The Early Learning Opportunities (ELO) Act - Child & Family Studies

Evaluation of the Early Learning Opportunities Act
A second question also targets the differences between classrooms where Effect Sizes
indicate the greatest and least impact. Greatest impact was found within classrooms where
teachers reported more years of experience than in settings in which teachers reported fewer
years of teaching experience. Educational attainments of these teachers varied with one
teacher reporting a high school diploma and a second teacher indicating that she had college
experience. All these settings were identified as private child care centers.
Despite the findings, research has indicated that SES plays a significant role in the
development of early reading skills (e.g., Byrk & Raudenbush, 1992; National Reading Panel,
2000; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). As such additional focus was dedicated toward examining
the role it played in implementation of the ELO grant. A visual depiction of this relationship can
be found in the following figures (see Figures 8 and 9). In short these graphs reflect differences
in IGDI scores when the SES of the early childhood site was considered. First, three sites were
selected: one identified as a site located in a high SES location, one identified as a site located
in a low SES location, and one in identified in the middle of that range. All three sites also had
children of similar ages (average age of 50 months). Warranting attention, notable growth
emerged in the randomly selected site that was identified as a low SES location particularly
when this site was compared to a site identified as being located in a high SES location.
Research based changes in the early literacy supportive environmental conditions as measured
by the ELOC were evident in both high and low SES settings. Little change was noted in the site
located in the median SES setting.
Change Scores
12
Figure 8
Change Scores for Early Literacy and Learning Environment
Measures for the Spring Cohort I
Low SES Site
10.75
9.75
10
8
8.63
Middle SES Site
High SES Site
6
3.5
4
2
1.05
1.01 0.84
-0.63
0.44 0.28
1.38
0
0
-2
Picture Naming Alliteration Rhyming ELOC
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida – page 26