HIPPY program

LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 West Markham - Little Rock, Ar. 72201 HOME INSTRUCTION PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOL YOUNGSTERS lAOl Scott - Little Rock, Ar. 72202 RECEIVED OCT 2 8 1991 TO: Office of Desegregation Monitoring James Jennings, Associate Superintendent for Desegregation Monitoring and Community Services THROUGH: Estelle Matthis, Associate Superintendent of Educational Programs from: Parian Shead, Supervisor of HIPPY DATE: October 17, 1991 SUBJECT: General Information For Office Of Desegregation Monitoring For the 1991-92 program year, HIPPY areas of concentration are Southwest Little Rock and the shadow area of the Major Incentive Schools (central Little Rock). The projective participation hundred twenty (420) families. gender per area serviced. for the 1991-92 program is four Included is a chart of race and (Attachment)t OF t t OF suL
!Husr TAKr T*?
IcxE S VCZZ 5 S TEAS 'ar 'TT' wi^Hw? OF yworr.'^ gyntAL H WHHK CF MAT5^ TOTAL 128 208 19 21 36 ly6 6 3 n 1 25 2k 53 53 t OF k 31 38 51 t OF WT-TT 4 ^'Ar C'?' 1 6 8 10 k ICTAL TEAS 38 57 61 frrHnt 0 0 2(5yr.> l(4yr.) TOTAL 63 68 110 .120 361PLEASE POST LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 WEST MARKHAM STREET LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201 PLEASE POST March 31, 1992 The Little Rock School District is now accepting applications for the following position for the 1991-92 school year: POSITION: Coordinator - Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Elementary certification preferred or major experience and primary responsibility in working with younger children. hildren. 2. Evidence of a strong commitment to parent involvement in the education of his/her child. 3. Evidence of a strong commitment to quality desegregated education. 4. Evidence of good written and oral conununication skills. 5. Evidence of interest in the main profclems/educational care in disadvantaged areas. NOTE
APPLICANTS MUST BE PREPARED TO SHOW EVIDENCE OF THESE QUALIFICATIONS IN THE INITIAL SCREENING INTERVIEW. REPORTS to
Program Supervisor - Home Instruction for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) BASIC PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Conducting home interviews of mothers. 2. interviewing and selecting community aides. 3. Dealing with specific problems concerning the conduct of the program in the home. 4 . Instructing the aides in the course of their work. 5. 6. Planning and guiding group meetings. Coordinating between the various community elements involved with the program. 7 . 8. Keeping budgetary records. Regular reporting to the Program Supervisor and/or the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.Coordinator HIPPY SALARY AND TERMS: 53-0001 Salary Schedule - A Twelve (12) Month Position, plus Benefits Package. EVALUATION: Performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with the provisions of the Board's policy on Evaluation of Support Services Personnel. APPLICATION DEADLINE
April 8, 1992, or any time later until a satisfactory applicant is recommended and approved. SEND WRITTEN LETTERS OF INQUIRY TO
Lynda C. White Director, Human Resources Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone 324-2085 NOTE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE ABOVE POSITION MUST COMPLETE A VERY RIGOROUS SELECTION PROCESS. THEREFORE, BECAUSE AN IN- DIVIDUAL APPLIES FOR A POSITION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT AN INTERVIEW WILL BE CONDUCTED. The Little Rock School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equity concerns may be addressed to the Associate Superintendent for Desegregation Monitoring and Program Development.07/13/93 16:34 501 324 2032 L R School Dlst ODM 002/002 July 13,1993 ^3 Little Rock School District NEWS RELEASE a For more information
Jeanette Wagner, 324-2020 PRE-REGISJ ration FOR HOME BASED PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM. The Little Fock School District announces the pre-registration of four and five year-old children for HIPPY program for the 1993-94 vear. The Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters or HIPPY is a home-based education program where children are taught by parents. The HIPPY curnoilum provides the skills needed for children to be successful first in Kindergarten and throughout their education experience. m If you are interested in assisting your child in preparing for school or applying for possible job training employment, come to the HIPPY office at 1401 Scott Street, Room 208, Little Rock or call 324-2266 for more information.07/13/93 16:34 501 324 2032 L R School Dlst ODM @001/002 DATE: TO: FROM: SENDER'S PEONEii
