Research on Head Start and Early Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs that serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-focused programs and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families. Head Start and Early Head Start programs are administered by the Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program is locally administered by community-based nonprofit organizations and school systems. The following Federal agencies, national organizations, and publications have information about research on Head Start and Early Head Start.

Federal Agency

Head Start Bureau (HSB)
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
330 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20447
202-205-8572
World Wide Web: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb

Head Start is a child development program that has served low-income children and their families since 1965. The Head Start Bureau maintains a Web site as an electronic resource for Head Start service providers, parents, volunteers, community organizations, and others who share an interest in helping children look forward to a brighter future. The following resources relating to research and assessment are divided into three sections:

I. Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) research;
II. The Early Head Start Research and Evaluation (EHSRE) project, and
III. Additional research and statistics related to Head Start that were sponsored by HHS.

I. Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) Research

In 1997, Head Start launched FACES, a study of a national random sample of Head Start programs in order to describe the characteristics, experiences, and outcomes for children and families served by Head Start. It also explores the relationships among family and program characteristics and outcomes. In 2000, FACES began data collection on a new national cohort—FACES 2000. The following resources have used this longitudinal data from successive, scientifically representative samples of children, families, teachers, classrooms, and programs to answer critical questions about child outcomes and program quality. Current information about the on-going FACES study including an introduction and information on the project team, data collection, the sub-study, instruments, “Performance Measures Report 2,” “Performance Measures Report 3,” FACES findings, and project presentations and papers. This information is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html,
“The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES): What are We Learning about Program Quality and Child Development?” (Winter 2003), a Research Update, in Children and Families, by Ruth Hubbell McKey, for the National Head Start Association, uses FACES data from the 1997 and 2000 that examine child development; classroom quality; parent perceptions and experiences; and staff characteristics, knowledge, and opinions; and changes in the program and children over time. This information is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/pres_papers/nhsa/nhsa_faces_w03.pdf.
Head Start FACES 2000: A Whole-Child Perspective on Program Performance (May 2003), by Nicholas Zill, Gary Resnick, Kwang Kim, Kevin O’Donnell, Alberto Sorongon, Ruth Hubbell McKey, Shefali Pai-Samant, and Cheryl Clark, for Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation, OPRE, ACF, HHS, provides an in-depth discussion of Head Start children’s cognitive and social-emotional development; Head Start programs’ use of curricula; quality in Head Start classrooms; relationship of program and classroom characteristics to children’s outcomes; relationship of family and parental characteristics to children’s outcomes; and predictive validity of the FACES cognitive and behavioral measures. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/reports/faces00_4thprogress/faces00_4thprogress.pdf.
“Relationship of Program and Classroom Characteristics to Children’s Cognitive Gains and Social Development in Head Start” (April 2003), by Nicholas Zill, OPRE, ACF, HHS, is a conference presentation that examines variations in children’s cognitive and social-emotional development and their relationships to program and class characteristics that are believed to be associated with enhanced cognitive growth or emotional maturation. The study is a comparison of the 2000 FACES cohort to the 1997 cohort. The study found gains in vocabulary and early writing, and increased learning of letter recognition. The study also found significant gains in children’s cooperative behavior and declines in problem behavior. This resource is available on the Web at Relationship of Program and Classroom Characteristics to Children’s Cognitive Gains and Social Development in Head Start (April 2003), by Nicholas Zill, for the Child Outcomes Research & Evaluation, Division of Child and Family Development,Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a conference presentation that examines variations in children’s cognitive and social-emotional development and their relationships to program and class characteristics that are believed to be associated with enhanced cognitive growth or emotional maturation. The study is a comparison of the 2000 cohort of FACES to the 1997 cohort. The study found gains by children in vocabulary and early writing and increased learning of letter recognition. The study also found significant gains in children’s cooperative behavior and declines in problem behavior. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/pres_papers/relation_program/relation_program.pdf.
“Understanding Quality in Head Start Classrooms: The Role of Teacher and Program-Level Factors” (April 2003), by Gary Resnick and Nicholas Zill, for the Head Start Bureau, ACF, HHS, is a conference presentation that uses data from the FACES to address the following research questions:

1. What is the quality of Head Start classrooms in 2000-2001, and how does it compare to quality reported in 1997-1998?

2. What are the backgrounds, qualifications and experiences of Head Start teachers in 2000-2001 and were there any changes from the earlier cohort (1997-1998)?

