Parents as Teachers and No Child Left Behind



PARENT AS TEACHERS AND NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How does NCLB address early learning?

NCLB highlights the importance of early education, through promoting all aspects of a child’s developmental, with a particular focus on improving the development of early literacy skills. NCLB specifically supports early learning through the following programs: Early Reading First, Ready-to-Learn Television, Early Childhood Professional Development Program, Parental Assistance Information Centers, and Even Start. Schools can choose to devote Title I and 21st Century Community Learning Centers funds to support early learning.

Does PAT emphasize early literacy?

The Parents as Teachers Born to Learn( curricula cover all four domains of development (cognitive, motor, social-emotional, and language), emphasize increasing parents’ knowledge of child development, and focus on parent-child activities that foster child development. Early literacy and language development permeate the Born to Learn( curricula, which stress talking and reading to children, knowing how to interact with children and books at all stages of the children’s development, and providing a variety of literacy materials in the home.

NCLB stresses scientifically based research – what is it?

“To say that an instructional practice or program is research-based, we must have carefully obtained, reliable evidence that the program or practice works…Whenever the results of scientifically controlled studies (like clinical trials) are available, educators are expected to consider their results before making instructional decisions. Under the new law, federally funded education programs or practices must be based on evidence that validates their usefulness in achieving the stated outcome specified in law.” (Excerpts from the No Child Left Behind Website )

What are the key characteristics of reliable research?

• Scientific Method: A hypothesis about what works, or how it works, is formulated; a treatment group and control group are used in a study to try to disprove the hypothesis.

• Replicated: Several studies find the same result.

• Generalized: Study findings can be applied broadly, to students other than the ones studied.

• Meets Rigorous Standards: The study's design, measures, and interpretation of results meet rigorous standards of peer review.

• Convergent findings: Results found using different approaches all point to the same conclusion.

From the fact sheet entitled Investing in What Works. It can be obtained from

How does PAT meet the definition of scientifically based research?

• Parents as Teachers Born to Learn( curricula content is based on reliable and current research in the areas of child development and neuroscience. The information shared with parents is not anecdotal information, but content based on the key characteristics of reliable research (studies that use the scientific method, have been replicated, are generalizable, meet rigorous standards of peer review, and have converging results). Research on brain development confirms the critical nature of the early years. In collaboration with neuroscientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc. developed the Born to LearnTM curriculum to translate the latest neuroscience findings on early learning into concrete when, what, how, and why advice for parents. Leading recent research on neuroscience and child development is woven throughout the curriculum and is documented by scientific references.

• Parents as Teachers Born to Learn( curricula and training address what reliable research has identified as the essential components of school readiness. Based on research in child development and early education, the National Education Goals Panel identified five areas that play key roles in children's success in school. Measures of school readiness, the Panel determined, include physical well-being and motor development, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, language development, and cognition and general knowledge. The Born to Learn( curricula and training are designed to support the development of the whole child and include visit plans and content that address each of these research-based school readiness dimensions.

• Parents as Teachers places a premium on the kinds of experiences to which young children are exposed and affirms the crucial role of parents in orchestrating those experiences. Parents are the principal architects of their children’s development. Reliable research indicates the important role of parents in young children’s lives and that the more extensive the parent involvement in their children’s education, the higher the student achievement. The Parents as Teachers model is designed to enhance parents’ involvement in their children’s education.

What NCLB funding streams can support PAT?

• Title I (Title I, part A) – As the largest federal program supporting elementary and secondary education, Title I targets resources to districts and schools with high poverty rates. Title I has a parental involvement component which requires local school districts and schools receiving Title I funds to develop a plan for parental involvement. Schools receiving Title I funds may choose to use the funding to implement model parental involvement practices, such as Parents as Teachers.

• Parental Assistance Information Centers (Title V, part D, Subpart 16) -- This federal competitive grant program funds school-linked or school-based parental information and resource centers (PIRCs). These centers provide services that increase parental involvement in order to improve student academic achievement. Services include training, information, and support to parents, schools, and organizations that work with parent. At least 30 percent of the grant awards must be used to establish, expand or operate early childhood parent education programs—specifying Parents as Teachers and the, Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters. Over 50of the ___ PIRCs currently support PAT programs.

• William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program (Title I, part B, subpart 3) – The Even Start Program provides low-income families with integrated literacy services for parents and their young children (birth through age 7). It is a state-administered grant program in which states award competitive grants. Local Even Start programs provide four core educational components: early childhood, adult education, parenting education, and parent-child activities. The PAT model incorporates and emphasizes early literacy throughout its parenting education and parent-child activities. PAT programs often work in conjunction with adult literacy programs in the implementation of Even Start programs.

• Early Reading First (Title I, part B, Subpart 2) – This program is a federally administered grant program. Grantees must use Early Reading First funds to provide preschool-age children with high quality oral language and literature-rich environments; provide staff professional development; provide scientifically-based reading instructional materials; implement screening reading assessments or other appropriate measures; and integrate these materials, activities, tools and measures into the grantee’s preschool program. PAT’s home visiting model can be used to support a preschool program’s center-based early education by engaging parents as partners in creating a literacy-promoting environment for their children at home.

• 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV, part B) – This program provides services during non-school hours, to students and their families, for academic enrichment. The services can be provided to parents of children that participate in the center, or parents of pre-school age children that will be eligible for the center services. The funds can support programs that promote parental involvement and family literacy, such as Parents as Teachers.

What is the Title I decision-making process?

At the state level, no Title I money is specifically tied to parental involvement. However, there are no regulations preventing a state using Title I funds to support parenting education and parental involvement programs.

A school district and individual schools have this same option available. Additionally, a school district that receives over $500,000 in Title I funds, is required to set aside 1% for parental involvement. In turn, the district must pass on 95% of the 1% to schools to support for parental involvement activities. Parents must be involved in the process that determines how these funds will be spent.

For more information or to submit a FAQ, contact Lynn Tiede, Public Policy Manager, Parents as Teachers National Center, lynn.tiede@

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