Even Start Family Literacy

    Even Start Family Literacy Program is a federal program created under Title I, Part B, Subpart 3 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and currently funded through the No Child Left Behind Act 2001 (NCLB). Its future is at the discretion of the U.S. Legislature.

    Even Start Family Literacy Programs are currently operating in every state except Kansas. There are currently 29 programs in Texas which are selected through a competitive application process. Texas Education Agency provides fiscal administration and designates grant management authority to Texas LEARNS, an entity housed in Harris County Department of Education.

    Even Start programs serve low income families which contain a parent with educational needs and a child or children, birth to age 7. The program has five components: adult education, early childhood education, parenting education, interactive literacy activities (ILA) between parents and their children, and home visits.

    Advocacy Outreach is in its third (four-year) cycle; it has been granted Even Start funds since 2000. Earlier Even Start projects were housed at Elgin ISD and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elgin. Now the Advocacy Outreach Even Start Family Literacy Program is housed on the Excel Campus of Manor ISD. The program serves families in Manor and Elgin school districts. Adult Education is offered to parents in English as a Second Language and GED daytime classes, Tuesdays through Thursdays, while, simultaneously, Early Childhood Development is offered to their children, ages birth to four years. On Fridays, parents teach their preschool children pre-literacy skills and also attend a class on Parenting. The Parent Education class is currently using the Nurturing Program curriculum.

Who is eligible?

  A parent with low income and lacking a high school education or English language proficiency and her(his) child below the age of eight.
   Teen parents attending school.

How does a family join the program?

   A parent contacts the office of Advocacy Outreach, (512) 281-4180, and is interviewed by a staff member and placed on a waiting list. Periodically, at established times, an Orientation session will be held for applicants. Eligibility screening will be conducted and parents will be informed of program requirements. Families who are accepted will be placed in the program until the Early Childhood Development Center reaches capacity or Adult Education classes are filled.

Current Classes 2011-2012

“La Familia Que Aprende Unido, Tendra Exito” (click here)

"The Family that Learns Together, Stays Together”(click here)