SUBJECT: LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 FAX (501) 324-2032 -Al) 3 1 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: -Ro^.a 1 f- Number of Pages (include cover page Speed Dial ' Fax Phone Number^^Ol ? n :i i J If R b i-CKCBB8S Little Rock School District NEWS RELEASE May 16,1994 For more information: Jeanette Wagner, 324-2020 LRSP HIPPY GRADUATION PROGRAM PLANNED LITTLE ROCK - Students of the Little Rock School District Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) wiU participate in commencement exercises Sunday, May 22. The graduation ceremony wiU be held at 3:00 p.m. in the auditorium of Horace Mann Arts and Sciences Magnet Junior High School. The graduates, aU 4 and 5-year-olds, will be dressed in caps and gowns to receive their diplomas. The guest speaker for the afternoon will be Reverend Hezekiah Stewart. HIPPY is a home-based education program where children are taught by their parents. The program strives to effectively improve self-image and attitudes toward education of the child as well as the parent. As effective home educators, parents learn the importance of being actively involved in their child's learning. ### 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501)324-2000' * *) ijo I .i(OAUG-28-95 HON 11:47 SUSAN U WRIGHT FAX NO. 5013246576 P.Ol EXILED U.S. DISTRICT CQUnT eastern district Arkansas IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS AUG 2 3 1595 WESTERN DIVISION JAM6S W. WcCCRMACK, CLuAK By: LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT, ET AL. Oi?CU.XK PLAINTIFFS V. NO. LR-C-82-866 PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, ST AL. DEFENDANTS MRS. LORENE JOSHUA, ET AL. INTERVENORS KATHERINE W. KNIGHT, AL. INTERVENORS LRSD^5 MOTION FOR PARTIAL UNITARY STATUS The Little Rock School District (LRSD) for its motion states: 1. LRSD moves that this Court withdraw supervision with regard to the following aspects of the LRSD Desegregation Plan: a. Home Instructional Youngsters (HIPPY)
Program for Preschool b. c. d. Rockefeller Early Childhood Program
Parkview Science Magnet Program
and, Job Training Partnership Act/Summer Learning Program (JTPA). 2. LRSD has substantially complied in good faith with the requirements of the LRSD Desegregation Plan with regard to those aspects of the plan identified in paragraph 1. for a reasonable period of time. 3. Continued judicial supervision of those aspects of the LRSD Desegregation Plan identified in paragraph 1. is not necessary to achieve compliance with other aspects of the LRSD Desegregation Plan.AUG-28-95 HON 11:48 SUSAN H WRIGHT FAG{ NO. 5013246576 P. 02 4. LRSD has demonstrated to the public and to black parents and students its good faith commitment to the whole of the LRSD Desegregation Plan and to a course of action that gives full respect to the equal protection guarantees of the Constitution. 5. LRSD has eliminated to the extant practicable the vestiges of past discrimination with regard to those aspects of the LRSD Desegregation Plan identified in paragraph 1. 6, There are additional aspects of the Plan with which LRSD has substantially complied LRSD Desegregation in good faith, and LRSD reserves the right to move that this Court withdraw supervision with regard to additional aspects of the LRSD Desegregation Plan in the future. LSSd has prepared for the presentation of evidence with regard to only those aspects of the plan identified in paragraph 1, because of the limited amount of time scheduled by the Court. Although the Court has scheduled three days for the submission of evidence, LRSD, PCSSD and NLRSD have agreed (subject to this Court's approval) to allow one day for each district. LRSD will begin on August 30, 1995. WHEREFORE, the Little Rock School District moves that thia court withdraw supervision with regard to the following aspects of the LRSD Desegregation Plan: w uxa a. b. c. d. Home Instructional Youngsters (HIPPY)
Program for Preschool Rockefeller Early Childhood Program
Parkview Science Magnet Program
and, Job Trailing Partnership Act/Summer Learning Program (JTPA). 2AUG-28-95 MON 11:48 SUSAN H WRIGHT FAX NO, 5013246576 P. 03 Respectfully suhwt Christopher Heller John C. Fendley, Jr. FRIDAY, ZLDRZDGE i CLARK 2000 First Comnercial Building 400 West Capitol Avenue Little Rock, Arkansas 501/376-2011 72201-3493 Attorneys for LRSD By
Christopher HeUair/ Bar No. 31083 ( 3AUG-28-95 HON 11:4S SUSAN W WRIGHT FAX NO. 5013246576 P. 04 CgRTITICATB OP aBRVICg a copy of the foregoing motion has on the following counsel on this 23rd day of August,
