Technology in a Head Start Parent Center

Unless children and parents have training and access to computers and the power they offer, computers create a barrier for them as they navigate a society that depends on computers for information and occupational advancement. This paper describes a program developed by North Shore Head Start in Beverly, Massachusetts and CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) in Peabody, Massachusetts. The Salem Family Learning Center provides computer training and access for parents and teachers, training Head Start parents and teachers along with K-3 teachers. This training and access allows parents to use computers in ways that support their children's learning while increasing their own learning, and also forges connections between parents and teachers that ease the transition to school. Along with computer training and drop-in access to computers, the Center offers a range of family support services that include STEP training and AA meetings. After describing the program's history, how it works, and who it serves, the paper discusses plans to expand such sites to form a national network of Family and Community Literacy Centers. Plans include the creation of an accessible computer network to link sites and resources, major program goals, and how the goals will be measured. (EV)