The 14 articles, which make up the bulk of this book provide an interdisciplinary guide to the management of very low birth weight infants. Following an introduction, the first section, titled "Family Considerations," presents three papers discussing, respectively, parent-infant interaction, cultural variables in pediatric care, and parents'…

This document reviews problems related to sexual activity among rural U.S. teenagers, successes and failures of teen sex education programs, and problems and needs specific to rural areas. In a recent poll, 89% of adults favored sex education in the schools and 73% supported making birth control information and contraceptives available in school…

This volume addresses the needs of decision-makers involved in implementing Public Law 99-457, Part H, which establishes a federal discretionary program to help states plan and implement a comprehensive, coordinated interdisciplinary program of early intervention services for children from birth through age 2. Chapter titles include the following:…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Testing Goes to Preschool: Will State and Federal Testing Programs Advance the Goal of School Readiness for All Children? (Robert Rothman); (2)…

The goal of ensuring that all children are "ready for school" has become a national priority. As a result, programs that support children's school readiness are becoming more and more important to policy-makers, funders, and parents. It is becoming very clear that efforts to improve school success cannot begin at kindergarten, nor focus…

St. Martin Hall, a demonstration school affiliated with Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, collaborated with the Harry Jersig Center to test students for speech and language difficulties or hearing loss. A significant number of the children were from economically disadvantaged homes. Most of the children were Hispanic.…

Although the FPG Child Development Institute's primary mission is to generate new knowledge, this research is in the service of a higher goal: child and family well being. This goal is distilled in their tag line: "Advancing knowledge, enhancing lives." This phrase is not just a tag line--it encapsulates 40 years of striving to be an…

Recently, policy makers have begun to insist on evidence showing whether public investment in programs for children has achieved its desired results. No longer will it be sufficient to show that programs are meeting established standards for practice or that families are satisfied with services. Data are needed to show that services are effective.…

Early Head Start (EHS) is a comprehensive, two-generation program providing intensive services from before birth to age 3 to promote improved outcomes in children's development, family development, staff development, and community development. The second of a 3-volume series designed to share the experiences of the 17 EHS programs participating in…

This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "quality" practices and the extent to which they are appropriate for all families and children. Misunderstandings and conflicts in the areas of motor skills evaluation and intervention can occur between those providing services and those receiving…

This paper summarizes the research on the importance of teacher education and salary levels, provides a snapshot of Head Start and Early Head Start staff credentials and related issues, describes recent legislative history and changes on teacher qualifications, and assesses whether states and higher education systems are ready to address a major…

This paper discusses three Federal programs related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): (1) Part C, the Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities; (2) Section 619 of Part B, the Preschool Grants Program; and (3) Part D, National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities. An overview of each of…

This final report describes the objectives, activities and outcomes of a federally funded project that was designed to provide a high quality, interdisciplinary graduate degree program in Early Childhood Special Education with an emphasis on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ECSE/TESOL) at the University of Miami, Florida. A portion…

Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) is a knowledge development initiative designed to: (1) create and test a new model for providing mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment for young children (birth to 7 years) and their families; and (2) inform practitioners and policymakers of successful interventions and promising practices…

The Early Intervention Programme (EIP) was launched in Scotland in June 1997 to raise literacy and numeracy skills in primary years 1 and 2, particularly among disadvantaged students. This report summarizes findings from the program evaluation conducted over 3 years. The evaluation concluded that the EIP had an enormous impact on many schools in…