Early identification of developmental delays in young children is a national priority. Yet, a significant number of children do not receive timely developmental monitoring and screening as part of current health and early identification systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) "Learn the Signs. Act Early."…

This study is a secondary data analysis that extends knowledge about the effects of the early childhood Family Check-Up (FCU) intervention to trajectories of general psychopathology problems (p factor) across early and middle childhood, and effects on adolescent psychopathology and polydrug use. The Early Steps Multisite study (ClinicalTrials.gov…

There is a definite need for effective intervention programmes that address the social-emotional, character and healthy development of preschool children. Strong social-emotional skills are necessary for successful transitions to formal schooling and for healthy developmental trajectories. The "Positive Action" ("PA") programme…

Read It Again (RIA) is a curriculum for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) classrooms that targets children's development of language and literacy skills. A cluster randomized trial was conducted in which 104 pre-K classrooms in the Appalachian region of the United States were randomly assigned to one of three study conditions: Control (n = 30), RIA only…

Non-parental arrangements for young children serve a dual function as supports for parental activities and educational inputs for children. However, arrangements that are suited to meet families' specific needs and preferences are sometimes in tension with experts' definitions of "quality." Researchers and policymakers increasingly…

Quality in early childhood settings has emerged as an important factor in determining whether the potential benefits of educational experiences before kindergarten will be realized. Research demonstrates that in order for such interventions to be beneficial to young children's development, the quality of their educational environments and…

Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRISs) have advanced and matured, a number of states and localities have undertaken evaluations to validate the systems. Such efforts stem from the desire to ensure that the system is designed and operating in the ways envisioned when the system was established. Given that a central component in a QRIS…

Strong school and family ties have long shown success in influencing positive child development and lasting academic success. While a multitude of programs exist to help facilitate the school-family connection, one program in particular, Families and Schools Together, or FAST, stands out as an effective prevention program that is suitable for a…

Young children's social information processing (SIP) encompasses a series of steps by which they make sense of encounters with other persons; cognitive and emotional aspects of SIP often predict adjustment in school settings. More attention is needed, however, to the development of preschoolers' SIP and its potential foundations. To this end, a…

In 2010, the Alexandria City Council of Virginia created the Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission (CYFCC, or the Commission) with the support of the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). Establishing the Commission was a groundbreaking step toward addressing the needs of Alexandria's children in a more holistic manner. The…

A policy forum held May 11-13, 2011 to provide input from stakeholders to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) focused on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) accountability reporting system known as the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) process. Participants discussed their assessment of the…

This article presents findings from the evaluation of the Caring Equation, a Department of Health and Human Services-funded project established in 2003 in Arlington County, Virginia, public schools. The program is a multifaceted intervention program and is one of about 20 programs currently operating in school districts around the United States.…

This article describes the three-decade experience in model development and replication and in introducing and sustaining organization change of Child Development Resources (CDR), of Williamsburg, Virginia. CDR provides an integrated system of services for children with disabilities and developmental delays as well as for children who are at risk.…

SPECIAL PROGRAMS IN REMEDIAL READING, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, SUMMER SCHOOL INSTRUCTION, AND SCHOOL-COMMUNITY COORDINATION ARE EVALUATED. ALTHOUGH THE REMEDIAL READING PROGRAM DID NOT ESTABLISH THE SUPERIORITY OF ANY PARTICULAR METHOD OF TEACHING, IT DEMONSTRATED THE VALUE OF HAVING A READING SPECIALIST ON THE SCHOOL STAFF. MOST 4-YEAR-OLD…

This report details the development and evaluation of a model program for inservice training of full-time child day care personnel. Based on a survey of licensed day care centers in Virginia, the program involved 100 participants, ranging from day care aides through center directors. The 10-week training element was presented three successive…