Bilingual:

Refers to studies of children for whom English is a second language (specifically referring to studies of language). It does not include studies that simply include bilingual children in the sample. The focus of the study must be on bilingual children and include findings or outcomes related to these children.

Child Care:

Refers to care provided for children so that parents can work or attend job training. It does not include the instructional component of Head Start. It should include, however, extended day services provided by Head Start for the children of working parents.

Children with Disabilities:

Refers to studies of Head Start services to children with disabilities and the performance of these children. It does not include studies that simply include some children with disabilities in the sample. The focus of the research must be on Head Start children with disabilities and include findings or outcomes related to these children. It also does not refer to special education placement in later grades. It includes studies of diagnoses and special services such as speech/language intervention.

Cognitive Development:

A general term used to refer to studies of intellectual growth in areas such as mathematics, school-readiness, or overall achievement. It does not refer to children's IQ or reading or language development and is not automatically coded when one of these categories applies. It includes comprehensive tests and screenings such as the Woodcock-Johnson, as well as studies focusing on grade retention, school performance, and school placement up to and including the third grade.

Cognitive Development - IQ:

Refers to studies of aptitude, intelligence, or ability, often recognizable by the test given (e.g. Stanford-Binet, Wechsler).

Cognitive Development - Language:

Refers to studies of language development and performance. It includes studies of auditory skills and may include tests such as the PPVT, a test of receptive vocabulary.

Cognitive Development - Reading:

Refers to studies of emergent literacy, reading readiness, and reading performance. It may include tests such as Concepts in Print.

Health:

Refers to studies of the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of the medical needs of Head Start children, including mental health care, nutritional care, preventive health care, and dental care (includes psychological testing and referral services). Refers only to studies with a focus on children; if the focus is on parents, it is coded as "Family Impact".

Long-Term Effects:

Refers to studies of the effects of Head Start on children that persist beyond the completion of third grade. It includes studies of grade retention, school performance, school placement, as well as subsequent social adjustment.

Social/Emotional Development & Behavior:

Refers to studies of social adjustment, self-esteem, locus of control, personality, self-concept, attitudes, and emotional development. It can include studies of behavior, peer interaction, play, and attention. It can also include studies of children's adjustment to school and/or academic competence that measure these constructs using assessments of social skills (e.g., SSRS, What I Think of School Survey).

Special Populations:

Refers to studies with findings regarding specifically-defined target populations such as migrant families. Children with disabilities and bilingual children have their own unique codes. Also refers to studies that present findings or data related to specific ethnic, cultural, or racial groups. It does not refer to studies that by chance include children or families from different ethnicities, cultures, or races in the sample without reporting separate outcomes.

Community Impact:

Refers to the impact of the community on Head Start children. It includes studies of the relationship of Head Start to other social services, schools, or other community institutions. Also refers to the effects of Head Start on the neighborhood or community.

Costs:

Refers to data that describe the costs of Head Start services and programs, examine sources of funding, and present cost/benefit analyses.

Management & Staffing:

Refers to studies of staffing, including staff training, staff-child ratio, staff certification (including the CDA), staff salaries and benefits. It also includes budgeting, accounting, and type of grantee. It is coded only when findings or outcomes are related to management or staffing issues.

Services Provided:

Refers to studies that focus only on descriptive information of Head Start programs. It can include the type of services provided, comparisons between half-day and full-day programs, between part-year and full-year programs, or between one-year and two-year programs.

Teaching Methods:

Refers to studies of Head Start curriculum content, materials, teaching techniques, and structure. It includes the Planned Variation studies and parent education curricula as well.

Economic Self-Sufficiency:

Refers to studies that focus on the progress of Head Start families toward achieving self-sufficiency.

Family Impact:

Refers to studies of both the effect of Head Start on families (e.g., parent health, and the ability of families to care for their children) and the effect of the family's structure, behavior patterns, and support on child performance. It includes studies of parental attitudes, child-rearing practices, parent-child interaction, maternal stress, family support systems, and parent education.

Parent Participation:

Refers to studies that explicitly examine the type and amount of parent participation in the Head Start classroom or other intervention program (e.g., Head Start/Public School Transition Projects) on child performance or family outcomes. Parent participation is a required component often referenced, but is only coded as this topic when findings or data are presented.

Early Head Start:

Refers to studies of the Early Head Start program.

Even Start:

Refers to studies examining the Even Start program, sponsored by the Department of Education, and the performance of children and families enrolled in Even Start.

Follow Through:

Refers to studies of the Follow-Through program (kindergarten through grade 3) services and the performance of children enrolled in Follow-Through.

Home Start:

Refers not only to studies of the Home Start program, but also to studies of other preschool services provided to children and their families at home.

Transition Studies:

Refers to research pertaining to facilitating the transition from the Head Start preschool program to kindergarten and the public school system through the third grade. Studies of the Follow Through program are coded separately. Studies are coded as 'long term effects' after children graduate from third grade.