Harrisburg Preschool Program (HPP) Evaluation

Start Date: 2002

Funder: W. K. Kellogg Foundation

Program Development Phase

[what is it?]

One of the greatest concerns of communities is preparing children to be ready for schooling. Children showing greater readiness are much more likely to succeed throughout their formal education. The HPP Project, funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, supports both the implementation of an innovative model of preschool programming intended to create long-term systems change, as well as the evaluation of this initiative. Led by Drs. Celene Domitrovich and Mark Greenberg, the evaluation is a multi-level model. At the first level, the project will follow the development of over 300 young children over a 6-year period to assess the model's effects on academic and social competence.

The second level of evaluation, led by Dr. Linda Burton and Sharon Childs from the Center for Research on Diverse Family Contexts, qualitatively assesses the effects of REACH on the attitudes and behaviors of both teachers and parents.

At the third level, Barbara Carl, Director of Research and Evaluation, CAHHDI, leads a process of evaluation of systems change that includes assessment of school district operations, as well as broader systems change that is planned between the school district and community agencies, families, and other stakeholders.

Investigators

Mark Greenberg
Director, Edna Peterson Bennett Chair & Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
mxg47@psu.edu
Celene Domitrovich

Assistant Director, Prevention Research Center
cxd130@psu.edu
Linda Burton
Director, Center for Research on Diverse Family Contexts and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
bqq@psu.edu
Barb Carl
Director, Research and Evaluation, CAHHDI

bec109@psu.edu

Research Team

Sharon Childs, Graduate Assistant, Center for Research on Diverse Family Contexts

Karen Gibson, Research Coordinator

Nicole Freeman, Graduate Assistant, HDFS

Brittany Rhoades, Graduate Assistant, HDFS

Heather Warren, Postdoctoral Fellow, Penn State Prevention Research Center

Linda Jacobson, Research Assistant, Center for Child and Adult Development

Harsini Shah, Graduate Assistant, HDFS