Early Head Start
View all reports on this topicTopic Overview
Since the program was first authorized in 1994, Early Head Start research has examined the program’s implementation, its impacts on children and families, and a variety of special topics such as infant and toddler mental health, fatherhood and child welfare. With a particular focus on partnerships between the research community and local programs and the Office of Head Start, the results of this body of research help to identify and build on program strengths, continuously refine and improve practices, and promote healthy growth and development of low-income children.
Projects on this Topic
ACF Youth Demonstration Development Project, 2009-2012
OPRE launched the Youth Demonstration Development Project (YDD) in 2009 to systematically review the current field of research on youth development and successful transition to adulthood. The primary objective of YDD, which is being conducted for OPRE...
A Consortium of Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN), 2005-2010
The Consortium of Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) consists of five study sites and a coordinating center...
ACF Annual Performance Plans and Reports, 2000–2012
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for federal programs that address the needs of vulnerable children and families throughout our society, including Native...
ACF Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Research Initiative, 2006-2011
The purpose of this initiative is to evaluate services to promote responsible fatherhood through encouraging and supporting healthy marriages between low-income parents...
Advisory Committee on Head Start Research and Evaluation
The Secretary of Health and Human Services is required by section 649(g)(1) of Public Law 92-463 to convene an expert advisory committee to review and make recommendations on the design of the study or studies that provide national analysis of the...
Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Evaluation
The Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Evaluation is authorized by Section 511 (g) (1) of Title V of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), as amended by Section 2951 of the Patient Protection...
American Indian - Alaska Native Head Start Research Center, 2005-2011
This grant cooperative agreement supports a Head Start American Indian - Alaska Native Research Center at the University of Colorado at Denver – Health Sciences Center. The purpose of the Center is to provide leadership and offer support in the...
Assessing the Evidence: Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness, 2011-2015
The Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness project (HomVEE), is a transparent, systematic review of the evidence base for multiple home visiting programs for pregnant women and young children...
Assets for Independence (AFI), 1999-2008
This evaluation examines Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) under the largest federally funded IDA program: the Assets for Independence (AFI) program administered by ACF. IDAs are personal savings accounts targeted to low-income persons that...
Assets for Independence Program Experiment, 2011-2015
In the fall of 2011, ACF launched a random assignment evaluation of the impact of participation in the Assets for Independence (AFI) Program on savings, savings patterns and asset purchase by low-income individuals and families at selected AFI grantee...
Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency (BIAS), 2010-2014
The purpose of the Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency (BIAS) project is to explore the application of behavioral economics principles to the programs and target populations of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF)...
Building Strong Families, 2002-2012
The Building Strong Families (BSF) project is a demonstration evaluation assessing the effectiveness of family strengthening and couples relationship education interventions targeting low-income unwed parents at or near the birth of their child...
Center for Early Care and Education Research: Dual Language Learners, 2009-2013
The Center for Early Care and Education Research: Dual Language Learners (CECER-DLL) is a cooperative agreement awarded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The primary goal of the Center...
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Policies Database, 2008-2013
The project will create a comprehensive, up-to-date database of child care subsidy policies for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories, and from the information in this database, to create books of tables and analytic files that...
Child Care and Early Education Policy and Research Analysis and Technical Expertise Project, 2005-2013
The Child Care and Early Education Policy and Research Analysis and Technical Expertise Project is a contract awarded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation to Child Trends. The purpose of this contract is to support the provision of expert...
Child Care and Early Education RESEARCH CONNECTIONS, 1998-2013
Research Connections is a web-based, interactive database of research documents and public use data sets for conducting secondary analyses on topics related to early care and education...
Child Care Research Partnerships, 1995-2013
The Child Care Research Partnership grants support research on child care policy issues conducted by state agencies, researchers and other organizations in partnership. Partnerships must include the State agency that administers the Child Care and...
Child Care Research Scholars, 2000-2012
Funds for Child Care Research Scholars grants are available to support dissertation research on child care policy issues in partnership with State Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) lead agencies...
Child Care State Research Capacity Cooperative Agreements, 2001-2011
The Child Care State Research Capacity cooperative agreements have three main goals...
Compassion Capital Fund Evaluations, 2004-2011
The purpose of the Compassion Capital Fund is to expand and strengthen the role of organizations in their ability to provide social services to low-income communities. The Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) consists of two grant programs...
Cross-Site Evaluation of Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children's Health), 2008-2013
OPRE has awarded a contract to Abt Associates to develop and implement a cross-site evaluation of Project LAUNCH (Linking Action for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health). The evaluation is funded through an intra-agency agreement between OPRE and...
Descriptive Study of Tribal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Programs, 2011-2013
This project will provide a descriptive study on the implementation of Tribal TANF programs and document lessons learned...
Design for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Survey, 2007-2011
To further the expansion of Head Start research efforts, the Head Start Act of 1998 called for continued evaluation and research activities that explore program quality and effectiveness, identify ways in which services may be improved, and contribute...
Design Options for Home Visiting Evaluation (DOHVE), 2010-2015
On March 23, 2010, the President signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) (P.L. 111-148), historic and transformative legislation designed to make quality, affordable health care available to all Americans, reduce...
Design Options of the Search for Employment (DOSE), 2011-2013
Nationally, job search activities are a significant area of program attention, including TANF and WIA...