I been served 1995. Mr. John Walker JOHN WALKER, P.A. 1723 Broadway Little Rock, AR 72206 (MAILED) Mr. Sam Jones WRIGHT, LINDSEY & JENNINGS 2200 Worthen Bank Bldg. 200 West Capitol Little Rock, AR 72201 (MAILED) Mr. Steve Jonas JACK, LYON & JONES, P.A. 3400 Capitol Towers Capitol & Broadway Streets Little Reck, AR 72201 (MAILED) Mr. Richard Roachell Roache11 and Streett First Federal Plaza 401 West Capitol, Suite 504 Little Rock, AR 72201 (MAILED) Ms. Ann Brown Heritage West Bldg., Suite SIO 201 East Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72201 (MAILED) CHRISTOPH HEL^ir / ----------_ 1mnr. 123 4Evaluation of HIPPY Program Little Rock, Arkansas A Look at Outcomes for Children at the End of Grade and 6th Grade Dr. Ed Williams, Evaluation Specialist Planning, Research, and Evaluation Department Little Rock School District Dr. Les Camine, Superintendent July, 1999Introduction This report describes an evaluation of the HIPPY Program administered by the Little Rock School District Planning/Research and Evaluation Department. HIPPY is a home-based educational enrichment program. HIPPY is designed to prepare 3, 4, and 5 year-old children for school readiness. Home Visitors work with parents weekly using packets of preplanned activities and storybooks. They demonstrate use of the activities, which the parents are to use with their child. The Little Rock School District was one of the four sites in Arkansas where HIPPY was first implemented. Children who participate in HIPPY enter the program with one or more of the following criteria qualifications: Low birth-weight Low income Education of parent Substance abuse Teenage mother Developmental delayed Other referrals The question addressed in this evaluation is whether participation in HIPPY has long-term benefits for children. More importantly, do children who participate in HIPPY do better in school than children who have no formal schooling experience prior to kindergarten? Or do children who participate in HIPPY do as well as children who have participated in a group-based formal preschool experience? Study Design Participants Hippy Students in 3^*' and 6**' Grade. At the time of this study, school year 1998-99, there were 102 3* and 48 6* grade enrolled in the District who had participated in HIPPY. Demographics for the 3"* grades are 47% female, and 88% Black, 9% White, and 3% Other Ethnicity. Demographics for the 6* graders are 54% female, and 96% Black and 4% White. 2Description of Sample for Achievement Studv. Current 3"^ and 6* grade students participating in the HIPPY program (see above description) were matched to Non-HEPPY students on gender, birth month, race, and SES as measured by those receiving fi'ee or reduced lunch. In addition to these variables, students had been matched on same school, however the sample size was to small, 19 and 8 respectively. Sample participants were 3 (N = 79) and 6* (N= 30) graders enrolled in the Little Rock School district (LRSD) during the 1998-99 school year. The 3*^ grade sample was 48% female and 99% Black, and 1% White. The 6* grade sample was 57% female and 100% Black. Measures This evaluation focused exclusively on student outcomes in third grade. Five categories of outcomes were examined: 1) school attendance
2) official actions taken by the school district that affect the students experience in school (i.e., suspensions, retentions in grade, placement into special education
3) classroom grades
4) achievement test scores
and 5) school behavior. Information on the first 4 categories was available through school record. Information about school behavior was obtained from the childs third grade teacher. Attendance, Suspension, Retention in Grade. Placement into Special Education. Information regarding actions on suspension, attendance, retention in grade, and special education placement were obtained through a review of individual childs teacher and information kept by the principal at the school building level. Grades. Year-end grades in Reading, Math, and Language Arts were used for purposes of this evaluation. In addition, an overall grade-point average was computed. Achievement Test Scores. LRSD administers the Stanford-9 Achievement Test (SAT-9) battery during the fall of each school year. Scaled scores (SS) in Reading, Math, and Language Arts were used for purposed of this evaluation. Scaled scores are the only scores generated by the SAT-9 that can measure growth. Two years of SAT-9 data were used to determine if any differences existed between groups (i.e., HIPPY v. Non-HEPPY). The 3" grade sample was compared on current year and 2"' grade SAT-9 scores. The 6* grade sample was compared on, since they did not take the SAT-9 during the 98-99 school year, 4* and 3"^^ grade SAT-9 scores. Third grade students did not take the SAT - 9 during the grade and 6** grades were administered the SAT-8 in the 2^ grade, thus limiting the analysis to the above years. Using and controlling for previous years scores is analogous to a pre/post-test design. