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Part II: Program Description and Performance Analysis
STRATEGIC GOAL 2 (con't)
5.2 HEAD START
| Request, Full Costs, & Annual Measures ($ in millions) |
FY 2003 | FY 2004 | FY 2005 |
| Budget Request (Program Level) | $6,667.5 | $6,774.8 | $6,943.6 |
| Estimated Full Cost | $6,721.6 | $6,831.3 | $7,003.3 |
| Program Goal: Improve Children’s education & growth. Incorporates measure – classroom skill: FY 2003-2005: 5.2a-e, 5.2j, and 5.21 (43%): Incorporates measure – health: 5.2f, 5.2k (4%): |
$2,890.2
$268.9 |
$2,937.5
$273.2 |
$3,011.4
$280.1 |
* The distribution of full costs to performance measures may not equal the full cost of the performance program area.
ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY EXPLANATION: Performance measures represent 47% of full cost of program based on inclusion of measurement of certain select/key skills. Excluded are: Nutrition, Family and Community Partnerships, Disabilities, Transportation, and Occupation.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND CONTEXT
Intended primarily for preschoolers from low-income families, the basic philosophy guiding the Head Start program is that children benefit from high quality early childhood experiences. Head Start promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services. Head Start programs emphasize cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development to enable each child to develop and function at his or her highest potential. Head Start engages parents in their children's learning and helps parents to make progress toward their educational, literacy, and employment goals.
Head Start continues to emphasize its role as a national laboratory to test and refine educational approaches, and to use child outcomes to help guide program development. Recognition of emerging research, changing needs and developing trends enable the Head Start Bureau to make resources available for targeted programmatic improvements. Head Start conducts research, demonstration, and evaluation activities to test innovative program models and to assess program effectiveness. In FY 1994, the Early Head Start program was established in recognition of mounting evidence that the earliest years, from birth to three years of age, matter a great deal to children's growth and development.
During their Head Start experience, children improve the cognitive and social skills that indicate readiness to learn more in kindergarten. This progress is assessed by Head Start's Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) uses measures of child performance for which national norms are available, such as the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test -- III and subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised. National mean scores are the average scores achieved by children at all levels of income. Head Start works to narrow the gap between disadvantaged children and all children in school readiness skills.
The Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network provides training and technical assistance to help local programs meet the requirements of the Head Start program performance standards and maintain and improve the quality of local programs, emphasizing early literacy and school readiness, family literacy, and improved credentials for classroom teachers. The newly designed training and technical assistance system emphasizes direct, one-on-one contact with Head Start grantees to develop and implement program improvement plans on an annual basis. The national Early Head Start Resource Center for leadership and support provides training and technical assistance for programs enrolling infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. All training and technical assistance services foster collaboration among community agencies, governments, academic institutions, and Head Start Programs.
Head Start established a professional training program to enhance the capacity of all Head Start programs to ensure positive outcomes for children. The program, called Project STEP, provides nationwide research-based literacy training to all Head Start programs, builds on existing quality improvement and professional development efforts, and creates a consistent foundation of staff knowledge and skills in early literacy to enhance the locally designated curriculum and staff development efforts. Ultimately, more than 50,000 Head Start staff will be trained and there will be a literacy-enriched environment in all programs.
National Reporting System
The Head Start National Reporting System (NRS) is designed on the basis of President Bush’s Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Initiative and provisions of the Head Start Act to create a new national data base on the progress and accomplishments of all 4- and 5-year-old Head Start children on specific child outcomes. The assessment information collected through the NRS will be used to strengthen Head Start program effectiveness in three ways:
- Each local Head Start program will receive information from the NRS to supplement and enhance their local child outcomes and program self-assessment efforts.
- The Head Start Bureau and ACF Regional Offices will use the NRS information to guide future training and technical assistance efforts.
- Head Start program monitoring reviews will be expanded to incorporate consideration of child outcomes information from the NRS.
All programs will administer the same package of assessments to children at the beginning and end of the year, to determine the skills with which children enter Head Start, the level of achievement at which they leave Head Start, and the progress that they make during the Head Start year. The assessment package is composed of sub-tests from a variety of currently-available instruments designed and validated for use with preschool school, and was field-tested in spring, 2003 with more than 1400 children in 36 local Head Start programs.
The NRS child assessment will provide information on the following indicators as mandated by Congress in the Head Start Act.
- Understand and use language to communicate for various purposes.
- Use increasing complex and varied vocabulary
- Progress toward acquisition of the English language for non-English background children,
- Identify at least 10 letters of the alphabet
- Demonstrate phonemic awareness
- Demonstrate numeracy awareness
Programs will be responsible for entering background information on children, teachers, and program services to enable analysis of the effectiveness of Head Start services in achieving progress on these outcomes for sub-groupings of children.
The key projected milestones in the implementation of the NRS were/are:
- Training of managers and local staff members to administer the NRS
child assessment and
submit and use data through the NRS information system. – Completed Summer, 2003 - Initial child assessment of 525,000 children – Completed Fall, 2003
- End-of-year child assessments – Spring/Summer 2004
- Completion of national data base and analysis of 1(st) year of data
on children’s progress and
performance levels – Fall 2004 - Collection, analysis and report on Year II NRS assessment data and
trend data on children’s
progress – Fall, 2004-Summer, 2005 - Utilization of NRS data to design and implement training and technical
assistance to improve
targeted outcomes. – Winter/Spring 2005 - The design and field-testing of a model which incorporate NRS data
into ACF on-site
program monitoring reviews – Winter/Spring, 2005
The Administration for Children and Families and the Head Start Bureau work with several agencies within HHS, the Department of Education, and other agencies and institutions of higher learning in support of efforts to maintain and improve the quality and scope of Head Start program services.
- Health Resources and Services Administration: The Head Start Bureau signed an inter-agency agreement to support the provision of technical expertise in the area of oral health to both the Head Start Bureau and Regional Offices.
- Department of Education and National Institutes of Health: Early Head Start Fathers to help develop strategies to involve fathers in aspects of the Early Head Start program.
- Department of Education: Collaboration on Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, kindergarten and birth cohorts, to increase knowledge about predictors of school readiness.
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Department of Education, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE): Inter-agency collaboration on research initiative to identify child development interventions to promote school readiness.
- America Reads and the Department of Education: to develop and implement literacy curricula in early childhood settings.
- Partnership with Office of Child Support Enforcement: to foster collaboration between Head Start and OCSE agencies in furthering the support of children.
- National Center on Family Literacy: to assist Head Start in developing literacy curricula.
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions of Higher Learning, and Indian Controlled Land Grant Colleges and Universities: to develop faculty support for curricula in early childhood development for training of teachers.
PROGRAM PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
| Performance Measures | Targets | Actual Performance | Reference (Relevant strategic goal in the HHS Strategic Plan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PROGRAM GOAL: Enhance Children’s Growth and Development. | |||
| Objectives:
(1) Children demonstrate improved emergent literacy, numeracy, and language skills, and (2) Children demonstrate improved general cognitive skills. |
|||
| 5.2a. Achieve at least an average 34 percent gain (12 scale points) in word knowledge for children completing the Head Start program.[O] | FY
05: 34% FY 04: 34% FY 03: 32% FY 02: 32% FY 01: 10 FY 00: NA |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 12/05 FY 02: 10 (32%) FY 01: 10 (32%) FY 00: 10 (32%) |
HHS 7.2 |
| 5.2b. Achieve at least an average 52 percent gain (4 scale points) in mathematical skills for children completing the Head Start program.[O] | FY
05: 52% FY 04: 52% FY 03: 43% FY 02: 43% FY 01: 3 FY 00: NA |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 12/05 FY 02: 3 (43%) FY 01: 3 (43%) FY 00: 3 (43%) |
HHS 7.2 |
| 5.2c. Achieve at least an average 70 percent gain (3.4 scale points) in letter identification for children completing the Head Start program. [O] | FY
05: 70% FY 04: 70% FY 03: 70% FY 02: 70% FY 01: 3.4 FY 00: NA |
FY 05: FY 04: FY 03: 12/05 FY 02: 2 (38%) FY 01: 2 (38%) FY 00: 1.5 (35%) |
HHS 7.2 |
| Objective: (3) Children demonstrate improved gross and fine motor skills. | |||
| 5.2d. Achieve at least an average 43 percent gain (1.24 scale points) in fine motor skills for children completing the Head Start program. | FY
04: Dropped FY 03: 43% FY 02: 43% FY 01: 1.24 FY 00: NA |
FY
03: 12/05 FY 02: 1.05 (34%) FY 01: 1.05 (34%) FY 00: 1.05 (34%) |
HHS 7.2 |
| Objectives:
(4) Children demonstrate improved positive attitudes toward learning. (5) Children demonstrate improved social behavior and emotional well-being. |
|||
| 5.2e.
Achieve at least an average 14 percent gain (2 scale points) in
social skills for children completing the Head Start program.
