When program staff and parents recognize their management roles
in planning, organizing, influencing, and evaluating their work,
they become more effective service providers for Head Start
families. In addition, when parents and staff view Head Start as a
dynamic social system, the value of taking a team approach to
providing services becomes clear.
Definition of Quality
The Advisory Committee on Head Start Quality and Expansion states
that the quality of services must be a first priority; in other
words, the basic element for a successful Head Start program is
quality. All Head Start leaders are expected to provide quality,
comprehensive services that foster each child's social competence.
The Head Start Program Performance Standards provide the tools,
policies, and support leaders need to achieve quality service. In
addition, every Head Start program is expected to establish trusting
partnerships with parents and families that build on family
strengths and competencies while supporting their cultures and
languages. Head Start's mission is to ensure that each family
enrolled in the program is supported as it fosters the child's
development and strives to attain personal family goals. A program
that focuses on quality exceeds these expectations.
The primary customers in any Head Start program are children,
their families, and the community where they reside. By focusing on
continuous improvement, Head Start staff, parents, advisory
committees, and policy groups can build the foundation that supports
quality services for children and families. To continually improve,
programs need strong, committed governing bodies and policy groups,
as well as effective management systems and procedures that support
innovative ideas. Providing quality services also requires
everyone's participation and contribution--staff and parents with
the commitment and skills to plan effectively, take responsive
actions, assess program strengths, identify areas that need
improvement, and work toward implementing the improvements they
identify.
Characteristics of a Quality Head Start
Program
Quality Head Start programs share the following general
characteristics:
Customer focus is the guiding principle of quality
programs. In Head Start, our customers are the children and families
we serve. Tim Nolan¹ discusses the closeness to the customer:
The very fact that fifty-one percent (51%) of the members
of the policy council are parents indicates this attempt at
closeness to the real needs of Head Start families. In addition, parents
are hired for entry-level positions, and the staff that is recruited
reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the families being
served.
A team approach is used to provide children and families
with comprehensive services. Staff and parents collaborate to ensure
that integrated quality services are offered. Programs work together
to focus on the family and partnerships with parents, strengthen
linkages with other community agencies, and achieve greater
integration of program areas and coordinated service delivery.
Service delivery requires an integrated approach: Early child
development and health services are covered on one track, while
family and community partnerships are covered on the other. Program
design and management link these tracks together. Furthermore, a
high level of parent involvement is important in planning,
designing, and implementing innovative programs.
Using a team approach ensures that a system for record-keeping
and budgeting exists to meet the ongoing challenges of program
growth. Program staff and parents meet frequently to communicate and
share information across program areas. Through this exchange, staff
can better establish and maintain effective record-keeping systems
that contain complete, up-to-date, and accessible information that
can be used for continuous improvement.
Effective leaders who use strong and inspiring
management strategies are essential. The leadership of a Head Start
program comes from its governing bodies and policy groups, including
the board of directors and policy council, which are composed of
parents and community representatives. The grantee and program
administrators, directors, and managers also serve on the management
team that provides leadership and direction.
Paula Jorde Bloom² writes that the program leadership should be
the gatekeeper to quality. The director of the Head Start program
sets the standards for excellence in the Head Start community. Once
leaders understand these requirements of service excellence, they
have a road map that they can use to help their staff meet the needs
of children and families.
Empowered staff committed to providing outstanding
service are an important characteristic of a quality program. To be
empowered, people need to feel that they are a valuable part of a
team. They must be encouraged to contribute their ideas and be
recognized for their achievements. A team environment that empowers
staff to provide outstanding services offers them opportunities for
personal growth and develops their skills and abilities. As a
result, program quality is enhanced, and staff can be energetic,
creative, and motivated to work as a team and participate in
decision making.
A focus on continuous improvement is crucial so that
staff can measure and improve how they do their work. Being part of
a quality program means constantly looking for ways to perform
better and make the day-to-day routines a little smoother for
children and families. Doing only what is required is not enough.
The ongoing process to improve services is essential to
ensure that the other characteristics of a quality program can meet
the ever-changing needs of children and their families.
By implementing strategies for regular program assessment, staff
can evaluate the level of quality performance, determine needed
services, develop long- and short-range plans, and analyze and
monitor how the work is being done. The Head Start Program
Performance Standards help program staff measure their level of
performance. A carefully designed, annual self-assessment process
can guide programs in evaluating how well they are implementing
their goals and objectives.
Another important aspect of the planning process is the
Community Assessment that each Early Head Start grantee and
delegate agency must conduct to gather the information they need to
best meet the needs in their service areas.
Strong community partnerships created through
communication and collaboration with other community organizations
ensure that children, parents, and families receive quality
services. These partnerships can be established with other health
and human service agencies, local governments, school districts,
local businesses, service associations, the media, and other local
institutions.
In summary, if Head Start leaders, program staff, parents, and
families are going to maintain a level of quality, they must:
- Define quality within their program
- Understand that improvement efforts apply to the entire
program and involve everyone
- Determine how they can provide quality services that meet the
individual needs of children and families
- Recognize that quality is dynamic and requires ongoing
efforts--it is a continuous process
¹ Tim Nolan, "What Really Makes Head Start Work? You May Be
Surprised!" Executive Briefing (Milwaukee, Wis.: Institute for
Innovation in Human Services, 1994).
² Paula Jorde Bloom, "The Child Care Center Director: A Critical
Component of Program Quality," Educational Horizons (Spring 1992):
138-145.