Effectiveness Evaluation of a Comprehensive School Readiness Summer Program for Young Children At-Risk

Effectiveness Evaluation of a Comprehensive School Readiness Summer Program for Young Children At-Risk

This study is a program evaluation or open-trial study of the effectiveness of Summer Academy, a comprehensive summer early intervention program for young children with early learning and disruptive behavior problems (based on the nationally recognized, evidence-based Children's Summer Treatment Program) living in at-risk community settings. The summer program, which is funded by The Children's Trust, will be held annually from June to August from Summer 2016 - Summer 2019 at an early childhood center located in the Liberty City community of Miami, FL. Our aims are to evaluate how well the program helps to prepare young children for the transition to kindergarten and measure to how well progress is maintained at six-month follow-up.

Research design

This study is a program evaluation or open-trial study of the effectiveness of FIU Summer Academy, a comprehensive summer early intervention program for young children with early learning and disruptive behavior problems (based on the nationally recognized, evidence-based Children's Summer Treatment Program) living in at-risk community settings. The summer program, which is funded by The Children's Trust, will be held annually from June to August from Summer 2016 - Summer 2019 at an early childhood center located in the Liberty City community of Miami, FL. Our aims are to evaluate how well the program helps to prepare young children for the transition to kindergarten and measure to how well progress is maintained at six-month follow-up.

There will be two phases to this study. The first phase (Phase I) will include a series of focus groups to be held annually with parents, teachers, and community stakeholders to obtain feedback on the program to determine what, if any changes, need to be made to current programming to maximize effectiveness. The second phase (Phase II), will consist of direct program evaluation.

Procedures to be used

In Phase I, we will recruit parents, teachers, and community stakeholders to participate in a 1 hour focus group to obtain feedback on the program to determine what, if any changes, need to be made to current programming to maximize effectiveness.

In Phase II, children and their families will be recruited to participate in the summer program through direct school and community referrals. Several process measures (e.g., attendance, satisfaction ratings) will be used to determine the feasibility of the intervention. Other outcome measures, obtained via multiple reports (i.e., parent, teacher, & observations), examining children's behavioral functioning, self-regulation skills, parental involvement, and academic achievement will be used to both examine aspects of treatment integrity and the effects of the various components of the intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children were:

  1. transitioning to kindergarten the following school year;
  2. had behavioral, learning, attention, or other social emotional difficulties, as evidenced by meeting diagnostic criteria for a behavioral or emotional disorder (e.g., Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder) or qualify for special education services via an Individualized Education Program (IEP);
  3. had the cognitive and language skills needed to appropriately benefit from the program; and
  4. be able to attend the 7-week intervention program with weekly parent training.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Child did not meet any of the inclusion criteria above,
• Child was not residing with their legal guardian.