[O]
FULL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CLASSROOM SKILL
MEASURES – |
FY
05: 14% FY 04: 14% FY 03: 10% FY 02: 10% FY 01: 1.4 FY 00: NA |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 12/05 FY 02: 1.9 (13%) FY 01: 1.9 (13%) FY 00: 1.4 (10%) |
HHS 7.2 |
| Objective: (6) Children demonstrate improved physical health. | |||
5.2f. Achieve goal of at least 80 percent of children completing the Head Start program rated by parent as being in excellent or very good health. [O] FULL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTH MEASURES
– 5.2f, 5.2k |
FY
05: 80% FY 04: 80% FY 03: 80% FY 02: 80% FY 01: 80% FY 00: NA |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 12/05 FY 02: 79% FY 01: 79% FY 00: 77% |
HHS 3.2 |
| Former measure: Increase the percentage of Head Start children who receive necessary medical treatment after being identified as needing medical treatment. | FY
04: Dropped FY 03: 97% FY 02: 94% FY 01: 92% FY 00: 90% FY 99: 88% |
FY 03: 89% |
HHS 3.2 |
| 881,869 children were up-to-date on a schedule of age appropriate preventive and primary health care. 186,572 children received medical treatment as a result of a diagnosed health condition | |||
| Former measure: Maintain the percentage of Head Start children who receive necessary dental treatment after being identified as needing dental treatment. [O] | FY
04: Dropped FY 03: 95% FY 02: 90% FY 01: 90% FY 00: 90% FY 99: 96% |
FY 03: 77% FY 02: 76% FY 01: 77% FY 00: 78% FY 99: 81% FY 98: 83% |
|
| Of the 223,665 children identified as needing dental treatment, 172,447 children received or are receiving dental treatment. | |||
| PROGRAM GOAL: Strengthen Families | |||
| Objective: (1) Head Start parents demonstrate improved parenting skills. | |||
| 5.2g.
Achieve goal of at least 70 percent the percentage of parents who
report reading to child three times per week or more.
% of Full Costs – 0 |
FY
05: 70% FY 04: 70% FY 03: 70% FY 02: 70% FY 01: 70% FY 00: NA |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 12/05 FY 02: 69% FY 01: 69% FY 00: 66% |
HHS 7.2 |
| Objectives:
(2) Parents improve their self-concept and emotional well-being. (3) Parents make progress toward their educational, literacy, and employment goals. |
|||
| 5.2h.
Maintain the percentage of Head Start employees who are parents of
Head Start children.
% of Full Costs – 0 |
FY
04: Dropped FY 03: 30% FY 02: 30% FY 01: 30% FY 00: 30% FY 99: 30% |
FY 03: 27% FY 02: 28% FY 01: 29% FY 00: 30.9% FY 99: 30.6% FY 98: 29% |
|
| PROGRAM GOAL: Children receive educational services. | |||
| Objective: (1) Programs provide developmentally appropriate educational environments. | |||
5.2i. Increase the percentage of teachers with AA, BA, Advanced Degree, or a degree in a field related to early childhood education. [O](E) % of Full Costs FY 2003: 4% FY 2004: 4% FY 2005: 4% |
FY 05: 61% FY 04: 56% FY 03: 50% FY 02: 47% |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 57.5% FY 02: 51% FY 01: 45% FY 00: 41% FY 99: 37% FY 98: 32% FY 97: 33% |
HHS 7.2
EFFICIENCY MEASURE |
| Former measure: Increase the percentage of classroom teachers with a degree in early childhood education (ECE), a child development associate credential, a State-awarded preschool certificate, a degree in a field related to ECE plus a State-awarded certificate or who are in CDA training and have been given a 180-day waiver, consistent with the provisions of Section 648A(a)(1) of the Head Start Act. | FY
04: Dropped FY 03: 100% FY 02: 100% FY 01: 100% FY 00: 100% FY 99: 100% |
FY 03: 96.4% |
HHS
7.2 EFFICIENCY MEASURE |
| Of Head Start 53,900 teachers, 51,883 have a college degree, State certification, a CDA, or are in training. 30,868 have an AA degree or higher. | |||
| Objective: (2) Staff interact with children in a skilled and sensitive manner. | |||
5.2j. Maintain the average lead teacher score on an observational measure of teacher-child interaction. |
FY
05: 73 FY 04: 73 FY 03: 73 FY 02: 73 FY 01: 73 FY 00: NA |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 12/05 FY 02: 72 FY 01: 72 FY 00: 73 |
HHS 7.2 |
| PROGRAM GOAL: Children in Head Start receive health and nutritional services.* | |||
| Objective: Children in Head Start receive needed mental health services. | |||
| 5.2k. Increase the percentage of Head Start children who receive necessary treatment for emotional or behavioral problems after being identified as needing such treatment.[O] | FY
05: 90% FY 04: 90% FY 03: 90% FY 02: 85% FY 01: 83% FY 00: 81% FY 99: 81% |
FY
05: FY 04: FY 03: 72% FY 02: 74% FY 01: 77% FY 00: 77% FY 99: 75% FY 98: 75% |
HHS 3.5 |
| Of the 22,526 children referred for mental health services outside the Head Start program, 16,167 received treatment. | |||
| 5.2l. Proportion of Head Start grantees, using the National Reporting System, that meet or exceed numerical targets in selected dimensions of school readiness. [O] (Developmental) | FY 05: NA | FY
