The First National Conference for Even Start providers was held in San Diego in 1994. The convener was the William D. Lynch Foundation for Children under the guidance of Mr. Scott Himelstein its President. The idea of a yearly national conference was reached at that first meeting and resulted in the founding of the National Even Start Association the next year by the 
William D. Lynch Foundation for Children. Attendance has risen from 180 to over 700 in the intervening five years and the Association's membership now numbers 614. 

A 16-member board of directors was formed in 1995 and brings to the Association a wide range of expertise in literacy and education. The mission of the Association is to provide a national voice and vision for Even Start Family Literacy programs. 

The idea of having regional academies was first mentioned during the January 1999 Association board meeting. It was introduced as an opportunity to expand professional development experiences for Even Start projects across the country. The regional academies will also provide Even Start projects with an increased opportunity for local program participation. The Board of Directors discussed a number of academy benefits and after much discussion 
unanimously voted to pursue the regional academy concept. The theme for the inaugural academies arose from a lengthy discussion of the National Research Council's report, "Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children". The Board believed this report provided a great deal of important information that would form the backbone for a variety of significant professional development experiences.

Using the academy format concept and the National Research Council's report as a theme, the National Even Start Association drafted a proposal. The proposal was presented to the United States Department of Education Federal Even Start Coordinator Pat McKee and her staff. Ms. McKee was supportive of both the format and the theme of the proposed academies. 
Through her efforts and those of her staff, Doris Sligh and Laura Chow, the United States Department of Education provided funding for three Even Start Association Academies.

The Academies were developed and presented as follows:

National Even Start Association Regional Training Academy

Preventing Reading Difficulties

Each of the 1999 National Even Start Association Academies was a one and one half day intensive professional development experience for state and local level Even Start program coordinators, instructional staff, reading specialists, and program evaluators. The focus of each academy was an outgrowth of the National Research Council report, "Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children." Issues of collaboration, program linking and the integration of 
national and local evaluation data for continuous program improvement were also incorporated.

The Academy was divided into four basic topics with two general sessions and one extensive Question and Answer session for Even Start grantees led by Pat McKee, Doris Sligh and Laura Chow. The program was as follows: