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Project Description

The National Head Start Impact Study is a longitudinal study whose primary purpose is to determine whether Head Start has an impact on participating children and their parents and, if so, whether such effects vary among different types of children, families, communities, and configurations of children’s early care and program experiences. More specifically, the project has two primary goals. The first is to determine on a national basis how Head Start affects the school readiness of children participating in the program as compared to children not enrolled in Head Start. Does Head Start improve children's cognitive development, general knowledge, approaches to learning, social and emotional development, communication skills, fine and gross motor skills, and physical well-being? In addition, how does Head Start affect the lives of the families of children enrolled in the program? The second goal of the study is to determine under which conditions Head Start works best and for which children. To meet this goal, the study will examine various factors that could affect the results of the Head Start program. These factors will include differences among children attending Head Start, differences in children's home environments, the different types of Head Start programs available (home or center-based, quality indicators such as staff ratio, curriculum, part- vs. full-day programs, one versus two years exposure), and the availability and quality of other child care and preschool programs in a particular area.

Project duration: Oct 2000 - Jan 2006

Sites studied include Nationwide

Sample Characteristics and Sites Studied

Total Sample: n =4,667 randomly assigned Head Start children from 25 geographic areas.
3-year olds:
Total: 2,559; Treatment: 1,530; Control: 1,029.
4-year olds:
Total: 2,108; Treatment: 1,253; Control: 855.

The treatment group was assigned to Head Start, the control group was assigned to non-Head Start programs.

n=383 randomly selected Head Start centers

Recent Findings in Brief

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