Iowa Even Start Indicators of Quality for Families

 

The Iowa Indicators of Quality were developed jointly by the Even Start Staff, the State Coordinator and specialists in family literacy and program administration.

 

Families will participate in interactive activities that will strengthen literacy skills, will work toward strengthening connections with other families, the school, and the community, and will gain knowledge about family relationships including parenting skills.

 

Objective I.

 

Families will engage in quality interactions.

 

Indicator #1

 

Participation in Even Start family activities.

Measure

 

Attendance records sign-in sheets.

Data or Documentation

·       Attendance records kept on site

·       Family length in program

 

Indicator #2

 

Awareness of children’s developmental stage to plan age-appropriate activities for their children.

Measure

 

The family will develop with the staff, a family log, reflection journal or activity log that shows family development and appropriate choices things such as:

·        Book logs, fiction/nonfiction

·        Literacy activities

·        Observation of children’s literacy

·        Development and joint activities.

 

·        Family logs kept by the family or on site, available for review with family permission.

·        # of hours of parenting education offered.

·        # of hours of average attendance for October and April.

 

Indicator #3

 

Successful transitions to school, Even Start, Head Start, or preschool.

 

Measure

 

Transition plan for child and family.

 

·        Transition plan as a part of the family log or

·        Transition plan on file at the site


 

Objective II

 

Families will engage in family literacy activities to strengthen literacy skills.

 

Indicator #1

 

Joint Story Book Reading.

Measure

 

Parent/Child Book logs;

Family literacy activities.

Familia Inventory

·        Administered twice a year in the fall ( within 60 days), to individual families.

·        Program totals and program summary from the Familia Inventory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indicator #2

 

Activities in daily life that support literacy development.

 

Measure

 

List of participants who obtain library cards for themselves and their children.  Family logs will record such things as:

Library visits, photographs of families engaged in a variety of literacy activities, portfolio entries that give examples of games, toys, and cards prepared by family members, drawing and writing done by parent/guardian and child together.

·        Library use data from the Familia Inventory and library cards obtained

·        Family logs kept individually

·        Individual family analysis of the family literacy style

 

Revised 4-2-03