Family Literacy Initiatives: First Year Report

An evaluation of the first year performance of the Family Literacy Initiatives in Philadelphia. Examines how these programs, funded by PNC Bank through the Children Achieving Challenge, address the literacy needs of children and adults in the surrounding communities. Two major research questions are considered: 1) How does the initiative at each school enhance the literacy of children and adults? 2) How does the dual focus (school and community) of the project influence children’s school achievement? The programs were found to have some initial effectiveness but more assessment is needed. All of the programs had difficulty retaining their participants and recommendations are offered for improving attendance.