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusts the means on the dependent variable based on the differences between the two group means (HIPPY v. Non-HIPPY) on the covariate. The dependent variables for the two samples are the 3"^ and 5* grade SAT-9 scores. The covariates for the samples are the 2"'^ and 4* grade scores. In comparing only the dependent means, the comparison does not account for how participants scored on a similar measure at a previous point in time. 3Teacher Ratings of Student Behavior. Items in this section of this evaluation were
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Enjoyment of books and reading Listening and paying attention Task orientation Self direction Seeking and using assistance Curiosity Initiative Interest in school work Abihty to get along with peers 10. Overall adjustment 11. Overall academic performance Results School Attendance Retention, Suspension. Special Education Classroom Grades For each student, final grades for the year were obtained in Reading, Math, and Language Arts. These grades were converted to the traditional 4-point system (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=l, F=0) for purposes of analysis. An overall grade point average (GPA) was then computed from the three grades. Table 1 shows the means and standard deviations for each of these grades. It also displays the results of the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) run on the final grade for each subject. The results show that both HIPPY children and non-HIPPY children reveal similar outcomes, however HIPPY children show a difference in reading and math in the 3rd grade and a difference in reading, math, and language in the 5* grade. Achievement Test Scores The HIPPY students had higher mean/average scaled scores on all subject areas except the 3* grade students in language (see Table 2). In addition, 3"* grade HIPPY students had significantly higher scores in reading and 5* grade HIPPY students had significantly higher scores in math than Non-HIPPY students. Significance indicates that any difference is not by chance. Given the matching of students by a number of variables, it can be presumed that participation in the HIPPY program contributes significantly to the variance in scores. 4Not only did the HIPPY students have higher scores on the dependent variable (i.e., 3"^ and 4* grade scores)
these students also demonstrated more growth than the Non-HIPPY students. In all subject areas, the HIPPY students had lower scores than Non-HIPPY students on the covariate (i.e., 2"* and 3"* grade scores). Lower scores on the covariate and higher scores on the dependent variable, while not significant in several of the subject areas, is indicative of a trend towards faster growth among HIPPY students than Non-HIPPY students. Table 2 Student Mean Scaled Scores on the SAT-9 3"^^ Grade Students * HIPPY Reading' 2nd/3nl 515/568 Non-HIPPY 523/562 Math Qiid 507/550 513/549 Language 2*/3". 541/572 546/573 5* Grade Students HIPPY Reading 4th/5th 587/621 Non-HIPPY 589/619 Math* 4*/5* 569/603 578/601 Language 4th/5th 591/618 594/610 * p # .05 Teacher Rating of Student Behavior They vary fi'om student to student. However, HIPPY students appear to be curious, self-directed, have improved listening skills, initiative, and has the ability to get along with their peers. Conclusions A. School attendance - Showed no significant difference between the groups 5B. Retention - It appears the HIPPY students are less likely to be retained - only 1% was noted C. Grades - The statistics indicate the non-HIPPY student may have had a slight edge at the beginning of the 2"'^ grade, but the HIPPY students did have considerable gains by the end of the 3"^ grade as well as the 5* grade. D. HIPPY students are growing faster in reading, math, and language subject areas than Non-HEPPY students. In two subject areas (i.e., 3*^ grade reading and 6* graders in math), HIPPY students are growing at a statistically significant faster rate than Non-HIPPY students. E. classroom behavior CAVEATS 1. 2. 