This publication was conceived under the direction of the Early Childhood-Head Start Task Force between the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The publication was written by Bonnie Armbruster, Fran Lehr, and Jean Osborn, and had the benefit of a careful reading and excellent suggestions from Judy Schickedanz.

The Early Childhood-Head Start Task Force would like to thank the many women and men who assisted in putting this publication together. We would also like to thank Sandra Baxter and the National Institute for Literacy.