A critical element in South Carolina's Early Childhood Development and Academic Assistance Act is the parenting and family literacy component that targets families of children aged birth to 5 years, with a special emphasis on serving parents and families of children at risk for school failure. This manual offers guidelines for developing parenting and family literacy programs. It includes guidelines from national research and a description of four model programs--Parents As Teachers, Kenan Family Literacy Model, Family Service Centers, and Minnesota Early Learning and Development. South Carolina's Parent Education Program is also briefly described. The parenting and family literacy program guidelines include a discussion the four areas required by law to be addressed in parenting and family literacy programs, specifically, parent education, services for at-risk families, developmental and health screenings, and adult education. The guide also includes a discussion of program evaluation. The three phases of program development--planning, implementation, and continuing evaluation--are outlined. The planning section includes discussion of needs assessment, use of existing resources, and program framework. The implementation discussion addresses program location, staffing, public awareness, policies and procedures, and support systems. The evaluation section offers questions and strategies to use for program evaluation. Five appendices contain: (1) a list of 14 references and suggested readings; (2) sample program designs; (3) a list of South Carolina Parent Education Program Technical Assistance Centers; (4) a parenting and family literacy implementation checklist; and (5) a list of 10 steps for program developers to school readiness. (TJQ)