turning point events and the turning point events themselves. Data from eight programs highlighted their…

During the 1994-95 program year, the staff of Even Start, a family literacy program in Lincoln (Nebraska), and an evaluator collaborated to create a low-stakes, small-scale portfolio assessment to collect information on program impact. The small scale of the evaluation offered opportunities to involve the staff in each step of the portfolio…

In 1995, the North Dakota Head Start-State Collaboration Project (HSSCP) was initiated to create a statewide early childhood system to increase access to comprehensive services and support for all low-income children. This report details the project's accomplishments over its initial 5-year period, emphasizing accomplishments of the final year.…

A first stage evaluation of the Even Start Program of the Newark (New Jersey) public schools is presented. Even Start is an early childhood parental involvement program in its third year of implementation. Goals are to involve parents as active partners, to help children develop cognitively and affectively, and to improve adult literacy and…

This document is a guide to the use of alternative assessments (surveys, interviews, observation measures, and performance samples) in a family literacy project. This resource guide focuses on using alternative approaches to identify learners' needs, determine learners' ongoing progress in meeting project objectives, ascertain overall success of…