Design Phase for National Study of Child Care Supply and Demand, 2007-2010
Development of a Measure of Family-Provider Relationship Quality (FPRQ), 2010-2014
The goal of the FPRQ project is to develop a new measure to assess the quality of the relationship between families and providers of early care and education for children birth to 5 years of age...
Development of a Measure of the Quality of Caregiver-Child Interactions for Infants and Toddlers (Q-CCIIT), 2010-2013
The goal of this project is to develop a new measure that will assess the quality of child care settings, specifically the quality of caregiver-child interactions for infants and toddlers in non-parental care. The new measure will be sensitive to...
Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Study (Baby FACES), 2007-2012
The Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Study (Baby FACES) continues a series of ongoing descriptive studies aimed at maintaining an up-to-date, extensive knowledge base to support Early Head Start policies and programs...
Early Head Start Research to Practice, 2003-Current
This web page pulls together research briefs from across Early Head Start research projects. Information includes findings on the implementation of programs, program impacts on children and families, and other information on special topics...
Early Head Start University Partnership Grants: Buffering Children from Toxic Stress, 2011-2016
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) awarded six cooperative agreements in September 2011 for "Early Head Start University Partnership Grants: Buffering Children from Toxic...
Employment Retention and Advancement Project (ERA), 1998-2011
The Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) evaluation was a comprehensive effort to learn about effective strategies to promote employment retention and advancement among welfare recipients and low-wage workers. The project began in 1998, when HHS...
Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project, 2001-2012
The Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation project will assess the effectiveness of programs designed to enhance employment outcomes for current or former TANF recipients and other low-income parents who have demonstrated...
Evaluation of 2010 Summer Subsidized Employment Activities for Youth, 2010-2011
OPRE jointly sponsored with the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) a study of subsidized summer 2010 employment opportunities for low-income youth operated with the TANF Emergency Fund offered as part of the...
Evaluation of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Approaches (PPA), 2008-2016
This evaluation, implemented by Mathematica, will identify a range of programs aimed at reducing teen pregnancy and associated risk behaviors, and examine specific programs' effectiveness...
Evaluation of Community Healthy Marriage Initiatives (CHMI), 2003-2011
The Evaluation of Community Healthy Marriage Initiatives (CHMI) includes: (1) implementation evaluations of a set of demonstrations authorized through section 1115 by the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) and (2) an impact evaluation utilizing...
Evaluation of Tribal Health Profession Opportunity Grants (ETHPOG), 2010-2015
OPRE awarded a contract to NORC at the University of Chicago, in conjunction with Red Star Innovations and the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), to design and conduct a comprehensive process and outcome evaluation of the Health Profession...
Evaluation Portfolio for the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program
Authorized by the Affordable Care Act, the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program provides education and training to TANF recipients and other low-income individuals for occupations in the health care field that pay well and are expected...
Ex-Prisoner Reentry Strategies Study, 2011-2015
The Ex-Prisoner Reentry Strategies Study, to be conducted by The Urban Institute, will document the implementation of programs funded under the FY 2011 Community-Centered Responsible Fatherhood Ex-Prisoner Reentry Pilot Project grant announcement...
Federal-State Partnerships to Build Capacity in the Use of TANF and Related Administrative Data, 2008-2011
This project is designed to help States improve the effectiveness of their TANF programs and to bolster their ability to conduct program evaluation and research. To achieve this goal, ACF will provide selected states with technical assistance and...
Head Start CARES (Head Start Classroom-based Approaches and Resources for Emotion and Social skill promotion), 2007-2013
The Head Start CARES (Classroom-based Approaches and Resources for Emotion and Social skill promotion) is a large-scale group-randomized trial of three social-emotional program enhancements within Head Start classrooms. The project includes an impact...
Head Start Data Archive
The Data Archive maintains data sets collected on Head Start research and evaluation projects...
Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), 1997-2013
The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) provides descriptive information on the characteristics, experiences and outcomes of Head Start children and families, as well as the characteristics of the Head Start programs that serve...
Head Start Graduate Student Research Program, 2008-2012
The Head Start Graduate Student Research grant program is designed to build research capacity in and knowledge of effective early childhood interventions with low-income children and families. The grant program does this by providing support for...
Head Start Health Managers Descriptive Study, 2011-2013
The goals of the Head Start Health Manager Descriptive Survey include 1) to describe the characteristics of Health Managers and related staff in Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) programs; 2) to identify the current landscape of health...
Head Start Impact Study and Follow-up, 2000-2012
Head Start provides comprehensive early child development services to low-income children, their families, and communities. In 1998, Congress determined, as part of Head Start's reauthorization, that the Department of Health and Human Services...
Head Start University Partnership Research Grants: Strategies for Developing Head Start Teacher Effectiveness, 2008-2011
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) awarded seven cooperative agreements in April 2008 under the Head Start University Partnership Research Grants: Strategies for Developing Head Start...
Head Start University Partnerships-English Language Learners, 2007-2010
This grant program funds research projects planned in close collaboration with Head Start or Early Head Start programs. Grantees receive $150,000 in funding for the first year and $250,000 dollars in funding for each of two additional years...
Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Impact Studies, 2011-2015
This project will support impact studies of a subset of the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program grantees (three to six). These studies will complement and augment the impact evaluations that will occur as part of the Innovative...
Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Implementation, Systems and Outcome Evaluation, 2010-2015
The purpose of this project is to provide recommendations for the design of an evaluation intended to be universal to the 27 Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) sites focused on TANF recipients and other low-income individuals and to assess...
Healthy Relationships and Marriage Research Grants, 2005-2011
OPRE funded five research grant applications that address various aspects of healthy marriage...
Hispanic Healthy Marriage Initiative: Grantee Implementation Evaluation, 2007-2012
This project will result in a comprehensive process and output evaluation of selected ACF Healthy Marriage grantees that serve Hispanic families, addressing a key programmatic question of the Hispanic Healthy Marriage Initiative (HHMI): how are healthy...
Identifying Promising Practices for Helping TANF Recipients with Disabilities Enter and Sustain Employment, 2006-2008
This project explored current strategies to facilitate employment of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) adult recipients living with mental, intellectual and physical disabilities. It examined innovative efforts to promote and support the...
Identifying Promising TANF Diversion Practices, 2006-2008
The purpose of this study was to examine state and local efforts to divert TANF applicants from applying for cash assistance. This examination involved gathering information from a range of sources such as state and local TANF offices and national...
Innovative Strategies for Increasing Self-sufficiency, 2007-2014
The Innovative Strategies for Increasing Self-Sufficiency (ISIS) project will test strategies to promote employment and self-sufficiency among economically disadvantaged families, including those receiving, or at risk of receiving, TANF...
Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Evaluation (MIHOPE), 2011-2015
On March 23, 2010, the President signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) (P.L. 111-148)...
Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Supplement to the National Agricultural Workers' Survey
The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation worked in conjunction with the Office of Head Start and the Employment and Training Administration to develop, pilot and implement a Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) Supplement to the National...
Multi-Site Evaluation of Foster Youth Programs (Chafee Independent Living Evaluation Project), 2001-2010
The Children’s Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families has contracted with the Urban Institute and its partners—the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago and the National Opinion Research Center...
National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-4), 2004-2009
In collaboration with the Children’s Bureau, the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation is conducting the Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-4). The National Incidence Studies have been conducted approximately...
National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), 1997-2010
In the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996, Congress directed the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a national study of children who are at risk of abuse or neglect or are in the...
National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE), 2010-2014
The National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) will document the nation's current utilization and availability of early care and education (including school-age care), in order to deepen the understanding of the extent to which families'...
OPRE Research Dissemination Project, 2010-2012
This contract aims to develop an evidence-informed research dissemination strategy for OPRE to improve the communication and usefulness of research and evaluation findings to targeted audiences...
Parents and Children Together (PACT) Evaluation, 2011-2016
The Parents and Children Together (PACT) contract, awarded to Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., includes an impact and implementation evaluation of selected responsible fatherhood and healthy marriage education grant programs...
Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) Multi-Component Evaluation, 2011-2017
The Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) is one of multiple efforts at the Federal level to reduce teen pregnancy through the use of evidence-based programs...
Planning a Next Generation Evaluation Agenda for the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, 2011-2012
Proven and Promising Responsible Fatherhood and Family Strengthening Initiatives - Evidence Review, 2010-2012
The purpose of this task order, awarded to Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., is to compile and document the quality of the evidence from studies of programs serving low-income fathers and couples; produce a searchable database of the studies...
Quality Features, Dosages and Thresholds and Child Outcomes: Study Design (Q-Dot), 2009-2012
This project will examine associations between the quality of early care and education settings and child outcomes, asking whether certain thresholds of quality or dosage need to be met or particular aspects of quality need to be present before...
Quality Rating Systems (QRS) Assessment Project, 2008-2011
The project will create resources for States regarding the evaluation of child care quality rating systems (QRSs), systems that have been put in place to measure, monitor, and promote high-quality child care. The project has five goals...
Research Center to Support Secondary Analyses of Head Start Impact Study Data, 2011-2013
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) awarded one cooperative agreement in August 2011 as part of the funding announcement “Research Center to Support Secondary Analyses of Head...
Rural Welfare to Work Strategies Demonstration Evaluation Project, 2000-2008
This multi-year national evaluation project, Rural Welfare-To-Work Strategies Demonstration, was designed to learn how best to help TANF and other low-income rural families move from welfare to work. The evaluation increased information on rural...
Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care, 2009-2011
Since 2000, Congress has appropriated about $10 million per year of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) discretionary funds to be used for child care research and evaluation. These funds have supported projects that add to our knowledge about the...
Self-Sufficiency Research Clearinghouse, 2009-2011
The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation awarded a grant to ICF International to fund the launch and maintenance of the Self-Sufficiency Research Clearinghouse (SSRC). In the initial phase, they will publicize the launch and build the...
State TANF Policies: Welfare Rules Database Expansion, 2009-2013
For several years, ACF has provided resources to facilitate updating and expanding the State TANF Policies Database. The Urban Institute began developing the database in early 1997, as part of the Assessing New Federalism project...
Study of Coordination of Tribal TANF and Child Welfare Services Cooperative Agreements, 2011-2013
Study of Early Childhood Care and Education Workforce, 2010-2012
The purpose of this project, awarded to The National Academy of Sciences, is to establish a panel of independent experts to develop a study of the nation's Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) workforce...
