Background

The Parents as Teachers Story

The concept for Parents as Teachers was developed in the 1970s when Missouri educators noted that children were beginning kindergarten with varying levels of learning readiness. Research showed that greater family involvement in children's learning is a critical link in the child's development of academic skills, including reading and writing. Early childhood professionals suggested that a program to help parents understand their role in encouraging their child's development right from birth could help prepare children for school and life success. Such a program, available to all families, would help level the playing field for all children.

With funding from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and The Danforth Foundation, Parents as Teachers began in 1981 in Missouri as a pilot project for first-time parents of newborns. Convinced of the program's benefits and cost effectiveness, state funding was provided in 1985 to implement the PAT program in all Missouri school districts. Since 1985, Parents as Teachers has expanded to all 50 states and to other countries.

The Meld Story

Meld was formed in 1973 to meet the needs of new parents in the Twin Cities. Research indicated that society isolated parents from the information and support they needed to be effective. Meld's initial program incorporated the best information available about adult education, family management and early childhood education. Early success led communities to ask Meld to adapt the program to reach populations raising children in high-stress conditions, such as adolescent mothers and immigrants/refugees. 

In 2005, Meld merged with Parents as Teachers National Center, bringing with it a broad inventory of educational and support programs for parents, training for family service providers, and publications for parents and those who work with them. These services and products help parents set goals and make decisions for their education, work and family life that increase their self-confidence, self-sufficiency and ability to successfully manage a family.

Timeline

1972 Missouri State Board of Education adopts position paper affirming the significance of children’s early learning and its impact on later school success.

The first state director of early childhood education is appointed.

1975 Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) holds the first Conference for Decision Makers to present research evidence on effectiveness of early childhood/parent education.

1976 Governor’s Conference on Education designates early childhood/parent education as one of five areas of study.

1977 Legislation is introduced proposing state funding for developmental screening and follow-up services for children 3 through 5 years of age.

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1981 Second Conference for Decision Makers is held focusing on research evidence of the critical nature of the first three years of life.

New Parents as Teachers (NPAT) pilot project is launched for 380 families of newborns in four school districts — a joint project of DESE, The Danforth Foundation, and the Farmington, Ferguson-Florissant, Francis Howell, and Independence school districts.

1982 Commissioner’s Committee on Parents as Teachers is appointed to promote parent involvement in their children’s education.

1984 Missouri General Assembly passes the Early Childhood Development Act requiring school districts to provide parent education and developmental screening from birth to kindergarten entry.

1985 Results of an independent evaluation of NPAT pilot project are released, generating international interest because of benefits shown to children at age 3 and their parents.

Missouri General Assembly appropriates funds to implement PAT statewide for 10% of the families with children birth to three.

1986 Ohio, Texas and Connecticut become the first states outside Missouri to implement Parents as Teachers.

1987 The Parents as Teachers National Center is established in response to the program’s growth within and outside of Missouri.

1988 State funds are appropriated to extend developmental screening and Parents as Teachers (PAT) to kindergarten entry for Missouri families.

1989 Follow-up study of NPAT pilot project shows project children are significantly ahead of comparison group at the end of first grade; project parents are significantly more involved in children’s school experiences.

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1990 Parents as Teachers National Center (PATNC) is incorporated as an independent not-for-profit organization; a Board of Directors is appointed representing state and national leadership.

1991 Results of the Second Wave Evaluation of statewide PAT programs show children’s gains at age 3 are comparable to those of children in the pilot project.

First Lady Barbara Bush visits Parents as Teachers and gives recognition to the PAT program.

Australia becomes the first country outside of the United States to implement Parents as Teachers.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs implements the Family and Child Education (FACE) program with PAT as a component.

1992 First Born to Learn™ Conference is held in St. Louis attracting more then 600 participate from around the world.

1993 The follow-up study of Second Wave families is initiated.

Missouri’s Outstanding Schools Act provides for full state funding of PAT by 1998.

The number of PAT programs across the nation passes the 1,000 mark. Programs are also established in England, New Zealand, and the West Indies.

1994 US Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, visits Parents as Teachers and publicly commends the program.

Evaluation studies of PAT programs outside Missouri show significant gains for high-needs children and parents.

1995 The first federal funding ($10 million) is approved for National Education Goal 8: Parental Assistance; legislation names Parents as Teachers as a model program.

Follow-up of the Second Wave Evaluation shows children’s achievement levels at age 3 are maintained at the end of first/second grade; parents’ levels of school involvement are high.

1996 A three-year grant from the Charles A. Dana Foundation for Linking Neuroscience and Education to Improve Parenting of Young Children puts PAT on the cutting edge in early childhood family education.

1997 Development and field testing of the neuroscience-infused Born to Learn™ Curriculum begins.

PATNC is awarded a grant from the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation to produce the Born to Learn™ Video Series to complement the curriculum.

PATNC is invited to the White House Conference on Early Learning and Brain Development.

PATNC hosts the National Forum, Good Beginnings for All Children: From Brain Research to Action, with Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.

1998 The number of PAT programs surpasses the 2,000 mark with sites in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, and St. Lucia.

1999 The Born to Learn™ Curriculum is introduced to current PAT parent educators and becomes the official PAT curriculum, prenatal to age 3.

The PATNC Training Center is created in space adjacent to the National Center's administrative offices.

A study released by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education involving 3,500 students concludes that children who participated in the Parents as Teachers program were better prepared to enter kindergarten than those who did not participate in the program.

Mildred S. Winter Scholarship Fund for PAT training is established in honor of Founding Director Mildred Winter's outstanding contribution to the fields of parent education and home visiting.

PAT expands into its first two US Territories, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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2000 Born to Learn™ Neuroscience Video Series is translated into Spanish and made available to PAT programs.

2001 Born to Learn™ Curriculum: Prenatal to 3 Years and the Program Administration Guide are translated into Spanish, allowing programs to request materials in Spanish or English at the time parent educators receive training.

The first programs in the State of Hawaii are certified, establishing PAT in all 50 US states.

Standards are developed for assessing the quality of PAT programs delivering the Born to Learn™ Curriculum; Prenatal to 3 Years; pilot testing of the assessment process is initiated.

2002 Born to Learn™ Curriculum: 3 Years to Kindergarten Entry is infused with neuroscience information.

2003 Parents as Teachers expands program to China and puts PAT in seven other countries.

2004 Parents as Teachers is implemented in Mexico.

2005 Meld merges with Parents as Teachers, expanding reach and resources for both organizations. PAT exapnds to Belize and Germany.

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