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Children's Pre-Literacy and School Readiness Skills Increase During Georgia's Innovative Summer Transition Program

Children's Pre-Literacy and School Readiness Skills Increase During Georgia's Innovative Summer Transition Program

August 28, 2014

For Immediate Release

According to a new report on research from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) and Child Trends, children enrolled in Georgia’s six-week Summer Transition Program for rising kindergarten students show significant improvement in pre-literacy and school readiness skills.

The program targets children in low-income families eligible for subsidized child care, and the report shares the results of a multi-year evaluation study commissioned by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). Scientists from FPG and Child Trends conducted the study to evaluate the skills of 126 rising kindergarten students at the start and end of the summer program.

“We have consistently seen gains in children’s skills over the past five years of the Rising Kindergarten Program,” said Susan Adams, Assistant Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports. “For a six-week program to demonstrate even moderate gains is somewhat unexpected and implies a successful implementation.”

The report also provides information about summer classes for rising Pre-K children from low-income families where Spanish is the primary language. Adams said past research shows that learning opportunities for dual-language learners are maximized when both languages are used in the classroom. Findings indicate that in these classes English and Spanish were used for explicit instruction and behavior management, and the majority of classrooms used books in English and Spanish.

“Georgia’s Summer Transition Programs provide important opportunities for young learners to build their skills and confidence before moving into Pre-K and Kindergarten,” said Amy Jacobs, DECAL Interim Commissioner. “We appreciate the partnerships with our early care and education providers and teachers who made these valuable classes available over the summer months.”

Read highlights from the study

Read the full report

Read more about FPG’s Georgia Early Childhood Program Evaluation Project
 

Contact:
Diane Early, Principal Investigator
Georgia Early Childhood Program Evaluation Project
UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
406-570-2037
diane_early@unc.edu

 

This story is adapted from a media release from Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.