EDUCATION
Children Enrolled in Head Start
Definition
Children enrolled in Head Start is the percent of eligible children ages 3 and 4 enrolled in the Head Start preschool program as of January 1995. Children enrolled in the Head Start Parent-Child Centers are not included.
Significance
Head Start is a federally funded, comprehensive early child
develop-ment program for low-income preschool children, primarily
ages three to five, and their families. Head Start is designed to
provide children who are at risk with the socialization and
school-readiness skills they need to prepare them
for elementary school.
Head Start emphasizes parental involvement. At the community-based Head Start Centers, parents participate as volunteers or staff, are involved in program planning and policymaking, and attend parent education classes. Head Start program components also include education, social services, health and nutrition, and mental health.
Nationally Head Start serves 713,000 children, 36% of those eligible. In Rhode Island, 2,352 children are enrolled, 39% of eligible 3 and 4 year olds.
Fugure 5-1.
About Head Start
Head Start is a comprehensive early
childhood program designed to promote school readiness. Nationally, a
total of 13.1 million children have been served by the program since
it began in 1965.
In 1991-1992, 34% of the Head Start
staff across the country were parents of current or former Head Start
children. Over 600,000 parents volunteer in their local Head Start
Program.
Head Start Parent-Child Centers
provide comprehensive services to low-income families with children
up to age three. The centers work with families to improve each
child's developmental progress through a home visitors program,
quality child care, and early intervention for children with special
needs. There are two Parent-Child Centers in Rhode Island.
Table 5-1 PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN AGES 3 AND 4 ENROLLED
IN
HEAD START,RHODE ISLAND, 1994
Estimated Number of % of eligible
Eligible children children enrol 3 & 4 year olds
city/town ages 3 & 4 in head start enrolled
-------------------------------------------------------------
Barrington 7 2 28.6
Bristol 47 27 57.4
Burrillville 29 21 72.4
Central Falls 284 40 14.1
Charlestown 24 9 37.5
Coventry 83 32 38.6
Cranston 264 194 73.5
Cumberland 54 15 27.8
East Greenwich 23 1 4.3
East Providence 186 71 38.1
Exeter 7 5 71.4
Foster 2 2 100.0
Glocester 18 11 61.1
Hopkinton 18 10 55.6
Jamestown 2 1 50.0
Johnston 79 44 55.7
Lincoln 26 15 57.7
Little Compton 3 1 33.3
Middletown 28 41 100.0
Narragansett 40 16 40.0
Newport 201 168 83.6
New Shoreham 1 0 0.0
North Kingstown 73 38 52.1
North Providenc 103 46 44.7
North Smithfiel 4 3 75.0
Pawtucket 653 80 12.3
Portsmouth 19 11 57.9
Providence 2,598 902 34.7
Richmond 12 6 50.0
Scituate 14 7 50.0
Smithfield 24 18 75.0
South Kingstown 50 30 60.0
Tiverton 33 17 51.5
Warren 51 30 58.8
Warwick 221 110 49.8
Westerly 94 45 47.9
West Greenwich 14 3 21.4
West Warwick 176 96 54.5
Woonsocket 454 184 40.5
Rhode Island 6,019 2,352 39.1
Core Cities 4,190 1,374 32.8
Remainder of State 1,829 978 53.5
----------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on Table
Estimated number of eligible children is based on number of 3 and
4 year old children in families receiving AFDC, 1993. This is an
underestimate because it does not include children eligible for Head
Start from non-AFDC families living below the poverty line.
source of data for table
-----------------------------------
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services, Region 1; Rhode Island Head Start Programs; and Rhode Island Department of Human Services INRHODES Data Tapes, June 30, 1993. Core cities are Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Newport and Central Falls.
references for indicator
-----------------------------------
All data are from Administration on Children, Youth and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services, Region 1; Rhode Island Head Start Programs; and Rhode Island Department of Human Services INRHODES Data Tapes, June 30, 1993, unless otherwise indicated
Beyond Rhetoric: A New American Agenda for Children and Families: Final Report of the National Commission on Children, (1991), U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington DC.
Starting Points: Meeting the Needs of Our Youngest Children, (1994), Carnegie Corporation: New York, NY.
The State of America's Children Yearbook: 1994, (1994), Children's Defense Fund: Washington, DC.
Within Our Reach: Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage, Lisbeth B. Schorr with Daniel Schorr (1988), Anchor Press: New York, NY.
High School Graduation Rate
Definition
High school graduation rate is the percent of a 7th grade class that would graduate based on the existing dropout incidence among 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students. The rate is computed using Fall 1992 enrollment data and the number of dropouts by grade level from October 2, 1992 through October 1, 1993. This statistic includes those who receive a high school equivalency diploma.