Study on the Status of Limited English Proficient Children Participating in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, 2008-2012
The purpose of this project is to identify, compile, and analyze existing data on limited English Proficient children and families participating in Head Start and Early Head Start programs...
Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration (STED), 2010-2017
This project will evaluate subsidized and transitional employment approaches for critical low-income populations, potentially including welfare recipients and low-income non-custodial parents. The project will examine subsidized employment strategies...
Supporting Healthy Marriages, 2003-2013
The Supporting Healthy Marriage project, being led by MDRC, is evaluating healthy marriage education and related services for lower-income married couples with children. The evaluation utilizes a random assignment evaluation design in order to assess..
Supporting Positive Language and Literacy Development in Young Language Minority Children: Research, Policy, and Practice: Roundtable Meeting, 2008
The Language Minority Roundtable was a working meeting where invited participants engaged in critical dialogue regarding how research can support efforts of policymakers and practitioners to serve the language and literacy needs of young language...
TANF and CCDF Research Synthesis, 2009-2011
The purpose of the TANF and CCDF Research Synthesis Project was to inform research planning and support evidence-based decision making related to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) programs...
TANF Separate State Programs, Time Limits, and Participation Requirements, 2005-2008
The introduction of Federal time limits on the receipt of cash assistance under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program was a central and major part of welfare reform. The purpose of this study was to conduct a follow-up to an...
TANF/SSI Disability Transition Project, 2008-2011
Numerous studies have identified substantial overlap in families and individuals served by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. Over the past decade, as the TANF program has developed...
Tribal Home Visiting Evaluation Institute, 2011-2015
The Tribal Home Visiting Evaluation Institute (TEI) contract will provide technical assistance, leadership, and support to promote excellence in community-based research and evaluation of Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV)...
Tribal Research Center on Early Childhood under the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program and the Head Start Act's Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, 2011-2016
The Tribal Early Childhood Research Center (TRC) seeks to address gaps in research on child outcomes for young American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) children....
Understanding and Choosing Assessments and Developmental Screeners for Young Children Ages 3-5: Profiles of Selected Measures, 2009-2011
This compendium was created in response to the 2007 Head Start reauthorization requirement that programs use reliable and valid early childhood assessments and developmental screeners that are appropriate for the populations they serve. The compendium...
Understanding the Child-Only TANF Caseload, 2010-2011
This grant to Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago is jointly administered by OPRE and ASPE. Its purpose is to document differences in state policies that affect child-only TANF cases, describe characteristics and dynamics of such cases, and...
Understanding the Dynamics of Disconnection from Employment and Assistance, 2011-2013
Since the creation of TANF in 1996, there has been concern about the substantial minority of TANF recipients who leave TANF without finding work, as well as low-income individuals who may be eligible for TANF but are neither receiving TANF nor working...
Understanding Two Categories in TANF Spending: "Other" and "Authorized Under Prior Law", 2007-2009
This project documented the types of services or activities funded by states with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and state Maintenance-of-Effort (MOE) program funds categorized in Federal reporting as “Other” and...
Understanding Urban Indians' Interactions with ACF Programs and Services, 2011-2013
The purpose of this project is to implement an exploratory research study to better understand the challenges and context for family self-sufficiency of low-income Alaska Natives and American Indians living in urban areas and their interactions with...
University Partnership Research Grants for the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program, 2011-2015
ACF awarded five grantees funding through the University Partnership Research Grants for the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to support research and evaluation that will inform and improve HPOG...
Work Participation and TANF/WIA Coordination Project, 2011-2013
This is a two-part project dealing with Work Participation and TANF/WIA Coordination. The Claims Resolution Act of 2010 extended the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program and contains a section on reports required from the states...
A Comprehensive Framework for Marriage Education, 2002-2003
This project developed a framework to provide marriage educators with a set of concepts to help them better understand their craft and discover unseen possibilities. It is designed to help marriage educators think more thoroughly, systematically...
Achieving Change for Texans, 1997-2002
Achieving Change for Texans: Statewide, the following were key program provisions: (1) time limit of 12 to 36 months for able-bodied adults, depending on work experience and education, with exemptions for severe local economic conditions and personal...
American Indian - Alaska Native Head Start Research and Outcomes Assessment (AIAN), 2002-2004
In 2001, the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, began a two-year initiative to review existing information, collect new data, and explore research needs for American Indian-Alaska Native Head Start...
An Exploration of Options for the Collection of Marriage and Divorce Statistics at the National, State and Local Levels, 2003–2008
An Exploration of Options for the Collection of Marriage and Divorce Statistics at the National, State and Local Levels project explored options for the collection of marriage and divorce statistics at the national, state and local levels...
Approaching Time Limits, 2001-2002
The Approaching Time Limits study explored what States have done with clients as they approached or already reached Federal and/or State TANF time limits....
Assessing Enhanced Transitional Employment Programs (ETE), 2000-2001
The Assessing Enhanced Transitional Employment Programs (ETE) project identified and described operating employment-focused programs that helped individuals who faced significant employment challenges by providing transitional employment or work...
