Head Start Impact Study: Technical Report

摘要

Since its beginning in 1965 as a part of the War on Poverty, Head Startes goal has been to boost the school readiness of low-income children. Based on a 'whole child' model, the program provides comprehensive services that include preschool education; medical, dental, and mental health care; nutrition services; and efforts to help parents foster their childes development. Head Start services are designed to be responsive to each childes and familyes ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage. In the 1998 reauthorization of Head Start, Congress mandated that the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) determine, on a national level, the impact of Head Start on the children it serves. Study Goals: (1) Determine the impact of Head Start on: Children's school readiness, and Parental practices that support children's development. (2) Determine under what circumstances Head Start achieves its greatest impact and for which children. This Technical Report of the Head Start Impact Study is the result of several years of design, data collection, and analysis.