3. What is the relationship between the quality of Head Start classrooms and teacher qualifications, experience and attitudes and knowledge; which factors seem most important in explaining variations in quality?

4. Do factors beyond the classroom, such as the types of curricula Head Start programs provide, the average teacher salaries, and characteristics of families served by the Head Start program explain variations in the quality of Head Start?

This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/pres_papers/understding_quality_hs/understing_quality.pdf.

Growth in Children’s Literacy Skills in Head Start and Early Elementary School: Implications for Preschool Curricula (April 2001), by Nicholas Zill, Gary Resnick, and Kevin O’Donnell, sponsored by ACF, HHS, uses longitudinal data from 1,613 children in the FACES cohort to test three hypotheses: 1) children who leave preschool with more developed language and decoding skills will do better in elementary school and be further along the path to reading by the end of kindergarten; 2) the amount of benefit children derive from a preschool program is directly proportional to the quantity and quality of language-related activities in the program; and 3) children who have received less language stimulation at home stand to gain more from literacy-related activities in preschool. The FACES child assessment appraised children’s cognitive and perceptual-motor development in areas such as word knowledge, letter recognition, and knowledge of book and print conventions. The majority of children who entered Head Start came into the program with early literacy skills that were less developed than those of most children of the same age. Children showed significant gains in vocabulary and early writing compared to national norms in both Head Start and kindergarten. Although younger children who spent a second year in Head Start showed further increases in their average raw scores on three literacy-related tasks, they showed less gain or no gain with respect to national norms. Children who finished Head Start with more developed vocabulary and writing skills scored higher on assessments of these skills at the end of kindergarten. FACES results lend support to the three hypotheses. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/pres_papers/growth_in_children/growth_in_children.pdf. .
Head Start FACES: Longitudinal Findings on Program Performance: Third Progress Report (January 2001), byNicolas Zill, published by the Head Start Bureau and the OPRE, ACF, HHS, describes an ongoing, national, longitudinal study of the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of Head Start children; the characteristics, well-being, and accomplishments of families; the observed quality of Head Start classrooms; and the characteristics and opinions of Head Start teachers and other program staff. FACES involves a nationally stratified random sample of 3,200 children and families in 40 Head Start programs, who were studied at entry into the program in the fall of 1997, assessed in the spring at the completion of one or two years of Head Start, and followed-up in the spring of the kindergarten and 1^st grade years. A new national cohort of FACES was launched in fall 2000. The Executive Summary states that the study results showed that Head Start:

narrows the gaps between disadvantaged children and all children in vocabulary and writing skills during the Head Start year;

improves the social skills of Head Start children; and

leads to continued improvements in word knowledge, letter recognition, math skills and writing skills by Head Start children relative to other children during the kindergarten year. (page i)

The complete report is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/reports/perform_3rd_rpt/perform_3rd_rpt.pdf.

FACES Findings: New Research on Head Start Program Quality and Outcomes: Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (June 2000), by ACF, HHS, presents information based on data collected in Spring 1997, Fall 1997, and Spring 1998 FACES. Findings are presented in three areas: classroom quality, benefits to children, and benefits to families. Among the findings highlighted are the following: Head Start classrooms have higher quality than most center-based early childhood programs; among classroom strengths are the schedule, atmosphere, provisions for parents, and provisions for children with special needs; benefits to children included significant growth in vocabulary, improvement in social skills and relationships, and gains in school readiness; and benefits to families included their reading to children, involving children in family activities, actively participating in their children’s Head Start activities, and being satisfied with the program. The pamphlet concludes with a description of additional Head Start initiatives and sources for additional information. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/reports/faces_findings/facesfindings.pdf.
What Children Know and Can Do At the End of Head Start and What It Tells Us About The Program’s Performance (1999), by Nicholas Zill, Gary Resnick, and Ruth Hubbell McKey, published by the Head Start Performance Measures Center (PMC), ACF, HHS, is one of a series of papers using data from FACES to study the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of Head Start children; the characteristics, well-being, and accomplishments of families; the observed quality of Head Start classrooms; and the characteristics, needs, and opinions of Head Start teachers and other program staff. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/pres_papers/what_children_know/children_know.pdf.

II. Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (EHSRE)
The Early Head Start Research and Evaluation project is a rigorous, large-scale, random-assignment evaluation of Early Head Start sponsored by the Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), OPRE, ACF, HHS. The project was funded in two phases. The Birth to Three Phase (1996–2001) included an Implementation Study, an Impact Evaluation that investigated program impacts on children and families through the children’s second and third birthday, and local research projects. The Pre-Kindergarten Follow-up Phase (2001–2004) built upon the earlier research and followed the children and families who were in the original study from the time they left the Early Head Start program until they entered kindergarten. The Early Head Start Research Consortium—composed of Federal staff, national evaluation contractor staff, 15 local research teams, and directors of 17 Early Head Start programs—was created to facilitate collaboration on issues related to policy, assessment, and the use of research and evaluation data. For additional information, contact Rachel Chazen Cohen at 202-205-8810 or by e-mail at rachel.cohen@acf.hhs.gov or Helen Raikes at 402-486-6504 or by e-mail at hraikes@acf.hhs.gov.

A list of findings, special topics, and reports from EHSRE is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/#overview. These include the following:

Overall Findings:

Overall Findings and Implications for Programs From the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, Long Version (January 2003) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/dissemination/overall_long/overall_findings_talkingpts.pdf); and
Early Head Start Benefits Children and Families: Research Brief (June 2002) http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/dissemination/research_briefs/research_brief_overall.pdf.

Special Topics:

Study Reports:

Role of Early Head Start Programs in Addressing the Child Care Needs of Low-Income Families with Infants and Toddlers: Influences and Child Care Use and Quality (February 2004) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/role_ehs_cc/role_ehs_cc.pdf);
Health and Disabilities Services in Early Head Start: Are Families Getting Needed Health Care Services? (January 2004) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/ehs_disabilities/ehs_disabilities.pdf);
Pathways to Quality and Full Implementation in Early Head Start Programs (December 2002) http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/pathways/pathways.pdf;
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers and Their Families: The Impacts of Early Head Start. Executive Summary (June 2002) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/impacts_exesum/impacts_execsum.pdf);
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers and Their Families: The Impacts of Early Head Start Volume I: Final Technical Report (June 2002) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/impacts_vol1/impacts_vol1.pdf);
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers and Their Families: The Impacts of Early Head Start Volume II: Final Technical Report Appendixes (June 2002) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/impacts_vol2/impacts_vol2.pdf);
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers and Their Families: The Impacts of Early Head Start Volume III: Local Contributions to Understanding Programs and Their Impacts (June 2002) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/impacts_vol3/impacts_vol3.pdf);
Building Their Futures: How Early Head Start Programs Are Enhancing the Lives of Infants and Toddlers in Low-Income Families. Volume I: Technical Report (June 2001) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/buildingvol_1/bldg_vol1.pdf);
Building Their Futures: How Early Head Start Programs Are Enhancing the Lives of Infants and Toddlers in Low-Income Families. Volume II: Technical Report, Appendixes (June 2001) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/buildingvol_2/vol_2_techapp.pdf);
Building Their Futures: How Early Head Start Programs Are Enhancing the Lives of Infants and Toddlers in Low-Income Families. Summary Report (January 2001) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/building_summary/building_exesum.pdf);
Building Their Futures: How Early Head Start Programs Are Enhancing the Lives of Infants and Toddlers in Low-Income Families. Volume II: Technical Report, Appendixes (June 2001) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/buildingvol_2/vol_2_techapp.pdf);
Leading the Way: Characteristics and Early Experience of Selected Early Head Start Programs. Executive Summary Volumes I, II, and III (December 2000) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/leading_summary/lead_sum.pdf);
Leading the Way: Characteristics and Early Experience of Selected Early Head Start Programs. Volume III: Program Implementation (December 2000) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/leadingvol_3/leading_vol3.pdf);
Leading the Way: Characteristics and Early Experience of Selected Early Head Start Programs. Volume I: Cross-Site Perspectives (December 1999) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/leadingvol_1/leading_vol1.pdf); and
Leading the Way: Characteristics and Early Experience of Selected Early Head Start Programs. Volume II: Program Profiles (December 1999) (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/leadingvol_2/leading_vol2.pdf).

