Summer 2002 PREP Program
The Preschoolers Reaching Educational Potential (PREP) represents a successful collaborative effort between the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, the Iowa City School District and the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Clinic at the University of Iowa. The purpose of the program is not only to identify children entering kindergarten in the fall at high risk for poor school performance, especially reading disorders, but to provide them with an intensive classroom experience focusing on both emerging literacy skills and basic, appropriate classroom routines for maximizing learning. Some of these children are at risk because of unstable home environments, or evidence of behavioral disorders; others demonstrate limited English proficiency. We would like to be able to provide a minimum of 12 children with this learning experience. PREP includes at least four unique aspects:
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program has both screening and intervention components with a special focus on emerging literacy competencies. Based on data collected at the University of Iowa, a screening instrument capable of predicting those children at risk for difficulty in learning to read has been developed and is used to determine a child’s need for PREP. |
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PREP classroom provides children with a small ratio of students to teachers to better facilitate a reading-based program. Students and professional staff from the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center provide daily literacy and language lessons for the children. |
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reports already confirm that children at high risk for poor school performance, especially in the area of literacy learning who participated in last summer’s program have needed fewer special placements and services in kindergarten. Our intent is to follow our “graduates” through the second grade to monitor their progress and determine if PREP made a difference in their academic achievement. |
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data will be provided and a comparison of PREP graduates’ academic competencies with those of children who were not PREP participants will demonstrate the efficacy of this approach. Note that treatment efficacy translates to more academic success for the children and the potential for significantly lower costs for special education services for the school district. |
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