Significance
Children who receive a quality education are more likely to grow into capable, self-sufficient adults who contribute to their communities. With the decline of manufacturing and the increased reliance on an information-based economy, education has become critical to a young person’s success in the labor market.
Children and teens in economically disadvantaged communities and whose parents have little formal education are more likely to drop out of school. Early warning signs for a student likely to drop out of school include early school failure, poor grade performance, frequent truancy, behavior problems, substance abuse, and teen pregnancy.
Achievement differences among school districts and schools are correlated with the socioeconomic status of families in the community. There are currently major contrasts in educational achievement and student outcomes depending on where a student lives and goes to school.
educational achievement in rhode island
Nearly 1 out of every 5 students
enrolled in 7th grade in 1992 will not graduate from high school.
According to the 1990 Census, 28%
of Rhode Island adults over
age 25 have not completed high school.
1 out of 3 fourth grade students
did not have reading skills sufficient to meet a basic standard on
the 1993 Metropolitan Achievement Tests.
63% of Rhode Island’s public
high school seniors took the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 1993.
SAT scores in Rhode Island vary by over 200 points depending on the
educational level of the child’s parents.
Table 5-2:COMMUNITY CONTEXT AND EDUCATION INDICATORS, RHODE ISLAND, 1993
% of 4th grade
Community Context students
------------------------------------------- meeting a basic
% limited % adults high school standard
% children english % minority completing graduation % of students in reading
in poverty proficien enrollmen high school rate taking the sat (mat 1993)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barrington 1.3 -- 2.3 88.9 95.7 84 86
Bristol-Warren 6.6 5.4 1.9 -- 79.3 59 78
Burrillville 6.1 0.2 0.7 70.6 94.7 49 73
Central Falls 32.5 28.4 53.4 46.9 52.6 32 24
Chariho 5 0.5 3.8 82.2 85.4 47 71
Coventry 5.3 0.4 2.1 74.4 94.2 57 76
Cranston 9.5 4.5 9.1 74 83 59 68
Cumberland 4.7 2.7 3.2 74.7 89.7 71 74
East Greenwich 5.3 1.1 4.2 89.8 92.4 89 91
East Providence 8.7 5.2 10 66.9 84.3 54 61
Exeter-W. Greenwich 3.2 0.2 2.4 78 96.2 47 66
Foster 7.6 -- 1.1 81.9 -- -- 75
Foster-Glocester 6.8 -- 1.6 82.5 85.7 59 --
Glocester 6.5 -- 1 82.8 -- -- 85
Jamestown 8.1 -- 1.8 89 -- -- 85
Johnston 8.4 1.1 3.2 66.8 82.8 44 68
Lincoln 7 0.7 3.9 76.1 93 65 76
Little Compton 2.7 -- -- 86 -- -- 75
Middletown 6 2.1 11.3 85 97.8 60 64
Narragansett 4.5 1.2 3.8 87.2 95.8 70 88
Newport 20.3 1.4 23 84.1 86.3 67 63
New Shoreham 10.1 -- 9.6 94 85.7 60 55
North Kingstown 4.7 1.5 4.7 86.2 86.7 80 85
North Providence 5.4 2.8 7.2 70.8 96.5 45 59
North Smithfield 1.6 0.7 2.1 71.5 93.7 75 88
Pawtucket 15.5 10.5 25.4 61.6 59.9 48 49
Portsmouth 4.4 -- 4.1 86.3 92.3 80 89
Providence 34.5 17.9 69.3 62.8 68.7 69 42
Scituate 3.7 0.2 2 83.8 89.2 68 78
Smithfield 4.1 -- 2.1 80.8 93 70 80
South Kingstown 7.5 1.2 7.8 85.5 91.4 82 76
Tiverton 6.4 -- 0.9 70.5 77.9 59 78
Warwick 5.9 0.7 3.9 77.8 91 62 72
Westerly 8.7 1.9 4 75.6 86.4 69 66
West Warwick 11.8 3.8 6.3 70.3 81.4 52 59
Woonsocket 21.4 4.4 20 56.2 65.2 50 59
Rhode Island 13.5 5 18 72 81.7 63 66
Core Cities 27.3 13.8 48.4 NA NA NA NA
Remainder of State 6.5 1.8 4.7 4.7 NA NA NA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on Table
Percent of children living in poverty(1990); percent of students
identified with Limited English Proficiency; percent of enrollment
that is minority; percent of the adult population over age 25 that
has completed high school; 1993 high school graduation rate; percent
of students taking the SAT in 1993; percent of 4th grade students
meeting a basic standard in reading according to the 1993
Metropolitan Achievement Tests, Rhode Island School Districts, 1993.
Core cities are Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Woonsocket and
Newport.
