This booklet for parents of children not yet old enough to attend kindergarten is first in a series of five on educational opportunities in Virginia. It includes information about children from birth to 5 years of age and gives suggestions for parents on helping children develop. The booklet also provides facts about education programs in…

In 1978, the Montgomery County (Maryland) public schools initiated an early admission (EA) pilot program that allowed 5-year olds to enter first grade. Two approaches were utilized: Under Plan I, a small number of 5-year olds entered regular grade 1 classes; under Plan II entire classes of 5-year olds attended school the full day, with the…

The Basic Skills Assessment Act (631) is a law passed by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1978 which established the Basic Skills Assessment Program. This law requires the establishment of statewide educational objectives for reading, writing, and mathematics for each grade level, kindergarten through grade 12. The law also requires that a…

A study was conducted to determine if participation in a pre-first grade transactional program would be more effective than grade repetition in enhancing first grade readiness. The transition program emphasized the acquisition of academic and behavioral skills necessary for a successful first grade experience. Students in the program were trained…

The effect of month of birth on skill development in language, reading, and mathematics was examined separately for kindergarten and first grade children. The study looked at the strength of the relationship at the beginning and end of the school year and as a function of the type of program in which the child was enrolled. One hundred and…

This document presents a cognitive diagnostic test which was devised as part of the Multilevel Remediation in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics project funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (Department of Health, Education, and Welfare). The test diagnoses the following areas of cognition judged by empirical analysis…

This guide presents tasks a planning group should consider when implementing a program. Although implementation may not occur in this sequence, the total array of implementation tasks includes selecting a planning group leader, defining the problem, selecting objectives, designing the program, developing an implementation plan, developing an…

The Westinghouse Learning Corporation and Ohio University carried out a study on the impact of Head Start for the Office of Economic Opportunity. The main inquiry of the study concerned the difference between Head Start first, second, and third graders and non-Head Start first, second, and third graders in intellectual and social-personal…

The purposes of this study were to determine (1) the long-range effectiveness on children's cognitive and affective development of 1, 2, and 3 years of the Central Cities Early Childhood Education Program; (2) how long preschool intervention must be continued to significantly alleviate special problems of disadvantaged children; and (3) the…

Psychological maltreatment is increasingly receiving attention as a prevalent and destructive form of child abuse and neglect that constitutes a mental health problem. This article discusses the current state of knowledge of psychological maltreatment; a rationale for its study; its impact on school readiness and academic achievement; and…

The National Governors' Association Task Force on Readiness presented policy recommendations to help at-risk children prepare for school and meet new educational standards. Suggested state initiatives include various outreach and preschool programs for low-income families, assistance with basic skills and teacher training, and incentives and…

Presents issues concerning kindergarten, Grade one and Grade two curriculum content, which is now more academically oriented than 30 years ago. Using examples drawn from teaching experience, discusses related issues of school entrance age, the ungraded K-2 classroom, beginning reading instruction, and parent involvement. (NH)

Examines how early kindergarten entrants fare academically and socially/emotionally in their schooling. Screening procedures are used to identify children with exceptional ability and to eliminate from early entrance children likely to have adjustment difficulties. The screening battery includes measurements of academic readiness, social/emotional…

Birthdates and educational histories of special education students (N=291) were analyzed to determine how school entrance age affected placement in special education programs. Analyses were significant for learning disabled and emotionally disturbed, but not mildly mentally retarded students, suggesting that parents and educators must insist on…

Longitudinally examines the stability of the association between maternal behavior and preschool children's cognitive abilities. Outcome measures included both school readiness (assessed at ages five and six) and achievement on mathematics and vocabulary subtests of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills at grade six. (Author/RH)