Child-Parent Centers:

A Title I-Funded Model for Promoting Educational Success

Arthur J. ReynoldsUniversity of Minnesota

August 11, 2009Brooklyn Park, MN

Impact of State PreK on Readiness

Year Change (mths)

New Mexico 2007 3-4Arkansas 2007 3New Jersey 2007 3-4Oklahoma 2005 3Tulsa, OK 2005 6Synthesis of 2001 3-4 7 states/cities

MA

SS

FS

SA

CA

MA

SS

FS

SA

CA

Common Paths from Early Childhood to Adult Well-Being

Early Childhood Ages 3-9

Adolescence to Adulthood

ProgramParticipation

TimingDurationIntensity

Competence Behaviors

School Achievement and Performance School Remediation Delinquency and Crime Child Maltreatment Participation in Social Services Health & Mental Health Educational Attainment Economic Well-Being Family Circumstances

MA= Motivational AdvantageCA = Cognitive AdvantageSA = Social AdjustmentFS = Family SupportSS = School Support

Exogenous Conditions

Gender Socio-Environmental Risk Neighborhood Attributes

Motivation Self-efficacy Perceived competence Persistence in learning

Developed Abilities Cognitive development Literacy skills Pre-reading/numeracy skills

Social Adjustment Classroom adjustment Peer relations Self-regulating skills

Family Support Parent-child interactions Home support for learning Participation in school Parenting skills

School Support Quality of school environment Classroom environment School-level performance

Ages 5-12

Key Point

Only high-quality early education programs that follow key principles

of effectiveness will have reliable and enduring effects on children’s

school success.

CPC Background2nd Oldest Federally-Funded Preschool

Program

Oldest and Most Integrated Preschool plus School-Age Intervention

Unique Blend of Child Education and Family Support

Title I HistoryChicago first district to use Title I for

preschool (1967)

District 10 Superintendent Lorraine Sullivan developed program with much local collaboration

Today <5% of Title I goes to preschool

Goal of Title I Act of 1965:

“Employ imaginative thinking and new approaches to meet the educational needs of poor children.”

CPC Major Foci

Basic skills: Language, Numeracy, ListeningStructured Learning ActivitiesLanguage and literacy emphasis

Field Trips: Zoos, Museums, Libraries

Parent Involvement:Classroom volunteeringParent room activitiesEducational workshops and trainingHome visits and activities

Organizational StructureStaffing patterns and Coordination

Parent Resource Room

Key Elements for Improving Well-Being

Child language, numeracy, and social skills

Continuity of learning experiences

Family-school partnershipsReduce social isolationIncrease school/residential stability

Parenting practices

Parents’ attainments & economic well-being

Child-Parent Centers

PrincipalChild-Parent Center

Preschool/Kindergarten(Wing or Building)

Child-Parent CenterPreschool/Kindergarten

(Wing or Building)

Elementary SchoolGrades 1 to 3

Elementary SchoolGrades 1 to 3

Curriculum Parent-Resources TeacherCurriculum Parent-Resources TeacherHead TeacherHead Teacher

OutreachServices

OutreachServices

ParentComponent

ParentComponent

CurriculumComponent

CurriculumComponent

HealthServices

HealthServices

ParentComponent

ParentComponent

CurriculumComponent

CurriculumComponent

School-WideServices

School-WideServices

School-Community RepresentativeResource MobilizationHome VisitationParent Conferences

Parent Resource TeacherParent Room ActivitiesClassroom VolunteeringSchool ActivitiesHome Support

Language FocusSmall Class SizesInservice Training

Health ScreeningNursing ServicesFree + Reduced- Price meals

Parent Room ActivitiesClassroom VolunteeringSchool ActivitiesHome Support

Reduced Class SizeTeacher AidesInstructional Materials Individualized InstructionInservice Training

Health ServicesSchool-Community RepresentativeFree + Reduced- Price mealsResource Mobilization

Age 3 To Age 9

CPC Staffing Head Teacher Parent Resource TeacherSchool-Community RepresentativeTeachers and aidesSchool nurse, psychologist, social workerPreschool class size was 17 to 2Kindergarten, school age was 25 to 2School-age program had coordinator called curriculum-parent resource teacher

Johnson Child-Parent Center

Brief CLS Sample Description

989 complete cohort of children graduating from Child-Parent Centers in kindergarten; they participated from 2 to 6 years. Centers are located in the highest poverty areas of Chicago.

550 children enrolled in an alternative early childhood program in kindergarten in five randomly selected schools serving low-income families. They matched on socioeconomic status.

CPC Preschool and Readiness

57

44

28

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Nat

iona

l Per

cent

ile

Two Years One Year None Nat. Norm

ECLS-K Reading Learning by SES: K to 3rd Grade

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

5 6 7 8 9

Ages

Te

st

Sc

ore

s

LowerSESHigherSES

Education and Crime-Age 24

Prog CompDiff

HS completion 79.4% 70.7% 8.7%*

Incarceration 20.4% 26.1% -5.7%*or jail

Felony arrest 16.5 21.1% -4.6%*

Benefit-Cost Ratios for Child Programs

3.07

0.30

3.14

6.02

0.00

3.54

2.47

-2.00

-1.00

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

WIC Infantprograms

Preschoolprograms

Full-Day K Smallclasses

ReadingRecovery

SOAR

Pre

sen

t V

alu

e o

f B

enef

its

per

Do

llar

inve

sted

($)

Key Elements of Effectiveness for Early Education Programs

1. Target Children at Risk2. Begin Early (by age 4)3. Duration-More is Better4. High Intensity of Services5.Small Class Sizes and Child-

Staff Ratios

Key Elements of Effectiveness

6. Highly Trained Teachers who are Compensated Well

7. Comprehensive Family Services 8. Compensatory Focus9. Provide Transition Services into

Kindergarten and early grades10. Strong Accountability System

Common Elements of Preschool Showing High Returns

1. Opportunity for More than 1 Year of Participation.

2. Well-trained and Compensated Teachers.3. Class Sizes under 18 and Child to Staff

Ratios less than 9 to 1.4. Instruction that is Diverse & Literacy

Rich.5. Comprehensive Family Services.6. Average Yearly Cost per Child no Less

than $5,000 (2007 dollars).

Further Information

Human Capital Research Collaborativewww.humancapitalrc.org

Chicago Longitudinal Studywww.cehd.umn.edu/icd/cls/ajr@umn.edu