The desire to understand the "home advantage" has spurred a large body of research describing the contribution of differences in family background and parenting styles to school readiness and the achievement gap. Using the National Household Education Survey at two time points provides a fuller picture of the trends in parenting and…

This document is a detailed report on the second year of a 6-year study of the effectiveness of a state-sponsored preschool program for 4-year-old children from low-income families in the state of Washington. The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) takes a whole child approach, emphasizes the involvement of parents in planning…

The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) of the state of Washington is a family-focused program designed to help 4-year-old children from low-income families succeed in the public education system. The ECEAP is comprised of four interactive components that relate to education, parent involvement, health and nutrition, and…

Intended for parents, this book offers insights into how children develop as writers and provides practical ideas for introducing writing activities into the home. Chapters in the book deal with the following topics: (1) the benefits of having preschool children write, the timing of initial instruction, and some assumptions about writing at home;…