Family Education is comprised of four integrated components.

Federal Definition of Family Literacy Services

The federal definition for Family Literacy used in the 1998 Head Start amendments, the Reading Excellence Act, the Even Start amendments, Community Services Block Grant Act and the Workforce Investment Act brings commonality for Family Literacy programs. It allows collaboration in order to provide services commonly defined by major funding streams.

Four Components of Family Education Programs

“The term ‘Family Literacy services” means services that are of sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes in a family and that integrate all of the following activities:

• Interactive literacy activities between parents and their children
• Training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children
• Parent literacy training that leads to economic self-sufficiency
• An age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences.”

Source: Elementary and Secondary Eduation Act (Even Start)

Reading Excellence Act 

Workforce Investment Act (Adult Education and Literacy Act) 

Community Services Block Grant Act (CSBG)

Head Start Act 

1. Adult Education

The adult education component is designed to extend basic education skills. More than just an academic, GED preparation, work-focused or ESL program, a Family Education adult education class teaches adults at all levels and abilities to: think critically and creatively set goals and achieve them solve problems acquire successful interpersonal skills. Family Education instructional methods combine the more traditional individualized and tutor-assisted study with active learning.

An adult education teacher often employs peer collaboration, balancing both large and small group instruction. Life is the classroom for an adult education teacher in Family Education. In close consultation with teachers, students set both academic and personal goals, and teachers help students see the relationship between them. Often students testify to the fact that the Family Education program's different approach helped them to finally understand the classroom material. Classroom methods of instruction include teaching skills within the family context. In addition to providing instruction, the adult education teacher is a friend and a facilitator. Significant bonds are established between staff and student, as well as between students. 

Instruction provided in the adult education component not only impacts the parents but anticipates affecting the future of the children who attend the program as well.

The adult education component expects to affect significantly the future of the children who attend the program. This is accomplished by including personal and family problem-solving in the curriculum, along with an understanding of the parent support role in the development and learning of children. Changing the skill level of parents, their attitudes and expectations for themselves and their family members is not left to chance. It is the primary goal of Family Education. As parents move toward self-sufficiency, they make solid connections between skills learned in the classroom and their application in the home. These same skills are needed in the workplace. To successfully function in a job, workers will need to: manage time and materials know how to establish and use systems be able to communicate effectively be responsible be able to work on a team demonstrate an ability to self-assess and monitor personal behavior

2. Children’s Education

The children’s education component is designed to promote the growth and development of young children and to engage parents in their child’s educational program in order to foster meaningful involvement that will be maintained throughout the child’s educational career. This component uses a developmentally appropriate curriculum that focuses on the whole child and emphasizes the development of literacy. The child’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills develop through: Active exploration and investigation, personal discovery, reorganization of the physical environment, verbal interaction with peers and support from adults. With the purposeful guidance and support of teachers and parents, children learn and develop their views of the environment. They are provided opportunities to make decisions and solve problems, thereby creating a feeling of success and self-confidence, as well as a positive view of themselves and their abilities.

Active learning forms the foundation for all activities and instruction. The classroom environment is equipped with a wide variety of materials that are of interest to children and provide meaningful learning opportunities. Materials are culturally appropriate and accessible to children.

Throughout each class day, under the teachers’ supervision, children have opportunities to work individually, in small groups, in large groups, and with adults. Routines are predictable and students understand them. Parents are involved in meaningful activities each day with their children in the children’s classroom.

Assessment of the children’s development by the teacher occurs through a systematic and ongoing process that includes observations of children during the regular, daily activities. Parents are encouraged to participate in the process through observation of their own children and communicate with teachers about their children’s progress. All of these aspects work together to set the stage for children’s continued success throughout their lives.

3. Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time

Parents who support and extend their children’s learning contribute to their children’s successes both in school and in life. The Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time component provides the opportunity for parents and children to interact together as a family unit. For the most part, the children’s interests and preferences drive activities, with parents following their lead. Staff members help parents learn how to support their children’s learning through interaction with each other in meaningful activities, including play. The reciprocal learning that takes place during this time offers parents and children a chance to become true partners in education. At the end of the session, a literacy-focused large group activity provides ideas for transferring learning to the home and brings closure to the session.

When parent and child interact together during PACT Time, enhancing and enriching their relationship is the primary goal. Therefore, PACT Time is: A regularly scheduled session, a quality one-on-one time for children with their parent’s, interaction between parent and child in meaningful activities that are child-centered.

There is a close connection between PACT Time and Parent Time. During the Parent Time component, as parents debrief and reflect on PACT Time activities, they gain understanding and knowledge of child development and learning behaviors which help parents to be more successful partners in their child’s learning. This also strengthens the parent/child bonds. As the parenting skills of adults develop and translate into changes in positive parenting behaviors and practices, children’s behavior may reflect those changes.

Direct effects of the Parent and Child Together Time component include increases in: time spent reading to children the ability of parents to positively guide their children’s freedom of choice, adults and children engaging in other forms of learning, parents’ confidence increasing as they work and play with their children and the perception of the parents’ value of education increases.* * Mikulecky, L., Lloyd, P., & Brannon, D. (1994) Evaluating Parent/Child Interactions, Indiana University

4. Parent Time

A strong and effective Parent Time is a key ingredient in successful Family Education programs. This component provides instruction on how children grow, develop, and learn to read and write. It addresses issues critical to family well-being and success, it connects parents with a wide array of community resources and it provides parents with opportunities to network and develop mutual support systems with others in the program. 

A significant portion of the instruction addresses children’s growth and development and their relation to cognitive processes. Often the child’s instructor facilitates Parent Time sessions. These teachers not only know about child growth and development, but their knowledge of children in the program is particularly helpful in guiding instruction. Providing information through traditional classroom instruction is one way topics are approached; however, observing the early childhood teachers is another. Often parents ask, “How do they [the early childhood teachers] get children to do that?” An analysis of teacher behavior, observed during PACT Time, can take place in Parent Time. If parents decide they want to experiment with newly discovered behaviors—seeking change with positive results— staff members play a supporting role, one which encourages and affirms. The ultimate goal is to strengthen parents to do the best parenting job possible.

A healthy parent must first be a healthy person. During Parent Time, parents learn to access many resources within the larger community. Often the help that is needed is there, but accessing it may be the problem. “Help” may range from eyeglasses and good nutrition to mental health services. Individually and in a group, parents work on the development of personal and social skills. As they strengthen skills, confidence develops, and expectations for themselves and their children change.

Within this healthy, knowledge-based and comfortable atmosphere, parents find learning enjoyable.

Parent Time is a good place for parents to connect and bond, offering the opportunity to both give and receive support. Parents practice goal-setting and problem-solving strategies to realize those goals and begin to see themselves as change agents. Welfare reform demands that parents become self-reliant and employed. The barriers that keep parents from becoming successful often seem insurmountable. Family Education helps parents remove those barriers. Parent Time offers solutions and support. The teacher is able to offer the caring and encouragement parents need to stay in the program and to succeed.