A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Acknowledgments

This report presents information learned through nearly a decade of study and evaluation of the Even Start Family Literacy Program. Many individuals have contributed to the Even Start knowledge base described in this report and we would like to acknowledge these contributions here.

The largest Even Start study to date is the ongoing national evaluation. This evaluation would not be possible without the effort of each local Even Start project throughout the country. Each year, in addition to the challenging work of carrying out the Even Start model, projects collect and report data on each of their families and services. Even Start State Coordinators also provide support to projects and evaluation contractors that is necessary for the success of the evaluation.

The expert work group, through meetings and reviews of evaluation reports, provided valuable input that enhanced the quality and usefulness of the information gathered in the second national evaluation. It was this group that suggested producing a short policy volume to increase the usefulness of the large volume of Even Start evaluation data. The group members included: Sharon Darling, National Center for Family Literacy; Barbara Shay, New York State Education Department; Catherine Snow, Harvard University; Maris Vinovskis, University of Michigan; Mary Wagner, SRI International; Heather Weiss, Harvard Family Research Project; and Miriam Westheimer, HIPPY USA.

The U.S. Department of Education staff provided guidance and support for the ongoing national evaluation and other Even Start studies referenced in this report. Several staff provided valuable comments and suggestions on drafts of this report. Special thanks are due to: Alan Ginsburg and Valena Plisko of the Planning and Evaluation Service; Lonna Jones of the Budget Service; James Griffin and Naomi Karp of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement; and Laura Chow, Patricia McKee, and DonnaMarie Marlow of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Staff from several contractors have been involved in Even Start evaluation activities. Some of these researchers include Robert St. Pierre, Anne Ricciuti, Janet Swartz and Beth Gamse from Abt Associates Inc.; Fumiyo Tao, Sherry Khan, and Kathy McDonough from Fu Associates, Ltd; Christine Dwyer, Diane D'Angelo and Steven Murray from RMC Research Corporation; and Bruce Haslam and Elizabeth Stief from Policy Studies Associates.

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[Title Page]

[Introduction]