The Literacy Cooperative’s SPARK program shepherds 1st class into kindergarten with 2 days of transition programming to kickoff school

As the final step in the first year of the nationally recognized SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) program’s implementation in Cuyahoga County, The Literacy Cooperative, in collaboration with Invest in Children and Family Connections, is hosting a series of Kindergarten Kickoffs at its SPARK schools in order to help facilitate a smooth transition for children and their parents or caregivers from preschool, daycare or home-care into kindergarten.  

On two consecutive days, spaced a week apart, children entering kindergarten at SPARK pilot schools in Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Maple Heights will participate in Kindergarten Kickoff from 6 to 8 pm.  A supplemental program of SPARK, Kindergarten Kickoff is designed to give children and their parents or caregivers the opportunity to become familiar with their new school environment, foster positive relationships with school personnel and become acquainted with the academic, social and behavioral expectations of the school culture. 

Each Kindergarten Kickoff session is two hours in length and is held a few weeks prior to the start of the school year for incoming kindergartners and parents or caregivers to help children feel comfortable with their new school and allow parents to learn about the curriculum and the expectations for their child while at school.

During each session, the children participate in activities that mimic what they will experience in school while parents participate in a discussion about the various aspects of kindergarten readiness and success.  Children have the opportunity to meet new classmates, their teachers and other key school staff and become comfortable in their new learning environment.  Parents have a chance to tour the school, learn about the grade level content standards and meet school teachers and staff. Everyone in attendance participates in an activity together at the end of the session.

In addition to the children that have completed SPARK, a year-long in-home tutoring program that prepares children to succeed in kindergarten, approximately 10 non-SPARK children will participate in Kindergarten Kickoff at Oxford Elementary.

Why have Kindergarten Kickoffs? 

Research has shown that the time at which children and their families transition from preschool or a home-based setting into kindergarten is critical and that successful transitions bridge the divide from home to the more formal expectations of school (Kreider, H., 2002, Getting parents “ready” for kindergarten:  The role of early childhood education.  Amherst, MA:  Harvard Family Research Project).  Further adding to the importance of a successful transition, research shows that a child’s future academic success is positively correlated with that child’s opportunities to be engaged in the life of the school before entering kindergarten (Pianta, Rimm-Kaufman & Cox, 1999; Ramey & Ramey, 1999; National Research Council, 2000).

Kindergarten Kickoff involves the parents, teachers and SPARK program tutors as well as the child.  Research shows the involvement of these key figures during this pivotal point in the child’s life increases a child’s chances of educational success. (K. Cotton & K. R. Wikelund, Parent Involvement in Education, School Improvement Research Series, Close-Up No. 6, North West Regional Educational Laboratory). 

About SPARK 

As part of its mission to improve lives by enhancing literacy, The Literacy Cooperative identified SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) as a model for increasing early childhood literacy and school-readiness.  SPARK parent partners work with children and parents to deliver an in-home tutoring program that not only guides the child through a proven curriculum but also connects the family to resources it may need. 

The Literacy Cooperative secured funding to replicate SPARK in Cuyahoga County from The Abington Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, The PNC Foundation, The Stocker Foundation, and the United Way of Greater Cleveland.

The Literacy Cooperative is currently collaborating with Invest in Children - Cuyahoga County’s public-private partnership serving young children and families - and with Family Connections in order to offer SPARK at select schools in Maple Heights, Cleveland Heights, and Cleveland.

Essential elements of SPARK include:

1)      parent partners who work closely with children and parents through monthly in-home interactions;

2)      developmental screenings for all children (including a review of results by a child psychologist and a Responsive Services Team consisting of early childhood professionals);

3)      follow-up assessments as indicated;

4)      individual therapies as needed (i.e., for speech or behavioral issues);

5)      learning plans individualized to each child’s specific learning needs;

6)      home and group visits with prescribed lesson plans based on Ohio’s early learning content standards;

7)      developmentally appropriate books with art supplies and activity cards;

8)      transitional program to introduce children and families to their new school and take the mystery (and fear) out of kindergarten; and

9)      backpacks with school supplies.

While SPARK has not completed a full year in Cuyahoga County, The Literacy Cooperative hopes to replicate positive results from SPARK programs in Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Hamilton, Medina, and Mahoning Counties. 

That’s great news for SPARK Cuyahoga’s children because the results of SPARK in other Ohio counties include:

1)      SPARK children scored statistically higher on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment in Literacy (KRA-L) than non-SPARK peers in the same classrooms;

2)      SPARK children were linked to community services prior to the start of kindergarten to address developmental and social-emotional barriers that would prevent school readiness;

3)      SPARK increased enrollment of children in early childhood or pre-school programs;

4)      SPARK children improved in their socio-emotional ability, as evidenced by improved scores on the Ages & Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE);

5)      SPARK children had a higher average rate of school attendance than their non-SPARK peers in kindergarten, first grade, second grade and third grade; and

6)      Third grade Ohio Achievement Assessment (OAA) results in reading and math are statistically higher for SPARK children than non-SPARK children, especially at the highest performance levels (advanced and accelerated) and among males.

These positive outcomes can have life-long implications for education attainment, health, employment, social skills, and personal well being.  Studies show that strong early childhood initiatives lead, down the road, to lower percentages of special education placement and incarceration.  The economic return on investment in early childhood programs is statistically significant to society.