3. The design used in this study was not a true experimental design with randomized assignment of children to HIPPY, other formal preschool, and no formal preKindergarten educational experience groups. Therefore the internal validity of the study is potentially compromised. The methods of identifying and selecting eligible Students for the program may have resulted in a selection bias that could account for all observed differences. Although there is no evidence to support any particular selection bias, the children who had no preschool experience may have had parents who were less motivated or competent. There could even have been a passive discouragement of some parents because they were considered less good candidates for the program. The children with no preschool experience may also have come from neighborhoods or contexts that are generally less supportive of school performance. These possible selection factors (and a host of others not described) are unknown and probably unknowable. However, selection bias remains a potential alternative explanation for the differences observed. The sample size was relatively small, meaning that the study had low power to detect first, Small effects (i.e. differences between groups.) This limitation cuts two ways
it may obscure even a greater number of differences between HIPPY and comparison groups. Second, it may obscure some differences between HIPPY children and children with other formal preschool experience (however, the observed differences between these two groups were always small and inconsistent with respect to direction). No effort was made to determine whether the HIPPY program differentially benefited one sub-group more than another (i.e., makes more than females, all participants were black). Given that there were no prior hypotheses suggesting that gender or race or anything else would make a difference in 6program effects and given the size was relatively small, it seemed that testing for such differential effects may lead to unreliable results. Nonetheless, future studies of the HIPPY program should consider resting for such moderating effects. 4. The study was done only on children who received HIPPY from the Little Rock School District. Even though the children from the cohort who were students in the Little Rock School District at third grade also, in terms of race, family income and school, it is difficult to know how generalizable the findings are. 5. It is not appropriate, from a statistical point of view, to assume that each of the statistical tests done on these data represent independent tests of program effects. Running a larger number of tests increases the odds of capitalizing on some chance difference between groups. Nevertheless, we did not make corrections in the p-values used to establish differences between groups given limited power we had to detect differences of even a moderate size (i.e., 14 standard deviation). Therefore, it is possible that some of the differences represent chance finding. Nevertheless, the consistency of findings for HIPPY students makes it appear likely that a significant difference between HIPPY and comparison groups were observed on both math and science achievement test scores. 7REFERENCES Table 1 (3*^^ Graders) Differences in grades between children who participate in HIPPY, Children who attended preschool, and comparison children with no preschool experience Mean Standard Deviation F-Value P-Value Reading HIPPY Comparison Mathematics HIPPY Comparison Language Arts HIPPY Comparison Grade Point Average HIPPY Comparison 8 1 2Table 2 (6* Graders) Difference in achievement test scores between children who participated in HIPPY, children who attended preschool, and comparison children with no preschool experience Mean Standard Deviation F-Value P-Value Reading HIPPY Comparison Mathematics HIPPY Comparison Language Arts HIPPY Comparison Composite Scores HIPPY Comparison 1. 9I *^2A ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE WEDNESDAY, MAY 27. 1992 HIPPY enrolling 4-year-olds in LR The Little Rock School Districts Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters is now enrolling 4-year-olds for the 1992-^3 school year. HIPPY lets parents prepare children for school by providing information and supplies to work with children at home. For more information, call the HIPPY office at 324^ 2266. 