Assessing Medicaid and Food Stamps Access and Participation, 1998-2000
Assessing Medicaid and Food Stamps Access and Participation project, with the cooperation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation helped participating States create and analyze performance data on how their Medicaid, SCHIP, and Food stamps enrollment...
Celebrating Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Head Start, 1993-1996
In 1993, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) commissioned this investigation to study the diversity in language and culture of the Head Start population and to identify the range of services provided to this population...
Child Care Policy Research Grants, 2000-2010
Child Care Policy Research Grants have three main goals...
Child Outcomes Synthesis Project, 2000-2004
The Child Outcomes Synthesis Project was designed to synthesize the results from the Project on State-Level Child Outcomes, a series of demonstrations in five States that measured the impacts of welfare reform on the well-being of children...
Child Welfare Systems' Responses to Children of Color, 2000-2004
Child Welfare Systems' Responses to Children of Color was funded to review research examining the child welfare system's response to children of color, to identify programs and practices that address perceived racial or cultural disparities...
Cohabitation, Marriage and Child Well-being: A Cross-National Analysis, 2006-2008
Through a comparative analysis of data and research across several nations, this project documented trends in cohabitation, its consequences, responses of different nations (e.g., national laws and public policies), and measures of child well-being...
Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP), 1990-1996
In 1988, Congress, concerned about extremely at-risk low-income young children and families, created the Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP). The CCDP tested whether a newly designed community service delivery program could identify family...
Connecticut Welfare Reform Evaluation Project, 1997-2002
The Connecticut Welfare Reform Evaluation Project continued the originally planned evaluation of Reach for Jobs First, which was implemented in January 1996, as an amendment to an earlier welfare reform demonstration, and subsequently incorporated in...
Descriptive Study of Head Start Health Services, 1993-1996
The purpose of the Descriptive Study of Head Start Health Services was to describe the Head Start Health Component across the four health domains: medical, dental, nutrition, and mental health. The Head Start Bureau required this information for the...
Design Options for Estimating the Incidence and Prevalence of Homeless and Runaway Youth, 2002-2003
The Design Options for Estimating the Incidence and Prevalence of Homeless and Runaway Youth study developed a plan of options for estimating the incidence and prevalence of runaway, throwaway, and homeless experiences among youth, a plan for regularly...
Design Options for the Assessment of Head Start Quality Enhancements, 2003-2004
In September of 2003, the Office of Planning Research and Evaluation (OPRE) contracted with Mathematica to prepare design options for potential evaluations of Head Start quality enhancements. In light of Head Start's significant focus on quality...
Design Phase for National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE), 2007-2010
This project (aka Design Phase for National Study of Child Care Supply and Demand) developed sampling and methodology options for a National Survey of Early Care and Education, with special focus on low-income households with children ages birth...
Early Head Start Program Performance Measures, 2001-2003
As a national laboratory for early childhood education, Head Start has long emphasized continuous program improvement and has been a leader in developing outcome-oriented accountability. Head Start began developing program performance measures in 1995,...
Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (EHSRE), 1996-2010
The Early Head Start Research and Evaluation project, a rigorous, large-scale, random-assignment evaluation of Early Head Start, was designed to carry out the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Services for Families with Infants and Toddlers...
Early Promotion and Intervention Research Consortium (E-PIRC), 2002-2006
The Head Start Bureau and the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation announced the award of five cooperative agreements in September 2002 as part of the Early Promotion and Intervention Research Consortium (E-PIRC). These four-year grants funded...
Economic Analysis of the Prenatal and Early Childhood Nurse Home Visitation Program, 2000-2004
The Economic Analysis of the Prenatal and Early Childhood Nurse Home Visitation Program study examined cost savings to the government resulting from a prenatal and early childhood home visitation program that had been studied in a series of three...
Evaluating the Implementation of Programs to Strengthen Families with Children Born Out-of-Wedlock, 2002-2004
This project involved the identification and case study of selected programs working with new, unwed parents to provide those interested with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter into and sustain healthy relationships and marriages...
Evaluation Data Coordination Project (EDCP), 2002-2004
The Evaluation Data Coordination Project (EDCP) was an effort to begin the process of developing common measurement questions and reporting formats for selected ACF evaluation projects. Through discussions with project staff from nine ongoing...
Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies, 2001-2010
The Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies conducted four experiments as part of a study launched in 2001 by the Office of Child Care and the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families, US...
Evaluation of Community Based Job Retention Programs, 1997-2000
The Evaluation of Community Based Job Retention Programs project included two phases. In Phase 1, the project provided a detailed implementation analysis and short-term outcome findings for participants receiving various mixes of job retention and...
Evaluation of Head Start Family Child Care Demonstration
In 1992 the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) funded a 3-year project designed to evaluate the delivery of Head Start services in family child care home settings and to compare those services with the services provided in...
Evaluation of Los Angeles County GAIN Program, 1997-2000
The Evaluation of Los Angeles Jobs-First GAIN project evaluated the results of changing Los Angeles' Greater Avenues to Independence (GAIN) program, a human resource focused welfare-to-work program into Los Angeles Jobs-First GAIN, a labor force...
Evaluation of the Head Start Family Service Center Demonstration Projects (FSC), 1991-1996
The Family Service Center (FSC) demonstration projects were initiated in 1990 to enable Head Start programs to provide a more comprehensive set of services to address problems of low literacy, employability, and substance abuse among Head Start...
