Those school districts trying to close the achievement gap increasingly recognize that the gap begins well before children enter kindergarten. Programs such as Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) and Parents as Teachers (PAT) work directly with parents in their homes to give them books, activities, and the skills needed for them to take responsibility for preparing their children for school. HIPPY features a structured home visitation model that includes the delivery of a cognitively-based curriculum by peer home visitors. Home visitors deliver 30 weeks of high quality school readiness curriculum activities and books directly to parents, who then work each day with their own three-, four-, and five-year-old children. Investments that promote parental involvement in early learning pay off for schools, families and, most importantly, the children before and during their time in the school system.