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.

THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM PROVIDED 61 CHILDREN (51 PRESCHOOLERS, 10 INFANTS AND TODDLERS), AGES 0-5, OFFERING EACH CHILD 612.5 HOUR OF EARLY EDUCATION. FOR A TOTAL OF 37,362 HOURS OF ONSITE EARLY EDUCATION. RESULTS OF FALL 2022 AND SPRING 2023 DRDP ASSESSMENTS REVEALED THAT ALL CHILDREN MADE DEVELOPMENTAL GAINS. CHILDREN AGES 3-5 SHOWED SIGNIFICANT GAINS, AS MEASURED BY THE PERCENTAGE WHO ADVANCED TO THE TOP DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS - WHICH INDICATE READY OR NEARLY READY FOR KINDERGARTEN ENTRY - IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING DOMAINS (PRE-POST): SELF-REGULATION (18%-68%), SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL (12%-71%), LANGUAGE AND LITERACY (9%-66%), AND ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT (31%-52%). THESE GAINS WERE CRUCIAL FOR PREPARING OUR DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNER STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND LIFE. BY YEAR'S END, A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN HAD ALSO DEVELOPED IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR KINDERGARTEN, SUCH AS WRITING THEIR NAME (24%-78%), WRITING ALL LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET (0-40%),AND USING SCISSORS CORRECTLY (61%-92%). THESE GAINS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL FOR OUR DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNER STUDENTS, AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SUBSTANTIALLY DISRUPTED THE EARLY LEARNING SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS POPULATION.

THE PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDED FAMILY LITERACY PARENTING CLASSES TO 26 MOTHERS FOR A TOTAL OF 963 HOURS PER PERSON AND A TOTAL OF 963 HOURS PER PERSON AND A TOTAL OF 25,025 HOURS FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDED AN ONLINE 10-WEEK PARENTING SERIES TO 25 ADULTS FOR A TOTAL OF 375 HOURS OF PARENTING ONLINE. WE ALSO PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 128 HOURS OF KINSHIP SUPPORT TO 8 ADULTS. IN THE FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM, DESPITE POST PANDEMIC CHALLENGES, THE RETENTION RATE OF 80% AND ATTENDANCE RATE OF 88%. PRE- AND POST-PROGRAM SURVEYS REVEALED IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTHERS' ENGAGEMENT IN ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT AND PARENT-CHILD ATTACHMENT, INCLUDING (PRE-POST): READING TO CHILDREN 3+ TIMES WEEKLY (56%-94%); VISITING THE LIBRARY AT LEAST MONTHLY (32%-53%); AND FREQUENTLY PLAYING WITH THEIR CHILD (60%-88%), SINGING SONGS OR PLAYING MUSIC WITH THEIR CHILD (40%-76%), TALKING ABOUT LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET (36%-76%), AND TALKING WITH THEIR CHILD'S TEACHER ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT LEARNING AT HOME (68%-94%). MOTHERS ALSO REPORTED INCREASED VOLUNTEERING IN THEIR CHILD'S CLASSROOM (24%-88%), ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL EVENTS (48%-76%), AND PARTICIPATION IN PARENT MEETINGS AT THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL SUCH AS PTA (40%-76%). REPORT. 100% OF MOTHERS REPORTED BEING MORE AWARE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES SINCE ENTERING OUR PROGRAM. NINETY-SIX PERCENT (96%) OF MOTHERS REPORTED RECEIVING ASSISTANCE IN OVERCOMING BARRIERS THAT WERE PREVENTING THEM FROM ACCESSING PHYSICAL AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

THE ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAM (ESL) PROVIDED 26 WOMEN WITH 480 HOURS PER PARTICIPANT FOR A TOTAL OF 12,480 ESL HOURS FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP. TO MEASURE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERACY GAINS, WE ADMINISTERED THE STANDARDIZED CASAS ASSESSMENT. OF THE 19 MOTHERS WITH A PRE- AND POST-TEST SCORE, 100% MADE A GAIN. OF THOSE WHO MADE A GAIN, 17 (89%) ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT GAINS BY REACHING THEIR GOAL OR BEYOND. STUDENTS REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE USING ENGLISH FOR EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS SHOPPING AND ORDERING AT RESTAURANTS, AND TEACHERS OBSERVED THAT THE MAJORITY HAD BECOME MORE CONFIDENT SPEAKING AND READING ENGLISH. FURTHER, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, 96% OF MOTHERS REPORTED PRACTICING ENGLISH WITH THEIR CHILDREN - UP FROM 78%