Program History

On October 1, 1989, the Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) was one of 73 institutions & agencies to receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Education's newly established Even Start Program.  The Program was initiated to strengthen literacy in families in which the children's (particularly those between the age of one and seven years old) acquisition of oral & written communication skills was jeopardized by parents with poor reading and writing skills.

Unique Program Features

• The program features an intense training model that is implemented through integrated services.
• Each of the three centers is an important partner in a school reform project.
• One Center is located in an Early Childhood Special Education Center.
• One Center is located in an apartment complex.
• Each Center provides computer assisted instruction and Employability Skills Training.
• The program provides employment training and structured transitions from welfare to work.

Population/Number Served

• 200 educationally disadvantaged families
• 100% of families are low income
• 35% of families have limited English Proficiency
• 10% of families are homeless