20A ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE SUNDAY, JULY 5,1992 SPECIAL REPORT: BILL CLINTON PROMISES & PERFORMANCE 75 preschoolers learn ABCs of education School districts, enrollment The number of public school districts and average daily membership has declined since the 1978-79-School year In Arkansas: Districts: 385 I I I i I I with summer school BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Stall Writer Members of the Cave City School Districts Class of 2005 are spending this summer in school so they will be ready for kindergarten in the fall. The children go to preschool for a full day, eat lunch, take naps and learn the basics for becoming a successful 4- or 5-year-old - such as identifying shapes and colors, differentiating between left and right, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, telling a story, using good manners and even standing in line. The public-school preschool program in Cave City is free. It is among about 75 preschool programs that were offered this past school year through the Arkansas Better Chance program, which is administered by the states Early Childhood Commission. About 4,400 children were served last year by 63 ABC grant recipients. The number of children served could grow to as many 7,400 in 1992-93. The ABC program was treated by Act 212 of 1991 to provide grants to any non-profit early childhood program that serves educationally deprived children ages 3 to 5. The ABC program was adopted by the Legislature at the urging of Gov. Bill Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president. In his national campaign, Clinton has called for preschool programs for all who need them and for full funding for Head Start, a federally financed education program for 4- and 5-year olds. Arkansas ABC program is an effort to ensure that all children enter school ready to learn, which is one of six National Education Goals for 2000. Glenda Bean, executive director of the Early Childhood Commission, said that about 12,000 children are served by ABC and Head Start in Arkansas. Its not the total answer, Bean said about ABC. It wont solve all the problems of poverty, but it does provide a level playing field for children the small children during the when they start school.* The more we can do to prepare a child for school, the greater our success will be with our students, David Green, superintendent of the Cave City district, said recently. ABC is designed to be flexible. About a third of the ABC pupils participate in centerbased programs. Two-thirds are served in their homes by their mothers through the six- year-old Home Instruction Program for Pre-school Youngsters (HIPPY). The early childhood education programs are offered by school districts, cities, universities, day-care centers, educational cooperatives, and community development agencies. Bean said. Greens district is offering a summer program this year because the district didnt have adequate classroom space for 375 365 355 345 335 325 315 Ox ENROLL, (thousands) 455 450 445 440 435 430 425 0 1452,6101 School year
78-79 79-80 80-81 61-82 62-83 83-64 64-65 65-86 66-67 87-86 88-69 89-90 90-91 91-92 SOURCE: Annual Report of the public schools of Arkansas regular school year. The space is now available and the program will be offered to 20 pupils during the coming year. Green has a $53,000 grant for the summer program and $55,000 for 1992-93. The money enabled the district to meet requirements for a certified teacher and an aide, as well as provide instructional materials and do some renovation work. The district had to provide funds and services equal to 40 percent of the grant request to get the grants. Five million dollars was budgeted for ABC last year and $10 million will be available in .fiscal year 1993, Bean said. Some of the money will be used to evaluate the ABC programs, and to give technical assistance to those programs and to private childcare providers who serve more than 60,000 Arkansas children. We want all children to be 321 1429.7611 T M. STOREY / Democrat-Gazette prepared for school, Bean said. ABC provides up to $2,500 per child. With the matching money and services provided by a school district or other agency, the amount spent per child can be as much as $4,000, Bean said. The program includes health screenings for the children. ABC programs must serve children whose families meet requirements related to low income, low education level, or low baby birth weight. Not all children in the programs have to meet the requirements, however. In the Little Rock School District, for example, preschool programs are open to all children but not all children are funded by ABC. The Little Rock district uses ABC money for preschool programs at selected schools and for HIPPY.Arkansas Democrat WC^azcttc WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1993 Copyhght O 1993, UWe Rock NowsBapers, h Inc. a Graduation today for HIPPY youths Graduation ceremonies begin at 7 p.m. today at Horaice Mann Magnet Junior High School, 100 E, Roosevelt Road, for 4- and 5-year-olds enrolled in the Little Rock School Districts Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters Pulaski County Circuit Judge Marion Humphrey will be the commencement speaker. HIPPY is a home-based edu- 1 cation program in which school district aides train parents to teach their children the academic skills needed for success in school.Aikansas Democrat (gazette WEDNESDAY, MAY 18,1994 I HIPPY plans graduation for children The Rev. Hezekiah Stewart will be the guest speaker Sunday at a Little Rock School Dis- J trict program honoring children and families who completed the districts Home Instruction Pro- gram for Preschool Youngsters. The commencement ceremonies for the 4- and 5-year-olds will be at 3 p.m. in the auditorium of the Mann Arts and Sciences Magnet Junior High School. The children will wear caps and gowns to receive their diplomas. HIPPY is a home-based education program where children are taught by their parents. The parents get help and materials from instructional aides who visit the parents in the homes.1 1 Arkansas Democrat j FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1995 Copyright Uttle Rock Newspapers. Inc. hippy graduates to march at Mann Rock school Distrwt-S Home CbUd,aPned..beb^^. Instruction Program graduate in commencement pxercises at 2 p.m. Sunaa.y in vne > Magnet Junior High and sciences 6n.du..es, ail Mear-clds J11 'S and Bacb^ra Gillie,, the reglo.al n'isThomf^based pro^m where district-employed - to show parents make penodic aisj," S?,eild cSaiT,^, S pn<SS.'cSSTls-aet childs learning.A p r i I 5. 2 0 0 1 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEVE KEESEE side Gov. Mike Huckabees office at the state Capitol, state protesting a plan to cut millions from the HIPPY program. Barbara Gilkey of the states Home Instruction Program for along with a crowd of preschool workers from around the Pre-school Youngsters talks to reporters Wednesday out- $7.1 million cut from HIPPY cues chorus of protests from advocates BY SETH BLOMELEY ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Gov. Mike Huckabee may have picked the wrong time to announce a $7.1 million cut to in-home preschool programs for low-income Arkansans. The nonprofit advocacy group Home Instruction Program for Pre-School Youngsters (HIPPY) just happened to be holding its national convention Wednesday at Arkansas Excelsior Hotel in Little Rock Of the 600 or so preschool advo- HOUSE OKs bill to halt self-dealing in schools. Page 8A. cates and caseworkers assembled, about 50 of them based in Arkansas, all women, went to the state Capitol and planted themselves in folding chairs in front of Huckabees office to voice their outrage. One even hollered through the door from the lobby to the staff offices in the governors office suite to complain about the cuts. The governor didnt stop to chat. Huckabees state police security guards and the State Capitol Police whisked him through the crowd upon returning from his Wednesday morning radio call-in show in Little Rock. Huckabee ducked into the Governors Conference Room, which leads to a side door to his personal office. One officer said the preschool workers didnt notice the governor until he was safely See PROTESTS, Page 4A Protests Continued from Page 1A tucked away. Democracy is sometimes a messy process, Huckabee said later. Its not always pretty. Its never pleasant when you dont get what you want for Christmas. Theres no way to make everybody happy. Weve got to make some tough decisions. I dont want to tell anybody no. The Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday received more details about the governors $63 million cuts in his proposed budget for 2002 and $84 million for 2003. The administration has blamed a souring national economy for the governors overestimated projection in his original budget proposal for those two fiscal years. The committee plans to further discuss the cuts today. Some preschool workers in the HIPPY program say they dont understand the funding priorities of the Legislature and the governor. Both branches of government firmly support a plan to give teachers $3,000-a-year raises by the end of the coming biennium. We definitely support teachers raises, but it has to be done a different way, said Carolyn Cross of Russellville, a HIPPY coordinator. Cutting other services to children and families is not the right way to do it. Cross said the cut for HIPPY represents more than half of the programs budget in Arkansas. She estimates job losses in the hundreds for preschool workers statewide that serve 8,000 Arkansas families. While waiting for Huckabee, some HIPPY workers sang Happy Days are Here Again under the watchful eyes of Capitol police. But the state coordinator for the