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Head Start FACES:
Longitudinal Findings on Program Performance

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Title Page

List of Figures

Acknowledgments

Executive Summary

The Study

The Children and Families Studied

Study Findings

Does Head Start Enhance Children's Development and School Readiness?
Does Head Start Strengthen Families as the Primary Nurturers of Their Children?
Does Head Start Provide Children With High Quality Educational, Health and Nutritional Services?
How Is Classroom Quality Related to Child Outcomes?

Chapter I: Introduction and Overview

A. Introduction

Conceptual Framework
Program Performance Measures

B. The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey

The FACES Embedded Case Study
FACES Response Rates

C. Overview of the Report

Chapter II: Objective 1: Does Head Start Enhance Children's Growth and Development?

A. What Head Start Children Know and Can Do As They Approach Kindergarten

B. How the Cognitive Development of Head Start Children Compares With That of the General Population of Preschoolers

C. Change in Knowledge, Skills and Behavior Over the Head Start Year

Gains in Vocabulary Knowledge and Early Writing Skills
Little Progress in Letter Recognition, Book Knowledge and Early Math
Greater Gains for Those Who Enter With Lower Skills
Gains of Spanish-Speaking Children
Gains in Social Skills
Little Change in Problem Behavior

D. Relationship of Program Quality and Center Characteristics to Children's Emergent Literacy

Analysis Method
Variation in Children's Emergent Literacy Across Head Start Programs
Summary of Variation in Children's Emergent Literacy

E. Observing Children's Social Play in Head Start Classrooms

Procedure for Administering the Howes Peer Play Scales
Descriptions of Head Start Children's Play With Peers
Changes in Play From Fall to Spring
Children's Social Play Is Correlated With Classroom Quality
Ratings of Children's Play Are Related to Other Measures of Children's Skills
Summary of the Howes Peer Play Data

F. Head Start Graduates Show Substantial Progress in Kindergarten

G. Conclusions

Chapter III: Objective II: Does Head Start Strengthen Families as the Primary Nurturers of Their Children?

A. Introduction to the Parent Interview

B. Family and Household Description Family Descriptors

Family Financial Resources
Family Emotional Resources

C. Family Environmental Description

Community Context of Head Start Families (Embedded Case Study)
Context as Assessed by the Parent Interview

D. Families' Involvement With Their Children

Primary Caregivers' Hopes and Goals for Their Children (Embedded Case Study)

E. Families' Experiences With the Local Head Start Program

Implications of Parent Involvement

F. Conclusions

Chapter IV: Objective III: Does Head Start Provide Children With High Quality Educational, Health and Nutritional Services?

A. Defining and Measuring Classroom Quality

Measures of Quality
Classroom Observation Procedures
Results of Classroom Data Collection Efforts

B. Summary of Findings From the Second Progress Report: Head Start Classrooms as Child Development Environments

The Quality of Most Head Start Classrooms Is Good

C. Classroom Quality in Fall 1997 and Spring 1998 Continues to be Good

Structural Factors Support Good Quality in Head Start Classrooms
Head Start Teachers Are Well Qualified
Teacher Backgrounds Are Correlated With Classroom Quality Measures
Classroom Quality Is Consistent Over Two Years

D. Classroom Quality Improves in the Same Head Start Year

E. Highlight on Head Start's Services to Children With Disabilities and Health Problems: A Special Case of Head Start Quality

Types of Disabilities Reported by Parents
Individual Education Plans
Parent Satisfaction With Services for Children With Disabilities

F. Conclusions

Chapter V: Summary and Implications

A. Summary of Findings

Head Start Enhances Children's Growth and Development
Head Start Graduates Show Substantial Progress in Kindergarten
Head Start Families Make Progress During the Program Year
Classroom Quality in Head Start Continues to be Good
Classroom Quality Is Linked to Child Outcomes

B. The Head Start Program- Accomplishments and Areas Needing Improvement

C. Conclusion

Chapter VI: Head Start Program Performance Measures Matrix

References

Appendix A: FACES Instruments



 

 

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