III. Additional HHS-Sponsored Research and Statistics

The Head Start Bureau’s Research and Statistics Web page, which includes Head Start Statistical Fact Sheets and Recent Reports, is available on the Web at http://www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/research/index.htm.
Head Start Impact Study: First Year Findings (May 2005), prepared by Michael Puma, Stephen Bell, Ronna Cook, Camilla Heid, and Michael Lopez, Westat and the Urban Institute, for the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), ACF, HHS, is a report to Congress on preliminary findings on impacts after one year in Head Start (fall 2002 to spring 2003). Data collection began in fall 2002 and is scheduled to continue through 2006, following children through the spring of their 1st-grade year. Preliminary findings indicate that Head Start produced small to moderate impacts in areas such as prereading, prewriting, vocabulary, and in health and parent practice domains. However, these impacts did not close the gap between low-income children in the Head Start program and the general population of 3- and 4-year olds. There were no significant impacts for 3- and 4-year olds in areas of early mathematics, oral comprehension, and social competencies. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/impact_study/reports/first_yr_finds/first_yr_finds.pdf.
Program Review Instrument for Systems Monitoring of Head Start and Early Head Start (PRISM) Grantees, 2004 (2004),by the Head Start Bureau, ACF, HHS, presents the PRISM, a set of tools and processes that examine and support continuous improvement in Head Start and Early Head Start service quality. PRISM contains 18 core questions to assess grantee management and service performance and includes interview guides, observation instruments, and checklists. The guide describes the Federal monitoring process for Head Start and Early Head Start programs and provides guidance to Federal team leaders, review team members, and grantees regarding the conduct of reviews. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/pdf/PRISMGuide2004.pdf.
“Relationship of Family and Parental Characteristics to Children’s Cognitive and Social Development in Head Start” (2003), by Mary Ann D’Elio, Robert W. O’Brien, and Michael Vaden-Kiernan, for Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation, OPRE, ACF, HHS, related child behaviors and family outcomes to risk factors—such as maternal depression, exposure to violence and domestic violence, and involvement with the criminal justice system—and protective factors such as family activities and family support from Head Start. This Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/reports/faces00_4thprogress/faces00_chp6.html.
Building Futures: The Head Start Impact Study Interim Report (September 2003), prepared by Westat, for the Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation, OPRE, ACF, HHS, describes the background and purposes of the study, the progress made to date in implementing the study, the current activities being undertaken to conduct a field test and prepare for the full study, and the projected timeline for completing all phases of the study. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/impact_study/reports/imptstdy_interim/imptstdy_interimrpt.pdf.
Strengthening Head Start: What the Evidence Shows (June 2003), by Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS, states that the single most important goal of the Head Start reauthorization should be to improve Head Start and other preschool programs to ensure children are prepared to succeed in school. This paper describes the limited educational progress for children in Head Start and the problems resulting from a fragmented approach to early childhood programs and services. The paper also presents evidence from early childhood research and documents State efforts that have successfully addressed these problems. Finally, the paper explains the president’s proposal for Head Start reauthorization, which builds on the evidence to strengthen the program and, through coordination, improve preschool programs in general to help ensure that children are prepared to succeed in school. This resource is available on the Web at http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/StrengthenHeadStart03/index.htm.
The Head Start Path to Positive Child Outcomes (June 2001), developed by the Head Start Bureau, ACF, HHS, is intended to guide Head Start programs in their ongoing assessment of children’s progress and accomplishments and in their efforts to analyze and use data on child outcomes in program self-assessment and continuous improvement. The Framework is composed of eight general domains, 27 domain elements, and 100 examples of more specific indicators of children’s skills, abilities, knowledge, and behaviors. The Framework is based on the Head Start Program Performance Standards, Head Start Program Performance Measures, provisions of the Head Start Act as amended in 1998, advice of the Head Start Bureau Technical Work Group on Child Outcomes, and a review of documents on assessment of young children and early childhood program accountability from a variety of State agencies and professional organizations. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.hsnrc.org/CDI/pdfs/Outcomesbroch.pdf.
Ensuring Quality and Accountability Through Leadership, A Training Package: User’s Guide based on the National Head Start Child Development Institute (December 2000), by the Head Start Bureau, ACF, HHS, is a multimedia educational package that is intended to provide the means to continue the learning opportunities started at the National Head Start Child Development Institute, which was held in Washington, DC, December 4–8, 2000, for over 3,200 education leaders from Head Start and Early Head Start grantees and delegate agencies throughout the country. Each area of content and each faculty member is represented in the training package, along with supplementary materials that provide for a complete learning experience. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.hsnrc.org/CDI/UGintro.cfm.
Evaluation of Head Start Family Child Care Demonstration: Final Report (February 2000), by the RMC Research Corporation, prepared for the Commissioner’s Office of Research and Evaluation and the Head Start Bureau, ACF, HHS, describes the results of evaluations of family child care demonstration grants which were given to 18 Head Start agencies to establish and implement family child care home programs that provide Head Start services. After an initial planning and start-up year, two cohorts of children (1993 and 1994) were randomly assigned to either family child care homes or center classrooms. The evaluation team measured program quality and adherence to Head Start Performance Standards in the two settings and conducted assessments of the children’s cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development at the beginning and end of the Head Start year and in the middle of the kindergarten year. In addition, parent perspectives on the program and overall program satisfaction were probed. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/eval_hs_fam/reports/fcc_final.pdf.

