Section 1234(a) of the Even Start Family Literacy Program (Even Start) statute requires local projects to provide intensive “family literacy services” for eligible parents and children. The definition of “family literacy services” includes four core instructional or educational components that each local Even Start program must provide. Even Start programs must provide or ensure the provision of:

• Age-appropriate education for children of parents enrolled in Even Start to ensure success in school and in life experiences
  • Children ages 0 – 3 years must receive a minimum of 60 hours of high quality early childhood education per month. Children age four and any five year old ineligible for public kindergarten at the time of enrollment must receive a minimum of 65 hours of high quality prekindergarten instruction per month. In Georgia, infants, toddlers, and three to five year olds may be served in a variety of settings that include: on-site services provided by trained Even Start early childhood education staff, enrollment in a licensed child care facility, enrollment in Georgia’s Pre-K Program, or participation in a Head Start/Early Head Start program. School-age children of enrolled parents are tracked for educational progress through school records/reports and formal test results. All children are observed in their interactions with parents during home visits and in organized parent – child interactive literacy activities.
• Parent literacy training
  • The goal of parent literacy training is to raise the literacy skills of low-literacy parents to a higher level that leads to future stable employment and economic self-sufficiency. Parents are encouraged and supported in earning a high school diploma or GED while increasing their skills. Enrolled parents may receive GED instruction directly from technical college staff through the Technical College System of Georgia or from appropriate Even Start staff. Parents enrolled in post-secondary education institutions after earning their secondary education credential through Even Start may continue in the program as long as they participate in all components.
  • Parents for whom the goal of attaining a credential is not feasible receive intensive instruction in reading (using research-based reading models) and in general mathematics to increase their knowledge in these areas.
  • English language learners or parents with English as a second language are provided instruction in the English language to raise their levels of proficiency.
  • All Even Start programs must ensure the provision of a minimum of 50 hours of instruction per month.
• Parent education
  • Training is offered that promotes and empowers parents as primary teachers for their children and full partners in their education. Parents are trained in child growth and development, positive parenting, and in how to support their children’s language and literacy development in the home and at school.
  • A minimum of 20 hours per month in parent education must be provided each month to parents enrolled in the program. Parent education is often conducted in group settings but may be offered during the required monthly home visit to meet a specific family need. Parents enrolled in high school may receive parent education onsite at their home school.
  • Parents are encouraged to meet with teachers and school administrators, serve as classroom volunteers, and to attend parent conferences and meetings.
• Parent/child interactive literacy activities
  • Programs must provide a minimum of 20 hours per month of interactive literacy activities (ILA) that allow parents to engage their children in appropriate activities. A range of research-based activities are employed that further support parents as they enhance the growth of literacy skills in their children. While these activities are often highly structured with specific goals, they also can be less formal and offered during the required monthly home visit. A visit to the public library can be an interactive activity. Parents are observed by highly trained staff and subsequently evaluated using instruments designed to assess parenting skills and the quality and nature of interaction between parent and child.
  • Programs routinely provide books and materials to families to encourage reading at home, literacy activities in the home, and the building of home libraries.