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Our History• The Legacy Center for Student Success was founded in 2004 as a “think and do”
tank • Emphasis on outside-the-classroom barriers to learning from birth through age 18
– Research– Program design/development– Program implementation
• Boundary Conditions− Collaboration: with partner organization(s)− Measurement: to objectively evaluate outcomes
• July 1, 2011: TLC and the Literacy Council of Midland County Merged– Client base expanded to include adults– Name changed to The Legacy Center for Community Success
• August 1, 2012: TLC and Midland Area Partnership for Drug Free Youth (MAP) Merged
– Complements existing emphasis on youth– Developmental Assets underpin youth substance abuse prevention efforts.
• Today, our staff consists of 9 full- and part-time employees, and 8 contract employees
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Operating Units
Literacy Services
Early Childhood
Youth Development
Healthy Families
MEASUREMENT & EVALUATION
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Neurological Research
• Neurological research indicates that early childhood is the most critical time for learning– About 85-90% of a person’s cognitive ability is formed by ~
age 5– Success in school is strongly correlated to school
preparedness– Studies* show that $1 invested in early childhood
development returns ~$17• ~$12 social cost avoidance savings (societal gain)• ~$5 direct contributions (individual benefit)
*James J. Heckman et al., “The Rate of Return to the High Scope Perry Preschool Program,” Journal of Public Economics 94, nos. 1-2 (2010): 114-128
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at Birth 6 Years OldHuman Brain
“Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return”, Rob Grunewald and Art Rolnick, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (January 2009)
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The Readiness Gap
• Many children, especially those from economically disadvantaged situations…– Do not enjoy opportunities to learn school
readiness skills– Exhibit the largest school readiness gap
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Abilities of Entering Kindergarteners by Family Income
W. Steven Barnett, Kristy Brown, and Rima Shore, “Preschool Policy Matters 6, National Institute For Early Education Research (NIEER), Rutgers University, Brunswick, NJ (2004)
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• Preschool Tool Totes are a series of four bags, each containing age-appropriate standard preschool supplies such as coloring books, crayons, reading books, scissors, construction paper, pencils, glue, etc.
• Preschool Tool Totes typically are distributed at six month intervals to preschoolers at age 3 through 4-1/2
• Parents receive an easy-to-use teaching guide to assist in using the materials with their children
Preschool Tool Totes
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Tool Tote Contents
Bag #3 (Age 4) Bag #4 (Age 4-1/2)
Bag #1 (Age 3) Bag #2 (Age 3-1/2)
Contents depicted are typical and not necessarily actual materials
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The Process
• Children are assessed for growth in their cognitive skills at each 6-month interval
• Additional age-appropriate PTT supplies are provided at each 6-month interval
• Process continues until the child ages out of the program on her/his 5th birthday
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PTT Pre-/Post AssessmentPreschool Tool Tote Project Assessment Child’s Name____________________ Evaluator’s Name_________________Evaluation Date__________________Cognitive Elements
CAN IDENTIFY BY SIGHT THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET IN RANDOM ORDER: (Circle the missed letters)M Q W E R T Y U I O P A S D F G H J K L Z X C V B N
CAN IDENTIFY BY SIGHT THE NUMBERS FROM “1” TO “10” IN RANDOM ORDER: (Circle the missed numbers)
1 6 4 9 2 8 10 3 5 7
CAN IDENTIFY BY SIGHT THE SHAPES IN RANDOM ORDER: (Circle the missed shape) SQUARE RECTANGLE CIRCLE OVAL TRIANGLE
CAN IDENTIFY BY SIGHT THE COLORS IN RANDOM ORDER: (Circle the missed color)RED BLUE YELLOW ORANGE PURPLE GREEN
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Results = Significant Growth
• TLC has evaluated whether and to what extent the PTT program improves the cognitive and behavioral skills of the participating children
• Results– Pre- and Post-assessment results indicate significant growth
in cognitive skills• Cognitive levels of 4-year-old participants generally equal or
exceed those of 5-year-old non-participating economically disadvantaged kindergarten peers
• Cognitive levels of 4-1/2 year olds generally equal or exceed those of 5-year old general (i.e., “advantaged”) population
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3.9
22.4
4.5
10.1
3.73.2
4.9
15.7
5.9
4
5.9
17.3
8.2
4.4
5.9
13.2
7
3.4
5.6
17.2
8
3.9
5.9
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Num
ber
of C
ogni
tive
d El
emen
ts R
ecog
nize
d
Cognitive Elements
Age 3.0 Preschool Tool Totes
Age 3.5 Preschool Tool Totes
Age 4.0 Preschool Tool Totes
Age 4.5 Preschool Tool Totes
Free/Reduced Lunch- Eligible 5 Year- Olds Entering Kindergarten
General Population 5 Year- Olds Entering Kindergarten
Letters Numbers Shapes Colors
Midland, MichiganPTT Assessment
Letters Numbers Shapes Colors0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
3.8
1.72.2
4.2
9.7
3.5 3.2
4.7
14.7
5.7
3.8
5.5
13.2
7
3.4
5.6
17.2
8
3.9
5.9
Boyne CityPreschool Tool Totes Assessments
Age 3 Preschool Tool Totes
Age 3½ Preschool Tool Totes
Age 4 Preschool Tool Totes
Age 5 Free/Reduced Lunch--No PTT
Age 5 Non- F/R Lunch--No PTT
Cognitive Elements
Num
ber o
f Ran
dom
ly R
ecog
nize
d C
ogni
tive
Elem
ents
15
Beaufort, South CarolinaPTT Assessment
Letters Numbers Shapes Colors0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
3.8
1.51.9
3.1
6.9
3.43.1
4.3
11.9
5.6
3.8
5.4
16.9
7.7
4.4
5.8
13.2
7
3.4
5.6
17.2
8
3.9
5.9
Age 3 Age 3.5
Age 4 Age 4.5
Age 5 Free/Reduced Lunch PTT Non-Participants Age 5 General Population
Cognitive Elements
Nu
mb
er
of
Co
gn
itiv
e E
lem
en
ts R
ec
og
niz
ed
16
Fall 2011 Spring 2012
Fall 2011 Spring 2012
Fall 2011 Spring 2012
Fall 2011 Spring 2012
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
61
15
73
5
31
5
47
14
37
73
27
82
67
78
51
77
2
12
0
13
2
17
2
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Midland, MichiganGreat Start Readiness Program Preschool Tool Totes Outcomes
Below Expectations
Meets Expectations
Exceeds Expectations
Cognitive Elements
Perc
ent
Math Literacy ClassificationSkills
Spatial Relationships
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PTT Features/BenefitsFeatures Benefits
Provides learning resources to economically at-risk children
Equips family with resources, information and knowledge to facilitate development of their children
Supplies are taken home by the child Complements and reinforces center-based quality preschool programs
Includes easy to use teaching guide Promotes family engagement in children’s learning at home
Children evaluated at 6-month intervals Encourages accountability for learning progress
Supplies “refreshed” every 6 months Provides incentive and motivation to continue
Low cost to provide (~$35 +S/H per PTT) Offers sensible, proven, cost-effective intervention for disadvantaged preschoolers
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Conclusions
• PTT concept is demonstrably effective in accelerating the development of cognitive skills in economically disadvantaged children
• Opportunity for investment in economically disadvantaged preschoolers promises to promote their well-being and to reduce the school-readiness gap
• Targeted investment in vulnerable children has been demonstrated to reduce public expenses and to generate long-term returns