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
[formerly Government Accounting Office]
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20548
202-512-4800
World Wide Web: http://www.gao.gov/

GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress and the American people. Congress asks GAO to study the programs and expenditures of the Federal government. GAO advises Congress and the heads of executive agencies (such as Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, and Health and Human Services) about ways to make government more effective and responsive. GAO evaluates Federal programs, audits Federal expenditures, and issues legal opinions. When GAO reports its findings to Congress, it recommends actions. Its work leads to laws and acts that improve government operations, and saves billions of dollars.

Head Start: Further Development Could Allow Results of New Test to Be Used for Decision Making (May 2005), by GAO, looks at the National Reporting System (NRS), which was implemented by the HSB, ACF, HHS, as the first nationwide skills test of over 400,000 4- and 5-year-old children. This report examines what information the NRS is designed to provide; how the Head Start Bureau has responded to concerns raised by grantees and experts during the first year of implementation; and whether the NRS provides the Head Start Bureau with quality information. GAO recommends the HHS Assistant Secretary for ACF, in collaboration with the Head Start Bureau, determine how NRS data will be used for accountability and targeting technical assistance; monitor the effects of the NRS on local Head Start practices; use first year NRS results to conduct further study of the reliability and validity of the NRS; compile a detailed, well-organized document on the technical quality of the NRS; improve management of its data on NRS participation; and study the costs and benefits of sampling in administering the NRS. This report GAO-05-343 is available on the Web at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05343.pdf.
Head Start: Comprehensive Approach to Identifying and Addressing Risks Could Help Prevent Grantee Financial Management Weaknesses (February 2005), by GAO, provides information on whether the ACF, HHS, can consistently identify financial management weaknesses, if any, in Head Start grantees and whether ACF ensures that grantees effectively resolve any problems in a timely manner when they are detected. This report, GAO-05-1 76, is available on the Web at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-176.
Head Start: Better Data and Processes Needed to Monitor Underenrollment: Report to Congressional Requesters(December 2003), by GAO, examines what is known about the extent to which Head Start programs are under enrolled; ACF Regional officials’ and Head Start grantees’ views on what factors contribute to under enrollment; and what actions ACF and grantees have taken to address under enrollment. This report, GAO-04-17, is available on the Web at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0417.pdf.
Head Start: Increased Percentage of Teachers Nationwide Have Required Degrees, but Better Information on Classroom Teachers’ Qualifications Needed (October 2003), by GAO, examines the extent to which Head Start has met legislative mandates concerning teacher qualifications; whether Head Start teacher salaries have increased and enabled grantees to attract and retain teachers with degrees; and the extent to which degrees and other programs in early care and education are available for Head Start teachers and if grantees have taken steps to enhance access to them. Special attention is paid to the limited amount of access for rural States. The report, GAO-04-05, is available on the Web at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-5.
Head Start: Curriculum Use and Individual Child Assessment in Cognitive and Language Development (September 2003), by GAO, formally conveys information provided during briefings on May 15, 2003, and June 6, 2003, to staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. Congress. It reports on the extent to which Head Start programs have made progress in meeting performance standards for cognitive and language development; the extent to which local Head Start programs’ use of curricula has changed since the performance standards for children’s cognitive and language development were issued; and the extent to which local Head Start programs have used teacher mentoring and individual child assessments to support curriculum planning. Two specific curricula that are discussed are The Creative Curriculum^® and High/Scope^®. This report GAO-03-1049is available on the Web at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d031049.pdf.
Preschool Education: Federal Investment for Low-Income Children Significant but Effectiveness Unclear (April 11, 2000), by GAO, examines how effectively different programs that receive Federal funds prepare children for school. Although Head Start and Even Start studies have shown that the skills of participating children have improved, the studies have not provided definitive results on the extent to which these improvements can be attributed to the programs. However, HHS and the U.S. Department of Education are making progress in assessing the effectiveness of thr preschool programs. In contrast, the effectiveness of block grant funds is not being evaluated for school readiness because it is not a primary goal of these programs. This report, T-HEHS-00-83, is available on the Web at http://www.gao.gov/archive/2000/he00083t.pdf.
Early Childhood Programs: Characteristics Affect the Availability of School Readiness Information (February 28, 2000), by GAO, develops a categorization of Federal early childhood education and care programs for a better understanding of the Federal involvement in achieving school readiness and determines what is known about the effectiveness of selected programs in contributing to school readiness. This report, HEHS-00-38, is available on the Web at http://www.gao.gov/archive/2000/he00038.pdf.

