There is a well-documented and long-standing disparity between the reading levels of African American children and their European American peers (Craig, 2006). The assessments used to determine student reading levels have been criticized. Washington (1996) proposed that most child language development models and test norms used for assessing the language skills of African American children are based largely on the communication profiles of children from White, middle-class, Standard American English (SAE) speaking backgrounds. This study explores the results of African American children’s emergent literacy skills through use of the CTOPP (Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing). The CTOPP is a widely used, reliable and valid measure in education. Participants in the study will include prekindergarten students enrolled in a Georgia lottery funded PreK program. The participants’ emergent literacy skills will be assessed through use of the CTOPP. Results of study will be analyzed in light of what is considered the normative scores for achievement in early literacy skills.