Sources of Data for table
------------------------------------
Percent of children living in poverty is based on U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990 Census of Population. All other data are from the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Rhode Island Public Schools 1993 Education Indicator Report, Office of Decentralization and Accountability.
references
------------------------------------
America’s Children At Risk: A National Agenda for Legal Action, (1993), American Bar Association: Chicago, IL.
Beyond Rhetoric: A New American Agenda for Children and Families, Final Report of the National Commission on Children, (1991), U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, D.C.
Reaching for High Standards: Student Performance in Rhode Island, (December 1993), Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Providence, RI.
KIDS COUNT Data Book 1995: State Profiles of Child Well-Being (1995), Annie E. Casey Foundation: Baltimore, MD.
Teens Not in School and Not in the Labor Force
Definition
Teens not in school and not in the labor force is the percentage
of teens ages 16 to 19 who are not in the Armed Forces, not enrolled
in school, and unemployed. This indicator includes recent high school
graduates who are unemployed, and teens who have dropped out of high
school who
are jobless.
Significance
Teens who lack the opportunities that accompany strong skills, educa-tional attainment, and prospects for success in the labor market are unlikely to realize their full poten-tial. Gaps in schooling and lack of workforce preparation place them at a significant disadvantage as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.
Rhode Island ranks well compared to the rest of the country for this indicator, however there is a significant gap between the core cities and the remainder of the state.
Figure 5-2:
Eroding Wages for Young Workers
In 1992, the median hourly wage of
workers 16 to 19 in the US was $4.73 per hour.
Inflation-adjusted wage levels for
young workers have dropped steadily since 1973.
Between 1979 and 1992 the average
annual earnings of male high school graduates ages 20 to 29 fell by
29% (adjusting for inflation), while their peers without high school
diplomas suffered a 35% decrease in their average annual
earnings.
Table 5-3: TEENS NOT IN SCHOOL AND NOT IN LABOR FORCE
total N of non-high sch. high school city/town teens ages 16-19 graduates graduates total % of teens
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barrington 800 8 17 25 3.1 Bristol 1,703 43 34 77 4.5 Burrillville 886 33 31 64 7.2 Central Falls 931 35 100 135 14.5 Charlestown 261 0 0 0 0 Coventry 1,689 59 52 111 6.6 Cranston 3,500 99 304 403 11.5 Cumberland 1,474 59 128 187 12.7 East Greenwich 627 0 7 7 1.1 East Providence 2,408 72 180 252 10.5 Exeter 279 16 17 33 11.8 Foster 232 16 3 19 8.2 Glocester 565 27 27 54 9.6 Hopkinton 377 10 44 54 14.3 Jamestown 226 0 10 10 4.4 Johnston 1,235 13 30 43 3.5 Lincoln 874 32 17 49 5.6 Little Compton 167 0 4 4 2.4 Middletown 922 20 27 47 5.1 Narragansett 653 15 16 31 4.7 Newport 1,978 56 46 102 5.2 New Shoreham 20 0 0 0 0 North Kingstown 1,269 12 27 39 3.1 North Providence 1,444 29 78 107 7.4 North Smithfield 578 30 0 30 5.2 Pawtucket 3,632 81 303 384 10.6 Portsmouth 851 10 13 23 2.7 Providence 12,841 253 1,042 1,294 10.1 Richmond 284 18 16 34 12 Scituate 555 24 10 34 6.1 Smithfield 1,625 21 16 37 2.3 South Kingstown 3,818 15 7 22 0.6 Tiverton 812 34 24 58 7.1 Warren 505 0 37 37 7.3 Warwick 4,231 151 198 349 8.2 Westerly 992 10 98 108 10.9 West Greenwich 211 15 0 15 7.1 West Warwick 1,478 46 89 135 9.1 Woonsocket 2,357 101 285 386 16.4 Rhode Island 59,290 1,484 3,339 4,823 8.1 Core Cities 21,739 527 1,776 2,303 10.6 Remainder of State 37,551 957 1,563 2,520 6.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on Table
Number and percent of teens ages 16 to 19 who are not enrolled in school and unemployed or not in labor force, Rhode Island, 1990. “Unemployed” teens means teens who are not employed but who are looking for work; teens “not in labor force” means teens without jobs who are not looking for work.
Core cities are Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Newport and Central Falls.
Source of Data for table
----------------------------
All data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990 Census of Population, unless otherwise noted.
references for indicators
----------------------------
The State of America’s Children Yearbook: 1994, (1994), Children’s Defense Fund: Washington, DC.
A Matter of Time: Risk and Opportunity in the Nonschool Hours, (1992), Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY.
KIDS COUNT Data Book 1994: State Profiles of Child Well–Being, (1994), Annie E. Casey Foundation: Baltimore, MD.
Survey of 1993 June Graduates of Providence Public Schools, (1994) University of Rhode Island, Urban Field Center: Providence,
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