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Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a school readiness home instruction program designed for children ages 3, 4, and 5 where parents take an active role as their child's primary educators. The 30-week curriculum guides low literacy parents to create opportunities for their children to acquire basic skills and knowledge needed for future school success.

Programs are implemented at the community level through a community based organization, school district, or a housing development. Trained coordinators and community-based home visitors role play activities with parents and support family participation throughout the program. The HIPPY model seeks to remove barriers to participation such as poverty, education, and other socieoeconomic issues. Funding sources vary across communities and include head start, Title 1, private businesses, and public housing initiatives.

Goal / Mission

HIPPY programs empower parents as primary educators of their children in the home and foster parent involvement in school and community life to maximize the chances of successful early school experiences.

Impact

Through 20 years of research, the HIPPY model has proven to be effective in improving school readiness, parent involvement in students' academic lives, school attendance, classroom behavior, and overall academic performance.

Results / Accomplishments

There are currently 129 HIPPY sites in 21 states and the District of Columbia. A number of evaluations have proven the success of HIPPY programs on children's school readiness and performance. An evaluation done in Alabama showed significant improvements on kindergarten readiness tests for ages 3 and 4 (p<.001) after participating in the HIPPY program. A study performed by the RAND corporation found the cost-benefit ratio of the HIPPY program to be 1.80, which means that the program generates a benefit of $1.80 for each dollar invested in the program. In 2011, HIPPY was recognized as one of the first seven evidence-based home models showing significant outcomes in school readiness and positive parenting skills and, consequently, has qualified for funding under the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
HIPPY USA
Topics
Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education
Education / Student Performance K-12
Organization(s)
HIPPY USA
Date of implementation
1988
Location
USA
For more details
https://hippy-international.org/
Target Audience
Children, Families
Submitted By
Children Services Council Palm Beach County

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.