Goal One of the National Education Goals states that, by the year 2000, every child in America will start school ready to learn. The second objective under this goal (that parents will be their child's first teacher, devote time daily to helping their child learn, and receive training and support) emphasizes the important role parents play in helping to ensure that their children are prepared for formal learning. This report examines successful state and federal parent education programs, observing that successful approaches are voluntary, intensive, flexible, accessible, respectful of families, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive. Effective programs also provide multiple delivery systems, use staff whose background reflects that of the target population, recruit first-time parents and fathers as well as mothers, and use well-developed curricula. Successful programs profiled include: (1) Arkansas' Home Instruction for Preschool Youngsters; (2) Connecticut's Parent Education and Support Centers; (3) Hawaii's Healthy Start Program; (4) Kentucky's Parent and Child Education; (5) Maryland's Family Support Centers; (6) Minnesota's Early Childhood Family Education; (7) Missouri's Parents as Teachers; (8) South Carolina's Target 2000 Parent Education Program; and (9) Washington's Project Even Start. The parent education component of several federal programs, such as the Comprehensive Child Development Program, Even Start, and Family Resource and Support Program are discussed. The report concludes by noting that, overall, parent education programs should be part of a continuum of community-based, family-centered, prevention-oriented services for children and their families. (MDM)