(June 28, 2007) Los Angeles - The Zero to Five Foundation announced today that its early intervention parenting/infant/toddler Program pilot program at Los Angeles Elementary on Hobart and Pico Boulevard and Utah Street Elementary School in the Boyles Heights area will continue permanently under the auspices of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Adult and Career Education Division.

A group of educators began this pilot program nine years ago with the purpose of focusing on the critical years of child development (0-3 years) in an effort to ensure the academic readiness of participating children. The program operates at public school sites where after-school programs are available for older siblings and maximum learning takes place because of the elimination of separation anxiety. Participation is free and available to all families who live in the designated areas of the host schools. The Program provides young, at-risk children with developmentally appropriate and cognitively stimulating activities to foster their academic creative, social, and emotional development. It also provides parents with practical parenting skills and strategies to benefit the entire family throughout the years of the child’s education. The parent-training component and integral part of the Foundation’s mission, requires mandatory parental participation on a daily basis.

U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, who secured federal funds to start the program at the Utah Street Elementary School in Boyle Heights in her district, said, "I congratulate the Zero to Five Foundation for its nine-year success in establishing a quality early intervention program at two LAUSD schools and I commend LAUSD on its decision to continue with this worthwhile, effective program. The commitment and dedication of the co-founders, Lani Sakoda and Kitty Sankey, and the program’s nine board members have made this much-needed program a success and I look forward to watching the program grow to serve even more families under the auspices of the school district."

U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra, whose congressional district includes the Los Angeles Elementary School, was instrumental in obtaining funds for Zero to Five from the Fund for the Improvement of Education Division of the U.S. Department of Education. "The Zero to Five Foundation recognizes the lasting benefits of early education," Representative Becerra said. "This organization’s model and mission needs to spread to all of our schools so that all of our children can reap the rewards. The generous grants from their donors and the dedication and commitment from the teachers who teach after their regular school hours have been pivotal in assisting the Foundation in achieving this goal. It is an auspicious start."

This pilot program has been funded by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Education, California Community Foundation, Ray Charles Foundation, Water Buffalo Foundation, and private donors.

"We are extremely grateful to the aforementioned donors for their generous support of our efforts to assist public schools in their quest to reach at-risk students and their families early in each child’s development", said Lani Sakoda and Carolyn Taffel, foundation’s directors. The Rand Corporation’s review of research indicates that "targeted early intervention programs have substantial favorable effects on child health and development, educational achievement, and economic well-being. The growth of our society and the progress of the world depend on our commitment to the education of our children".

Dr. Marjorie Orellana, Assistant Professor of Education at UCLA’s School of Education, has monitored the progress of enrolled students. Her expertise is Latino children in urban settings. Ongoing data collection reveals that most Zero to Five "graduates" are performing at or above grade level academically and socially. Moreover, many parent-"graduates" are participating in school activities as their children advance through elementary school.

For further information regarding the Zero to Five Foundation, call Lani Sakoda/Carolyn Taffel at 310-560-8288.