Progress to date
Phase 1 of the project, which focused on collecting baseline programmatic information and designing the implementation and outcome components of the program, was successfully completed in June 2009. Nearly 1400 early childhood programs completed web surveys administered in spring 2009, and the project team made site visits to 154 preschool classrooms and 20 zero to 3 sites. In addition, project staff conducted interviews with 30 early childhood stakeholders, including advocates, school administrators, community providers, higher education professionals, teachers, government officials, funders, and parents, to guide further development of the evaluation plan.

The final evaluation plan has been approved by ISBE and is slated to begin in fall 2009. Importantly, work in Phase 1 of the study has resulted in the first-ever comprehensive statewide list of program sites for Prevention Initiative and Parental Training programs for children ages zero to 3.

Highlights from Phase 1 Activities
Spring 2008 – Fall 2008

• Conducted interviews to get input from key early childhood stakeholders in Illinois.
• Conducted a web survey of all birth-to-three and three-to-five ECBG programs at the grantee and site level. 
• Held two evaluation advisory committee meetings.

Winter 2008 – Spring 2009

• Conducted statewide assessments of PreK/PFA program quality, including observing 113 classrooms using the CLASS and ECERS-R tools, interviewing program directors, and surveying teachers.
• Conducted 20 pilot site visits at PI/PT programs to gain a better understanding of program structure and operations.
• Finalized the statewide evaluation plan for FY10.
• Conducted web survey of early childhood programs funded by Chicago Public Schools.
• Held three evaluation advisory committee meetings.

Research questions
This evaluation began with a focus on several key research questions.

• What are the characteristics of the programs, children participating in them, and staff?
• What services are provided and what is the level and range of service quality across programs?
• Do programs produce the expected outcomes, and how are program and staff characteristics related to these outcomes?
• What is the relationship between participation rates, level and range of services, and child outcomes across birth-to-three and three-to-five programs?

From these initial questions, the advisory committee has suggested focusing on specific questions of interest that speak most to the information needs of early childhood policymakers and stakeholders. Questions were identified for each program type, as detailed below.

Prevention Initiative and Parental Training programs

1. Access questions: Who is using these programs and how do they get engaged in them?
2. Process questions: What is the quality of these programs? What do the children look like? Are we serving at-risk children?

At-Risk Prekindergarten and Preschool for All programs

1. Outcomes: Do these programs make a difference in supporting children’s educational development? What developmental progress do children achieve in these programs?
2. Process questions: How are programs being implemented? What is the quality of these programs? What do the children in the program look like? Are the programs serving at-risk children?

Early Childhood Block Grant System

1. Are the children attending 0-3 programs transitioning into 3-5 programs? What is transition like from preschool programs to kindergarten?
2. Are there long-lasting effects (beyond kindergarten) from attending ECBG programs?