Move Up the PACE:[Parent and Child Enrichment]

RCCI Project

Coastal Bend CollegeKingsville, Texas

Just west of the Gulf of Mexico, in an area called the Wild Horse Desert by early settlers, Kingsville’s historic King Ranch was established in 1853 by Captain Richard King. It remains a working ranch today.

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Evolution of PACEParent and Child Enrichment

•Co-hosted community focus forums with Kleberg-Kenedy County Cooperative Extension

•Identified major issues in community/county- 1) adult literacy; 2) early childhood education;

3) lack of marketable skills

•Brought together community partners with expertisein solutions/overcoming barriers

•Developed conceptual framework

•Built program specifics

•Secured funding

PACEParent and Child Enrichment

Purpose & Goals:

Empower

Kingsville/Kleberg

County Families

• Literacy/GED

• Job skills/life skills

• Child Enrichment

• Job Search

Target Audience:

Kingsville Housing

Authority Families

PACE

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Role of PACE Project Partners

Coastal Bend College

Kleberg County Adult Literacy Council

Smart Planet Children’s Center

Kingsville Housing Authority

Kleberg-Kenedy Cooperative Extension

Worksource : The Source of Opportunity

Alice ISD Adult Education Center

PACE Timeline

1. April 11-September 12, 2005 – Implement first round

with participants from selected KHA resident families.

2. September-October, 2005 – Gather assessment data

3. September-December, 2005 – Expand referral process to

all KHA family service recipients.

4. October, 2005 – Evaluation of first round outcomes.

5. October-December, 2005 – Use evaluation results to

make changes if necessary.

6. January-May, 2006 – Implement second round, produce

written project model.

7.Throughout – Secure additional funding.

Job Skills/Life Skills

1. Pre and post-test results showed 9% increase in knowledge.

2. Largest gains in questions related to workplace honesty and co-worker relations.

3 High degree of success in stressing role of “attitude” in job performance.

4. Less success in understanding significance of attendance.

5. Added parenting component for round two based on recommendation from child enrichment partner.

PACE Assessments & Outcomes Round One

PACE Assessments & Outcomes Round One

GED Prep/Literacy Component

1. *TABE Locator Test at beginning to measure reading math and language skills. Results indicated most were at Adult Literacy level in all areas (1.9-5.9 grade equivalent).

2. PLATO learning system used for GED prep and literacy to add a non stressful computer-based experience. PLATO contains 335 modules and the “group” mastered from 5% to 34% of the modules.

3. Ninety percent completed first round of 40 GED prep/literacy hours with 100% increasing content mastery to some degree. One had serious attendance issues and was withdrawn.

PACE Assessments & Outcomes Round One

Child Enrichment Component

5 years and under

1. Communication gaps with state-required documentation.

2. Nutrition-based need identified

3. Activities Included: letter, color, shape, and number recognition and connection; music and movement; rhyming and syllables

4. Identified vocal skills as area of most advancement.

Funding Sources

Grants1. Brookshire Foundation $ 2,5002. Kleberg County Adult

Literacy Council $ 1,0003. United Way of the Coastal

Bend $ 1,2004. Southern RCCI Competitive

Grants Program $10,0005. Coastal Bend Community

Foundation $ 9,000

Incentives1. Coastal Bend Family 4-H2. Schlumberger3. Athena-Kingsville Women’s Club4. Chili’s and other local restaurants5. Interested individuals

PACE Round Two – In Progress

1. Referral process refined to include newspaper announcements, meetings with potential participants.

2. KHA facilitated early completion of Smart Planet Children’s Center documentation at KHA center.

3. Transportation arrangements.

4. Changes in orientation format/PLATO included.

5. Round one participants can continue.

6. *TABE Assessment indicates that of 17 participants, 5 at ABE in all areas, 5 at literacy level in all areas, 7 results varied.

Move Up the PACE

RCCI Project

Coastal Bend CollegeKingsville, Texas