A new report by LFA and Grunwald Associates, with support from AT&T, examines how parents perceive the value of mobile devices, how they see their children using mobiles, and what they think of the possibilities for mobile learning.
At-Risk Four-Year-Olds Are Target of Attention
Story posted March, 2008
Story updated February, 2011
Results:
- The program is popular and each year more parents apply their children.
- It likely reduces the number of students referred to special education.
- The program acclimates at-risk children to the school environment, fosters development, provides health attention and two balanced meals per day, and allows students to safely socialize with peers.
Tuscaloosa, Ala.--Tuscaloosa City Schools and community organizations have joined efforts to provide pre-kindergarten education to help at-risk children get off to a quick start when they begin school. Tuscaloosa was named the Alabama winner in the 2008 National Civic Star Award competition as a result of the program, and the program continues to thrive.
Tuscaloosa City Schools serve more than 10,000 students—about 2/3 of which qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. It is estimated that about 60% of entering kindergartners are not prepared to succeed in school. Thus the goal of the program is to identify and provide pre-kindergarten education and health services for all four-year-olds deemed academically at risk—which includes special education students, homeless children, children who do not speak English, and students who score below the 50th percentile in the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL) test. The program currently serves 275 at-risk children, and has a pupil-to-teacher ratio of 18:1. Each teacher for the program holds a degree in early childhood education, and instructional aides hold associate’s degrees.
The program is highly popular among the populations it serves: each year more parents apply for the program. Unfortunately, only those deemed most at-risk are accepted due to program resource constraints, and other applicants are placed are a waiting list.
The current program builds on earlier initiatives of the Tuscaloosa City Schools Board of 
Education in gaining funds for programs to meet the early-learning needs of students. In 1992, the school system worked to establish preschool classes for at-risk students with very little funding. In 2000, a local branch of the United Way, spearheaded by two local businessmen, allocated funds for four preschool classes to implement the nationally recognized Success by Six program. A Jump Start program, funded by United Way, was added in the summer of 2005 as a prelude to kindergarten for students who have had little or no preschool experience.
Also in 2005, the city’s newly elected mayor, Walt Maddox, formed the City of Tuscaloosa pre-K initiative. The task force for the initiative included community members, teachers, and school administrators. The group has researched best curriculum practices, funding possibilities, and community resources while helping to make pre-K programs a mission of the city.
Several organizations and community benefactors have played a pivotal role in funding and staffing the program. The University of Alabama Center for Social provides volunteers who work at least 10 hours per week in preK classrooms assisting teachers with small-group activities and classroom management in exchange for reduced housing costs; the University’s School of Nursing dedicates clinic days to conduct health screenings for students; and the music department teaches weekly music lessons to reinforce literacy skills. Community members and business people have provided funding for vision screenings and for learning materials for classrooms. Finally, the City government has earmarked taxes to help pay for teachers’ salaries and to increase the number of students the program can serve—now up to 19 per classroom. Those involved have also worked together to instigate an impressive public awareness campaign.
The 2005 pre- and post-test assessments for seven pre-K Jump Start classes indicated outstanding progress, both cognitively and socially in most children. At the beginning of the program, students scored in the 24th percentile—and average score—while on the post-test, on average students' scored in the 42nd percentile.
Studies show that at-risk children often require interventions to graduate from high school, and this pre-K program provides an important early intervention. Further, without a high-quality preschool experience, the number of students referred to special education would likely increase, as would the number of retentions in primary grades. The program is important in acclimating at-risk children to the school environment, fostering development, providing health attention and two balanced meals per day, and allowing students to safely socialize with peers.
PDK subscribers can log in to view the latest article on the program.
This story came to LFA's attention as the Alabama winner of the 2008 National Civic Star Award, presented by the American Association of School Administrators and Sodexo, Inc.
For additional information, please contact:
Joyce Levey
Superintendent, Tuscaloosa City Schools
205-759-3700
jlevey@tusc.k12.al.us
Wanda Fisher
Pre-K Coordinator, Tuscaloosa City Schools
205-759-3644
wfisher@tusc.k12.al.us
Story reprinted by permission of Sodexo School Services and the American Association of School Administrators, 2008. Updated 2011.
Photos courtesy of Tuscaloosa City Schools
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