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ERIC Number: ED499809
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Feb
Pages: 76
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Children's Outcomes & Program Quality in the Fifth Year. Evaluation of the North Carolina More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program, Year 5 Report (July 1, 2005-June 30, 2006)
Peisner-Feinberg, Ellen S.; Schaaf, Jennifer M.
FPG Child Development Institute
This report describes findings on the quality of the More at Four Program and the outcomes for children during pre-k from two program years: 2003-2004 (year 3) and 2005-2006 (year 5). Separate results for the 2005-2006 cohort are presented to provide a picture of the program in its most recent year of operation as well as results from the 2 cohorts combined to examine the robustness of these findings over time. The primary research questions addressed by this evaluation included: (1) What were the characteristics of the local programs? (2) What was the quality of the services provided? (3) What were the outcomes of children attending the More at Four Program? and (4) What factors were associated with better outcomes for children? In order to address these questions, information was gathered from three sources: monthly service reports, observations of classroom quality, and individual child assessments. The monthly service report data from each local contractor provided information about characteristics of the program and the children served for all sites, classrooms, and children participating in More at Four in their county or region (multi-county group). Observations were conducted in randomly-sampled classrooms to provide information about the quality of classroom practices, including the activities and materials provided, the interactions among teachers and children, the physical environment, and the daily organization of the program. In addition, information about the quality of the classroom literacy environment and the sensitivity of teacher-child interactions was gathered in 2005-2006. Individual assessments of children's skills in randomly-selected classrooms were conducted near the beginning and end of the program year to provide information about their developmental growth and school readiness over the pre-k year. These assessments included measures of children's language and literacy skills, math skills, general knowledge, and social skills, in accord with generally accepted definitions of school readiness, including the recommendations of the National Education Goals Panel. The More at Four Program is designed to provide at-risk children with opportunities for an early education experience. The evidence from the present year's evaluation, as well as those in the past, suggests that such experiences are beneficial and likely to help these children on the path to school success. (Contains 17 figures and 18 tables.) [This publication was produced by the FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and funded by the North Carolina More at Four Pre-kindergarten Program, NC Office of School Readiness, NC Department of Public Instruction.]
FPG Child Development Institute. University of North Carolina, Publications Office, CB# 8185, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185. Tel: 919-966-0857; e-mail: FPGpublications@unc.edu; Web site: http://www.fpg.unc.edu/
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A