Multitiered Early Literacy Identification in 3-Year-Old Children in Head Start Settings

Three-year-old children are seldom the focus in studies about supplemental early literacy instructional support. This study examines 3-year-old children’s potential need for additional early literacy support, extending and replicating a previous investigation that identified prekindergarten children (i.e., 4-year-olds) in Head Start classrooms for additional tiers of early literacy support. The sample included 143 children from Head Start centers in a southeastern, urban region of the United States who had received both fall and spring administrations of an early literacy screener (i.e., Get Ready to Read! —Revised). Standard scores were used to classify children into three tiers, and child tier movement from fall to spring was analyzed. Results support the feasibility of a tiered approach for examining 3-year-old children’s early literacy instructional needs. This might allow researchers and practitioners to provide intervention to children much sooner, thereby increasing the potential for positive long-term reading outcomes.