South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project Inc

TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTIVE, NURTURING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR AT-RISK WOMEN AND FAMILIES. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY OFFERING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT EMPOWER WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, BUILD SELF-ESTEEM, AND STRENGTHEN FAMILIAL AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO COVID-19, OUR OUTCOMES DIFFER FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM PROVIDED 61 CHILDREN (43 PRESCHOOLERS 18 INFANTS AND TODLERS), AGES 0-5, OFFERING EACH CHILD 612 HOURS OF EARLY EDUCATION. FOR A TOTAL OF 37,332 HOURS OF ONSITE EARLY EDUCATION. RESULTS OF PRE- AND POST-PROGRAM ASSESSMENTS (DRDP) OF CHILDREN AGES 3-5 SHOWED DEVELOPMENTAL GAINS, WITH THOSE ADVANCING TO THE TOP DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS IN EACH DOMAIN AS FOLLOWS (PRE-POST): SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL (14%-43%),LANGUAGE AND LITERACY(10%-41%),MATH (24%-44%),AND ENGLISH- LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT (10%-42%). WHILE THE NUMBER ADVANCING TO THESE TOP LEVELS - WHICH INDICATE READY OR NEARLY READY FOR KINDERGARTEN -MAY NOT BE AS HIGH AS IN PAST YEARS, ALL CHILDREN MADE DEVELOPMENTAL GAINS. CHILDREN ALSO LEARNED IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR KINDERGARTEN, SUCH AS WRITING THEIR NAME (37%-71%) AND USING SCISSORS (61%-86%). THESE GAINS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL FOR OUR DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNER STUDENTS, AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS SUBSTANTIALLY DISRUPTED THE EARLY LEARNING SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS POPULATION.

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO COVID-19, OUR OUTCOMES DIFFER FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. THE PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDED PARENTING CLASSES TO 24 MOTHERS FOR A TOTAL OF 963 HOURS PER PERSON AND A TOTAL OF 23,112 HOURS FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP. MOTHERS DEMONSTRATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO OUR PROGRAM WITH A RETENTION RATE OF 95% AND ATTENDANCE RATE OF 88%. WHILE WE DID NOT SEE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM PRE- TO POST-SURVEYS OF MOTHERS, WE SAW CONSIDERABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR CHILDREN, WHICH IS REMARKABLE GIVEN THEIR PERSONAL HARDSHIPS DUE TO COVID-19. THE FOLLOWING IS THE PERCENTAGE OF MOTHERS WHO REPORTED ENGAGING IN THE STATED ACTIVITY WITH THEIR CHILD AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES PER WEEK ON AVERAGE: READING-86%; PLAYING-91%; SINGING SONGS-91%; TALKING ABOUT LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET-94%; AND HAVING CHILD PLAY WITH CRAYONS OR OTHER WRITING INSTRUMENTS-97%. EIGHTY-NINE PERCENT(89%)REPORTED FEELING CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S TRANSITION TO KINDERGARTEN. IN ADDITION, WE COMPLETED THE "FIRST FIVE YEARS" WORKSHOP SERIES IN OUR FIRST-YEAR PARENTING CLASS. PRE- AND POST-TESTS SHOWED THAT 100% OF MOTHERS MADE GAINS IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THIS TOPIC, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AS PARENTS WHO ARE INFORMED ABOUT AGE-APPROPRIATE MILESTONES ARE BETTER ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT. EACH FAMILY ALSO RECEIVED A VISIT FROM THE FAMILY ADVOCATE TO ASSIST IN ANY ISSUES THEY MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERING.

IN LIEU OF CASAS (WHICH MUST BE PROCTORED), ESL STUDENTS TOOK VENTURES, A STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT FOR THEIR ESL CURRICULUM. OF STUDENTS WITH A PRE- AND POST-TEST SCORE, 79% INCREASED THEIR SCORE; 14% MAINTAINED IT. BEYOND THE FORMAL ASSESSMENT, TEACHERS REPORTED STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY ATTENDED VIRTUAL ESL CLASSES WITH ATTENTION AND ENTHUSIASM; COMPLETED AT-HOME LANGUAGE PRACTICE AND ASSIGNMENTS; AND APPLIED CONCEPTS LEARNED WHEN SPEAKING IN CLASS. THE ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAM (ESL) PROVIDED 24 WOMEN WITH 2,100 HOURS PER PARTICIPANT FOR A TOTAL OF 50,400 ESL HOURS FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP.