Bill Clinton: “Even Start Programs are essential to breaking down the barriers that poverty and illiteracy create by integrating early…”

“Even Start Programs are essential to breaking down the barriers that poverty and illiteracy create by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy, or basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program. That is why 35 national organizations, including the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Children's Defense Fund, the National Council of La Raza, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters USA, and Pre-K Now. We have an obligation to our most vulnerable families to support services that they need the most. The criticisms of Even Start have been largely based on the findings from the U.S. Department of Education's national evaluation released in May 2003. However, this study contained serious methodological flaws that call into question the accuracy of the findings. For example, the study's sample was not representative of the Even Start population. Thus, findings cannot be generalized to all of Even Start, particularly Even Start participants in rural communities or special populations, such as migrant and Native American families. Experts in assessment of limited English-proficient, LEP, individuals caution that the findings for LEP individuals, who represent 75 percent of those assessed in the study, are flawed due to inappropriate assessment protocols and measures.”