Since 2012, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has supported educational enrichment in rural areas by awarding over $3.3 million in grants to six outstanding organizations operating in Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. In this report, the authors combine the experiences of these organizations with findings from the…

Starting with the ninth grade, Hawaiian students are given the opportunity to take the Hawaii State Test of Essential Competencies (HSTEC) to demonstrate mastery of 14 Essential Competencies. These competencies are grouped into those covering the Basic Skills area and those covering the Other Life Skills area (e.g., distinguishing fact from…

This guide is designed to help facilitators tailor the Reach and Teach program to their clients' individual needs. Reach and Teach is a family literacy project designed to improve the parenting and basic skills of clients of family agencies in Pinellas County, Florida. The program emphasizes enhancing the parent's role as the child's nurturer and…

The purpose of this booklet is to explain to the home teacher (or parent) what career education is, why career education is needed, and how to use career education in the course of teaching elementary students at home. The first two sections of the booklet define career education and explain its purpose. In the next section, some career education…

In 1978, the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families, through its Head Start program, designed and implemented the Basic Educational Skills (BES) project to foster Head Start children's readiness for school and their subsequent achievement in elementary school. The purpose of this document is to disseminate elementary-level BES materials.…

Part of the Home Secrets Program for children in Head Start preschool programs and the first four elementary grades, this packet of 18 teacher-developed activity sheets is intended for use at home by parents and their first-graders. Activities include color and shape games, cut/trace/paste activities, word games, stories, writing, health…

This informational booklet outlines the services available to New Jersey elementary school children in the area of basic skills development and offers suggestions as to how parents can support their child's educational development. The first part of the guide outlines the content, admissions criteria, and funding sources of New Jersey's Basic…

Intended for use by community organizers, parent-child advocates, parents, teacher education programs, and field experience classes, this book discusses after-school programs designed to assist students in completing homework, aid youth in acquiring basic educational and social skills, and help their parents become more effective agents in their…

One of a series of documents produced by a nationwide network of early childhood education specialists, teachers, parents, and Head Start staff, the handbook helps parents and teachers work together to enhance the development of basic educational skills in young children. Along with providing parent assistance in enriching home learning…

Provides guidelines on selecting software for preschoolers and a buyer's guide with entries arranged by manufacturer. Each entry includes: name of the software package; current price; a list of special features (paddle/joystick required, graphic, and sound); and brief comments (such as subject and/or skill area and format). (JN)

Designed for parents of kindergarten and elementary school children in Austin, Texas, this brochure explains the structure and function of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. A question and answer format is used to provide information on the scope and purposes of the tests, grade level differences in testing, meaning and accuracy of the scores, and…

This guide focuses on methods to teach students with Down Syndrome to maximize their inclusion in school and the community. Following an introductory section, the 10 chapters provide information and practical guidelines on the following topics: (1) acknowledging the label but teaching the student; (2) medical facts about Down Syndrome (e.g.,…

This booklet contains suggestions for parents (or teachers) who teach children at home (grades K-3) to use in providing information on careers. The booklet covers the following topics: appreciation and attitudes, self-awareness, decision making, educational awareness, career awareness, economic awareness, beginning competency, and employability…

Following an introductory page providing guidelines for use, this calendar describes a daily learning activity for children and parents to engage in together for about 10 minutes. Parents are urged to follow the daily activities as a means of supporting their children and their children's teachers. It is suggested that a parent's work with his or…

This booklet contains suggestions for parents (or teachers) who teach children at home (grades 4-6) to use in providing information on careers. The booklet covers the following topics: appreciation and attitudes, self-awareness, decision making, educational awareness, career awareness, economic awareness, beginning competencies, and employability…