Evaluation of the Head Start Oral Health Initiative, 2006-2008
The Head Start Oral Health Initiative was created by the Office of Head Start to improve oral health services to young children, from birth to five years, and pregnant women. Supplemental grant funding was awarded to 52 Head Start programs to develop...
Exploration of Low-Income Couples' Decision-Making Processes, 2007-2009
This project explored how low-income couples make decisions. Specifically, the project explored, through observational methods, the mechanisms and factors which influence the couple as a unit (as well as the individual partners in low-income couples)...
Family Preservation and Family Support Services Program (FP/FS), 1994-2002
The purpose of the Family Preservation and Family Support (FP/FS) Services Implementation study was to evaluate how states and communities implemented the FP/FS program, the ways in which program implementation altered the pre-existing service delivery...
Feasibility Assessment of Studying the Consequences of Hurricane Katrina for ACF Service Populations, 2006-2008
Hurricane Katrina was perhaps the largest single natural disaster in America’s history. Millions of people were on the hurricane’s path. About half a million people in New Orleans were displaced by floods caused by Hurricane Katrina...
Florida Family Transition Program Evaluation (FTP), 1997-2000
Provisions of the Florida Family Transition Program (FTP) Evaluation demonstration included: (1) a time limit of 24 months on assistance in any 60-month period for most recipients, with a limit of 36 months of receipt out of any 72 months for certain...
Fragile Families and Welfare Reform, 2000-2003
The Fragile Families and Welfare Reform project looked at the conditions and capabilities of vulnerable mothers and fathers in the years following enactment of PRWORA and examined the complex relationships between this new legislation and...
Gendered Parenting and Its Implications for Child Well-being and Couple Relationships, 2006-2008
The focus of this research was to assess the state of social and natural sciences on gender differences in parenting and their consequences for child well-being and marital, as well as non-marital, relationships...
Head Start Child Outcomes Research Support Consortium (CORS), 2002-2006
The Head Start Bureau and the ACF Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation unit in the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation awarded five cooperative agreements in September 2002 under the Head Start Child Outcomes Research Support (CORS)...
Head Start Mental Health Research Consortium, 1997-2001
The Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) awarded five research grants in 1997 as the core component of a new young children's mental health research initiative designed to develop...
Head Start Quality Research Centers Consortium I (QRC), 1995-2000
In 1995, the Head Start Bureau established four Quality Research Centers (QRCs) at (1) the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; (2) High/Scope Educational Research Foundation; (3) Education...
Head Start Quality Research Centers Consortium II (QRC), 2001-2006
The Head Start Bureau and the ACYF Commissioner's Office of Research and Evaluation awarded eight cooperative agreements under the Head Start Quality Research Center (QRC) Consortium to promote the school readiness of preschool children in Head...
Head Start University Partnerships for Curriculum Development, 2005-2008
In September 2005, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) selected six universities to develop curriculum for Head Start and Early Head Start. The grantees received three years of support...
Head Start University Partnerships for Measurement Development, 2004-2008
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) awarded eight grants in September 2004 under the Head Start-University Partnerships: Measurement Development for Head Start Children and Families...
Head Start University Partnerships, 2001-2004
The Head Start University Partnerships Program supported research conducted by university faculty members who form partnerships with Head Start or Early Head Start programs in their communities. The purpose of these partnerships was twofold...
Healthy Marriage Precursors: Relationship Development among Low-Income Youth and Young Adults, 2005-2007
This exploratory study synthesized research relevant to decision-making and behavior about family formation, marriage, employment and earnings and family time use with a focus on low-income populations and included a conceptual framework for further...
I am Moving, I am Learning - Head Start Implementation Evaluation Project, 2006-2008
In FY 2005 the Region III Office of the Administration for Children and Families initiated a pilot project, I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IM/IL), to prevent and reverse the negative consequences of obesity in Head Start children in 17 Head Start programs...
Implementation of Promoting Safe and Stable Families by Indian Tribes (PSSF), 2001-2003
The purpose of the Implementation of Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) by American Indian Tribes study was to examine the ways in which Indian Tribes use funds received under title IV-B, subpart 2 to provide services that strengthen...
Improving Implementation Research Methods for Behavioral and Social Science, 2010
Improving Implementation Research Methods for Behavioral and Social Science, 2010 ACF, along with other federal partners (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Centers for Disease Control's Division of Violence Prevention...
Improving State Capacity to Address the Needs of Low Income Working Families, 2001-2004
The Improving State Capacity to Address the Needs of Low-Income Working Families project was jointly funded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation and the Office of Family Assistance within ACF, and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and...
Indiana Welfare Reform Evaluation Project, 1997-2003
The Indiana Welfare Reform Evaluation Project implemented the following major policy provisions: a 24-month time limit for adults eligible for JOBS; a family benefit cap; child immunization and school attendance requirements; a higher resource limit...
Infant Mental Health, 2000-2001
On October 23 and 24, 2000, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) convened the Infant Mental Health Forum in Washington, DC. ACYF undertook the planning of the Infant Mental Health Forum in response to questions from program staff...