National Organizations

Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
1616 P Street NW, Suite 150
Washington, DC 20036
202-328-5140
World Wide Web: http://www.clasp.org

CLASP is a national nonprofit organization with expertise in both law and policy affecting the poor. Through education, policy research, and advocacy, CLASP seeks to improve the economic security of low-income families with children and secure access for low-income persons to our civil justice system. The following CLASP publications relate to research on Head Start:

Preparing for Success: How Head Start Helps Children with Disabilities and Their Families (Updated May 2003), by Jennifer Mezey and Katherine Beh Neas, details the requirements that Head Start grantees must meet to serve children with disabilities and provides data on how the programs are meeting them. In 2004, 13 percent of the children in Head Start and Early Head Start (over 134,000 children) were diagnosed with a disability; the great majority of these children received special education and related services to address their disabilities. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.clasp.org/publications/hs_disabilities_updated.pdf.
“Moving Forward: Head Start Children, Families, and Programs in 2003” (June 2004), Head Start Policy Brief No. 5, by Katherine Hart and Rachel Schumacher, describes the picture for Head Start and Early Head Start children, families, and programs in the 2002-2003 program year. In 2003, CLASP released a series of analyses of data from 2001 and 2002, identifying key trends since the program was last reauthorized in 1998 and new data never gathered before for the Program Information Report (PIR.) This brief presents 2003 data, which largely confirm these trends, and also highlights several changes of five percentage points or greater since 2002. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.clasp.org/publications/hs_brf_5.pdf.
“Head Start Comprehensive Services: A Key Support for Early Learning for Poor Children” (January 2004), Policy Brief No. 4, by Kate Irish, Rachel Schumacher, and Joan Lombardi, describes the comprehensive services Head Start children receive. It presents data from Head Start PIR from the 2001-2002 program year and compares them, when possible, to national data on the services low-income children and families receive. It finds that Head Start children receive more health and dental services than other poor children. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.clasp.org/publications/HS_brf_4.pdf.
“Serving America’s Youngest: A Snapshot of Early Head Start Children, Families, Teachers, and Programs in 2002” (June 2003), Policy Brief No. 3, by Kate Irish, Rachel Schumacher, and Joan Lombardi, synthesizes Early Head Start data from 2001-2002 program year. The data are from PIRs submitted to HHS by all Head Start programs. This brief offers detailed examination of 2002 PIR Early Head Start data, describing the unique features of the program and placing them in the context of the overall Head Start program. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.clasp.org/publications/HS_brief3.pdf.
“A Snapshot of Head Start Children, Families, Teachers, and Programs: 1997 and 2001” (March 2003) Policy Brief: Head Start Series No. 1, by Rachel Schumacher and Tanya Rakpraja, describes the program—and the children and families it serves—and how they have changed since the last reauthorization in 1998. This policy brief analyzes Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data and compares key PIR data from the program year, 2000–2001, with data from the 1996-1997 program year. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.clasp.org/publications/HS_brief3.pdf/.

Early Head Start National Resource Center (EHS NRC)
ZERO TO THREE: The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
2000 M Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
202-638-1144
World Wide Web: http://www.ehsnrc.org/

The EHS NRC works to ensure that Early Head Start programs have information and training on “best practices” on a wide range of topics. The EHS NRC also focuses on capacity building at the Federal level in order to ensure that Federal staff have access to resources and information on quality infant/toddler programming as they provide support to EHS programs. The EHS NRC was created in 1995 by the Head Start Bureau, ACF, HHS, and is currently operated by ZERO TO THREE, in collaboration with WestEd of Sausilito, CA.