program, Barbara Gilkey of Little Rock, soon broke up the gathering. She said she wanted to state the groups case privately with administration officials. Then members of the group formed a circle and held hands, bowing their heads in prayer. Rich Huddleston of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families said the program is essential for helping toddlers prepare for kindergarten and elementary school. If this program goes, I dont know what itll do for school readiness in this state, he said. Huckabee didnt offer any olive branch to HIPPY but did talk to some preschool workers later as he walked through the Capitol. He said hes committed to state scholarships and teacher raises, which he contends will lead to better teacher recruitment and keep college- educated students in Arkansas. We can respectfully disagree, Huckabee said of those opposing his priorities. Department of Education Director Ray Simon said he wasnt giving up the idea of funding the program if other budget items in his department dont need as much money during the next two Ray Simon years as hes projected. He said he has nothing bad to say about the HIPPY program. He said the department received dozens of phone calls and faxes from unhappy in-home preschool workers who didnt like Huckabees proposed cut. The program is doing good things, Simon said. The issue here is the availability of revenues and the two priorities of protecting teacher raises and protecting [money to school districts]. Other cuts for 2002 include $18.5 million from the Department of Human Services, which handles a variety of welfare programs and had a proposed general revenue budget of $680 million. Of the cuts, $7 million comes from Medicaid. Were trying to protect as many recipients as we possibly can, department Director Kurt Knickrehm said. He said he wants to first make up the money through decreased staff travel, not filling vacant job slots and buying fewer computers. He also wants to see if theres any duplication in services that can be eliminated. Lawmakers have complained that the governor is shortchanging the Department of Human Services, which helps the poor in Arkansas, to shore up the Governors Distinguished Scholarships, given to students with a 32 ACT score but not restricted by family income limits. Knickrehm declined to comment. Huckabee acknowledged late Wednesday that he may lose the fight to inject another $5 million into the Academic Challenge Scholarship program for students with at least a 2.5 grade point average provided their family incomes do not exceed $70,000 a year. Earlier Wednesday, a Senate committee overwhelmingly voted to reduce funding for that scholarship. Department of Health Director Fay Boozman, who had a proposed $54 million budget, will lose $2.1 million for grants to community programs. He said the department runs dozens of programs, and he may not make the decision until July 1, the beginning of the 2002 fiscal year, which to cut. Fay Boozman The Department of Finance and Administration proposed cuts based on information from state agencies about the importance of various programs. The governors priorities are set forth in the proposed Revenue Stabilization Act. The state expects the top categories in the act A and B to be funded. If theres a greater revenue shortfall than expected over the next two years, all B category programs will be cut by an equal percentage. In 2002, the funding (and, therefore, spending) projected in the A and B categories totals $3.39 billion, up from the current fiscal years projected funding-and-spending total of $3.25 billion. In 2003, the A and B funding and spending totals will rise to $3.54 billion. In the A category, Huckabee has placed money for teachers raises, which will cost $122 million when fully funded in 2003, and a 2.6 percent annual cost-of-living raise for state employees, among other priorities. The proposed Revenue Stabilization Act also contains a B-1 category and a C categoiy. They contain programs that were cut from the original budget, such as the HIPPY preschool service. State officials dont expect money to come in for these programs, but they would be eligible for funding if revenue exceeds expectations. Senate President Mike Beebe, D-Searcy, has said he expects the Legislature to go along with most of the governors recommended cuts with the possible exception of the additional scholarship money. House Speaker Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, said hes giving up his proposal for adding another scholarship program, this one to help working adults returning to college.
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.