Innovative Employment Strategies, 2005-2007
The Innovative Employment Strategies project gathered and synthesized information on cutting edge approaches and programs for assisting applicants and recipients to gain, retain and advance in employment. Considerable research has already focused...
Interagency Meeting on Subgroup Analysis, 2009
Subgroup analysis, broadly, aims to measure change within and between groups...
Interagency School Readiness Consortium, 2003-2008
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the...
Iowa Welfare Reform Evaluation, 1997-2001
Iowa Welfare Reform Evaluation complemented a separately funded evaluation completed on Iowa's Family Investment Program (FIP). The evaluation consisted of two studies–a study of repeat limited benefit plan (LBP) assignments and a study of...
Local Implementation of TANF: A Description of Current Practices / Later Changes Following the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, 2005-2006
This project examined how the local management of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs has evolved and adapted practices in the years following the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of...
Marriage, Employment, and Family Functioning: Conceptual Framework for Interventions, 2005-2006
This exploratory study synthesized research relevant to decision-making and behavior about family formation, marriage, employment and earnings and family time use with a focus on low-income populations and included a conceptual framework for further...
Marriages and Family Formation Data Analysis Project, 2001-2003
This project examined a range of literature about the marriage and family formation decisions of low-income couples, including unmarried parents and those receiving public assistance, in order to document the relevant research questions that have been...
Measuring Couple Relationships, 2003-2007
The Measuring Couple Relationships agreement transferred funds from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to support activities of the NICHD Family and Child...
Meta-Analysis of Welfare-to-Work Programs, 2002-2005
This study, the Meta-Analysis of Welfare-to-Work Programs, analyzed the results of welfare-to-work demonstrations carried out since 1982. The purpose was to determine how impacts in those demonstrations are related to a wide range of variables...
Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Research Design Development Project (MSHS), 2002-2004
The unique characteristics of migrant and seasonal families are important concerns for the Office of Head Start. This study was designed to ascertain the state of research knowledge about Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs, assess the..
Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), 1997-2000
The following were the key features of the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP): 1) requiring long-term public assistance recipients to participate in intensive employment/training services, including mandatory case management; 2) making work pay...
National Academy of Sciences: Study of Early Childhood Assessment, 2006-2008
In its 2006 appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services, Congress directed the Office of Head Start to sponsor a study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review and provide guidance on appropriate outcomes and assessment...
National Evaluation of Family Support Programs, 1994-1999
The purpose of the National Evaluation of Family Support Programs was to understand the effects of family support on families and children. A central task of the evaluation was to synthesize and analyze the body of research on family support, to answer...
National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS), 1989-2002
The National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS) project evaluated alternative welfare-to-work strategies in seven sites (Riverside, CA; Atlanta, GA; Grand Rapids, MI; Detroit, MI; Columbus, OH; Oklahoma City, OK, and vicinity; and...
National Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Demonstration Study, 1991-1999
In 1990, the U. S. Congress authorized The National Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Demonstration Study project designed to enhance the early public school transitions of former Head Start children and their families...
National Study of Child Care of Low-Income Families, 1997-2007
The National Study of Child Care of Low-Income Families project studied the low-income child care market in 25 communities in 17 states, with a sub-study to examine the family child care market in 5 neighborhoods drawn from these communities...
National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle 6 Project (NSFG), 2002-2003
The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) is a survey of U.S. men and women of reproductive age conducted periodically by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)...
New Jersey Substance Abuse Research Demonstration, 1998-2001
New Jersey Substance Abuse Research Demonstration provided information about the effectiveness of a type of evaluation several states have experimented with to move substance abusing welfare clients toward self-sufficiency. The intervention New Jersey...
New Visions Self-Sufficiency and Lifelong Learning Project, 1999-2006
The New Visions Self-Sufficiency and Lifelong Learning Project is a joint venture of the Riverside Community College (RCC) in California and the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services. The purpose of the demonstration is to improve the...
NLSY97: Potential for Research on Marriage and Family, 2006
The NLSY97 – Potential Opportunities for Marriage and Family Research project was designed to bring together experts with extensive experience with the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data and experts on marriage and the family to identify...
Post-Employment Service Demonstration and Evaluation, 1994-1999
The Post-Employment Services Demonstration and Evaluation project was designed to test whether the provision of additional services, including extended case management and temporary financial supports, promote job retention and advancement or, when...
Report to Congress: Plan for an Indian Head Start Study
This report responds to The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, Public Law 110–134, Sec. 635. [42 U.S.C. 9801] Sub-Section 649 (k) (1) (A-D), Indian Head Start Study, which requires a report to Congress detailing how the...
Research Synthesis of the Effects of TANF, 2000-2002
The Research Synthesis of the Effects of TANF project synthesized the most current research information available on the effect of TANF on income, earnings, receipt of government benefits, and family formation and structure, for individuals and...
Research to Practice: Assessing Evidence-Based Head Start Program Activities, 2005-2008
This project surveyed, assessed, and cataloged literature relevant to Head Start practice, including materials that address the likelihood of implementation fidelity in transporting practices across Head Start settings, and any research-based products...
Sanction Policies, 2005-2007
The purpose of this study was to understand how sanctions have been implemented in recent years in a select group of sites. It also explored developing more rigorous research on the use of sanctions to achieve higher work participation rates...