Additional Publications

Beacon of Hope: The Promise of Early Head Start for America’s Youngest Children (2005), by Joan Lombardi and Mary M. Bogle, published by ZERO TO THREE, examines the Early Head Start Program, beginning with a description of the program today and the findings of a five-year evaluation. The authors also explain the inner workings of the program, highlighting its strategies to provide services to pregnant women, infants, and toddlers; to reach out to fathers and teen parents; to meet the mental health needs of children and families; and to effectively include children with special needs. Emerging policy issues are also examined, including the need for increased Federal and State investments to expand the program and ensure continuous improvement. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.zerotothree.org/bookstore/.

“Ask the Expert: Closing the Achievement Gap: Head Start and Beyond” (Summer 2004), in Evaluation Exchange Vol. X, No. 2, published by the Harvard Family Research Project, includes comments about the past and future of Head Start from Ed Zigler, Sterling Professor of Psychology at the Bush Center for Child Development; Ron Haskins, Senior Policy Analyst at the Brookings Institution; and G. Reid Lyon, Branch Chief in the Child Development and Behavior Branch at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. They discuss the original design for Head Start, and the research, evaluation, and strategies that address the achievement gap. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval/issue26/expert.html.

“Early Head Start: Further Lessons” (Summer 2004), in Evaluation Exchange Vol. X, No. 2, by Catherine Ayoub and Barbara Pan, published by the Harvard Family Research Project, evaluates longitudinal data that examined parenting stress, the language skills of children in Early Head Start, and the factors that influence sample attrition in program evaluation research in Vermont. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval/issue26/spotlight6.html.

“Infant-Toddler Intervention on the Road to School Readiness: Lessons From Early Head Start” (Summer 2004), in Evaluation Exchange Vol. X, No. 2, by Helen Raikes, John Love, and Rachel Chazan-Cohen, published by the Harvard Family Research Project, shares evaluation findings and discusses the role of intervention with infants and toddlers in preparing young children for school. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval/issue26/spotlight3.html.

“What Can Be Learned From State-Funded Prekindergarten Initiatives? A Data-Based Approach to the Head Start Devolution Debate” (2004), in The Head Start Debate (Friendly and Otherwise), by Walter S. Gilliam and Carol H. Ripple, eds. Ed Zigler and S.J. Styfco, published by Yale University Press, looks at how States have fared thus far with implementing their own prekindergarten programs, as a way of predicting how States might manage if they gained control over Head Start funds. Specifically, the authors look at State-funded preschool programs in terms of:

Program structure—administration and location, guidelines and oversight;
Program accessibility—eligibility requirements and participation barriers;
Program duration and intensity;
Classroom characteristics—class size, teacher-child ratios, and teacher qualifications;
Comprehensive services; and
Parent involvement efforts.

This resource is available on the Web at http://nieer.org/resources/research/HeadStartChapter.pdf.

Head Start Improves Achievement and Reduces Crime (2003), by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, reports that quality prekindergarten programs such as Head Start are good investments to society because they produce positive, long-term impacts on children from low-income families. The report highlights research that shows Head Start is preparing children to become productive members of society by successfully addressing behavioral problems early in life and by increasing high school graduation rates. The report highlights the impact of quality, as demonstrated by teacher qualifications, compensation, and content of curriculum. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.fightcrime.org/reports/HeadStartBrief.pdf.

“Head Start Improves the Pre-reading Skills of Poor Children” (March 2003), in Concerning Kids, published by KidsOhio.org, highlights efforts to measure early learning progress of children in Ohio’s Head Start programs. Using Galileo, a computer-based assessment system, teachers document the skills that children demonstrate during daily program activities. One program documented a twelve-fold increase in the percentage of children who could demonstrate at least 47 specific language and literacy skills by years’ end. Only 4 percent of children demonstrated this level of skills at the beginning of the year. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.kidsohio.org/concerningkids/pdf/CK_HeadStart_Mar-03.pdf. .

The Battle Over Head Start: What the Research Shows (September 13, 2002), by W. Steven Barnett, National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), from a paper delivered at a congressional Science and Public Policy briefing, states that nearly four decades of research establish that Head Start delivers the intended services and improves the lives and development of the children and families it serves. This resource is available on the Web at http://nieer.org/resources/research/BattleHeadStart.pdf.

Investing in Better Outcomes: The Delaware Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (DeCLS) (April 2002), prepared for the Delaware Interagency Resource Management Committee and Delaware’s Department of Education, Department of Health and Social Services, and the Department of Services to Children, Youth, and their Families, describes a longitudinal study that was designed to follow a group of children as they entered kindergarten in the fall of 1997. DeCLS was designed to follow the children from their kindergarten experience through their 3^rdgrade year, coinciding with their participation in the 3^rd grade Delaware State Testing Program (DSTP). One of the primary questions of the study asked how children with disabilities or living in poverty who received early intervention programming compared to children in similar situations who did not receive early intervention services. The study found:

Students who participated in ECAP [Early Childhood Assistance Programs] or Head Start services were significantly more likely to meet or exceed the standard on their third grade reading and math DSTPs than those students living in poverty who did not receive the ECAP or Head Start services. (page 10)
Students who received ECAP or Head Start services had significantly higher grades than their peers. (page 12)
Students who received ECAP or Head Start services had a grade retention rate of 6.67, less than half that of a comparable group of students. (page 12)

This resource is available on the Web at http://www.doe.state.de.us/early_childhood/research/DECLS02.pdf.

“Extended Childhood Intervention Prepares Children for School and Beyond” (May 9, 2001), in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), by Ed Zigler and Sally J. Styfco, published by JAMA, reviews the principles of the Head Start approach and what has been learned about its effectiveness and the importance of multi-layered services for preschool children in poverty and their parents. It cautions that, although a year in Head Start or similar programs can ameliorate the impact of poverty, alone it cannot inoculate a child indefinitely against the long-term impacts of poor health and nutrition, low-performing schools, and impoverished neighborhoods. This resource is available on the Web at http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/285/18/2378.

“A Fresh Start for Head Start?” (March 2001), Children’s Roundtable Report Policy Brief No. 5,by Janet Currie, for the Brookings Institution, discusses research that addresses questions about whether the Head Start program works and whether it should place more emphasis on specific academic goals, such as reading readiness. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.brook.edu/comm/childrensroundtable/issue5.htm.

Longer Term Effects of Head Start (December 2000), by Eliana Garces, Duncan Thomas, and Janet Currie, financed by the National Science Foundation and National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, provides evidence on the effects of participation in Head Start on schooling attainment, earnings, and criminal behavior. Among whites, participation in Head Start is associated with a significantly increased probability of completing high school and attending college, and there is some evidence of elevated earnings in one’s early twenties. African Americans who participated in Head Start are significantly less likely to have been charged or convicted of a crime. The evidence also suggests that there are positive spillovers from older children who attended Head Start to their younger siblings. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.econ.ucla.edu/people/papers/Currie/Currie139.pdf.

Into Adulthood: A Study of the Effects of Head Start (August 2000), by Sherri Oden, Lawrence Schweinhart, and David Weikart, published by High/Scope Press, presents results of a 17-year follow-up study of 622 young adults. The study found evidence of important effects on school success and crime. The study also examined the effects of a Head Start program that used the High/Scope educational approach. Children who attended Head Start classes that used this approach rather than the standard Head Start curriculum of the time had a significantly higher grade point average throughout their schooling and experienced fewer than half as many criminal convictions by age 22. A summary is available on the Web at http://www.highscope.com/research/HeadStartStudy.htm.

Early Childhood Intervention Programs: What Do We Know? (April 2000), by Janet Currie, for the Brookings Roundtable on Children, reviewed the literature on early childhood interventions, focusing on center-based programs for children between birth and school entry that emphasize school readiness as a goal. The studies reviewed did not produce consistent evidence of the long-term effectiveness of early intervention. However, the more rigorous studies tended to find larger and more significant long-term effects. The report proposes that the proven shorter and medium-term benefits of Head Start already pay back much of the cost of the program. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.brook.edu/dybdocroot/es/research/projects/cr/doc/currie20000401.pdf.

Head Start-Child Care Partnership Study (Winter 2000), by Sharon L. Kagan, Marce Verzaro-O’Brien, Una Kim, and Megan Formica, for The Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy, Yale University, is an investigation into the nature and process of Head Start collaboration using the Head Start–child care partnerships as an exemplar. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.quilt.org/Home/pdfdocs/BushBooklet.pdf.

Updated June 2005

The document is for informational purposes only. No official endorsement of any practice, publication, program, or individual by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Children and Families, the Child Care Bureau, or the National Child Care Information Center is intended or is to be inferred. For additional information on this or related topics, please contact the National Child Care Information Center at (800) 616-2242 or info@nccic.org.

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