Secondary Analysis of Data from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), 2005-2008
The National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) provides longitudinal data from multiple informants on the functioning, well-being, and services provided to a national probability sample of children and families who come into contact...
Secondary Analysis of Head Start Data, 2007-2009
This grant program provided funds to support secondary analysis of Head Start data from a number of Federal data sources, including the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation project, the Family and Child Experiences Survey (1997 and 2000 cohorts),...
Service Delivery and Evaluation Design Options for Strengthening and Promoting Healthy Marriages, 2002-2004
Prior research suggests that there is promising evidence that couples participating in marriage and relationship education programs can learn specific skills to improve their relationships and reduce patterns of negative interaction in order to...
Sexual Abuse Experiences of Runaway Youth, 2001-2002
The Sexual Abuse Experiences of Runaway Youth project responded to a legislative requirement to conduct a study to address the extent to which sexual abuse existed in runaway youths, and provide information about the perpetrators of any such abuse...
Strengthening Families with Children Born Out-of-Wedlock, 2001-2003
The Strengthening Families with Children Born Out-of-Wedlock project was jointly funded by ACF’s Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation and Office of Child Support Enforcement. Researchers conducting this study utilized research, information...
Study of Screening and Assessment in TANF/Welfare to Work, 1999-2002
The Study of Screening and Assessment in TANF/Welfare to Work (WtW) project highlighted and discussed critical issues in the development and use of screening and assessment tools designed to identify TANF and/or WtW recipients who experience barriers...
Study of State and County Responses to the Family Formation and Pregnancy Prevention Policy Goals of PRWORA 1996, 2001-2002
In the context of a larger study examining welfare reform, this project provided an analysis of the implementation of family formation and pregnancy prevention policies in 26 counties within 18 States...
Supporting Healthy Marriage in Step-Families, 2005-2006
The Supporting Healthy Marriage in Step-Families project: (1) summarized and synthesized the existing literature concerning the characteristics of stepfamilies, (2) catalogued and documented existing marriage support and education programs focused...
Supporting Quality in Home-Based Child Care, 2007-2010
In 2007, the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation within the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funded a research project, Supporting Quality in Home-Based Child Care, to...
Survey of Early Head Start Programs, 2003-2008
Ever since the inception of Early Head Start, research has been an integral part of the program. At the same time the first Early Head Start programs began operating, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) initiated an evaluation...
TANF Caseload Composition and Leavers, 2005-2007
This study, TANF Caseload Composition and Leavers Synthesis Report, summarized current knowledge on two questions concerning the TANF caseload and those leaving TANF (i.e. leavers): 1) How do the characteristics of the TANF caseload compare with the...
Teenage Parent Demonstration, 1987-1998
The Teenage Parent Demonstration and Evaluation project was designed to test the effectiveness of a mandatory program for first-time teen parents entering the welfare rolls. The program included requirements to attend school or an alternative education...
Terminating the Parental Rights of Older Children (TPR), 2003-2004
The Terminating the Parental Rights of Older Children (TPR) project provided for a descriptive study of the effects of the termination of parental rights on older foster youths' foster care and adoptive experiences...
The Application of Effect Sizes in Research on Children and Families: Understanding Impacts on Academic, Emotional Behavioral and Economic Outcomes
Effect sizes are increasingly applied to describe the magnitude of findings about program effectiveness across a range of policy contexts. Though more researchers are recognizing the importance of including effect sizes in manuscripts, at times these...
The Effects of Welfare Reform on Special Populations, 2000-2003
The Effects of Welfare Reform on Special Populations project provided information regarding the extent to which program policy and implementation at different levels influenced the access to, and use of, government assistance programs by immigrant...
The Iowa Family Investment Program (FIP), 1997-2000
The key provisions of Iowa Family Investment Program (FIP) were: (1) recipients were required to help develop a social contract, the Family Investment Agreement (FIA), which established activities and a time frame for achieving self-sufficiency...
The Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation
Good program evaluations assess program performance, measure impacts on families and communities, and document our success. With this information, programs are better able to direct limited resources to where they are most needed and most effective in...
Underreporting of Welfare Utilization in Current Population Survey Data Evidence for Matched California Administrative Data (CPS), 2001-2004
The Underreporting of Welfare Utilization in Current Population Survey Data Evidence for Matched California Administrative Data (CPS) study examined the incidence of under- and over-reporting of welfare participation in the Current Population Survey...
Understanding the Demand Side of the TANF Labor Market, 2005-2008
The Understanding the Demand Side of the TANF Labor Market project developed, conducted, and analyzed a national survey of employers, in order to gain a better understanding of the policies, practices, and opportunities in the entry-level, low-skill...
Vermont Welfare Restructuring Project (WRP), 1997-2002
Vermont Welfare Restructuring Project's time limit triggered a work requirement rather than the termination of cash assistance. The following were key provisions of the program: (1) the scope of mandatory participation in work or work activities...
What Works Best for Whom: Effects of Welfare Reform Policies on Subgroups of Current and Former Welfare Recipients, 2000-2004
The What Works Best for Whom: Effects of Welfare Reform Policies on Subgroups of Current and Former Welfare Recipients project investigated the effects of recent welfare policies on various subgroups of welfare recipients. It added to earlier work on...