05: FY 04: Baseline |
HHS 7.2 |
| Percentage of all Head Start grantees that are reporting child outcome data using the National Reporting System. (Developmental) | FY 04: Dropped |
HHS 7.2 | |
| 5.2m. Decrease under-enrollment in Head Start programs thereby increasing the number of children served per dollar. [E] (Developmental) | FY 05: NA | HHS 7.2
EFFICIENCY MEASURE |
|
| Total
Funding for All Head Start Programs (dollars in millions)
See detailed Budget Linkage Table in Appendix A-12 for line items included in funding totals. |
FY
05: $6943.6 FY 04: $6774.8 FY 03: $6667.5 FY 02: $6537.0 FY 01: $6199.8 FY 00: $3866.2 FY 99: $4658.1 |
||
Summary of Program Performance
For FY 2003, and the two measures for which data exist, one target was met and one was not. Among the seven measures for FY 2002 for which there are data, four targets were met or exceeded, and three were not (although two of the three are within one percentage point of their (70% and 80%) FY 2002 targets.
Sixty-four percent of all Head Start programs enrolled children from more than one dominant language and 20 percent enrolled children from four or more dominant language groups. Besides staffing Head Start centers with staff speaking the same language as the children enrolled, Head Start provides special programs for special populations. In FY 2003, Head Start served more than 121,000 children with disabilities, 12 percent of the total enrollment. Disabilities included visual, hearing, speech, and health impairments, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbances, specific learning disabilities, and developmental delays.
Head Start programs endeavor to meet the needs of diverse communities and cultures in America. Head Start enrolls and serves children in a myriad of settings, primarily community-based organizations operating from Florida to Alaska, and from Puerto Rico to Micronesia through a network of 1,565 largely community-based program grantees. In FY 2003, more than 912,000 children were enrolled in Head Start programs. These programs operated 18,865 centers with 49,800 classrooms. Of the children served, 34.5 percent were African-American; 30.4 percent were White; 28.7 percent were Hispanic; 3.3 percent were American Indian; and 2.0 percent were Asian. In FY 2005, Head Start is projecting that it will serve approximately 923,000 children.
FACES also showed encouraging results on program quality. Head Start classroom quality is good on average, with approximately 75 percent of over 500 observed classrooms rating good quality or higher on the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. None of Head Start's 48,000 classrooms scored below a minimal level of quality, unlike many other pre-school and child care settings. Head Start classroom quality is linked to child outcomes. For example, children score higher on early literacy measures when they experience richer teacher-child interaction, more language learning opportunities, and a classroom well equipped with learning resources.
Data Sources: The Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is a longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of 3,200 children and families in 40 Head Start programs which provides data for the Head Start child outcomes measures. OMB granted approval for the study in July 1997, following a field test of 2,400 children in the spring of 1997. Full implementation began in the fall of 1997 and includes assessment of the same children before and after their Head Start experience (whether one or two years), as well as in the spring of kindergarten and the spring of first grade. Data sources include parent interviews, staff interviews, teacher questionnaires, classroom observations, and direct child assessments. FACES, designed as a periodic, longitudinal data collection activity, provided the baseline data for 1999.
Because of the need to collect longitudinal data, (including pre- and post-test and follow-up data on child performance to assess progress), it is not feasible to provide FACES data on an annual basis. However, regular, periodic data collection for additional program quality and outcome measures provided by the Head Start Program Information Report will ensure a regular, national picture of program quality. The 2002-2003 cohort of FACES included a new nationally representative sample of 43 programs. Data collection began in fall 2000, following children and families for one or two years of program attendance, with a kindergarten follow-up. Targets established for FY 2003-2004 are based on this cohort. Current plans project a third three-year cycle of FACES data collection for FY 2003-2004.
Head Start Program Monitoring: Head Start's Monitoring Tracking System is an automated system which examines and tracks Head Start program performance standard compliance at least every three years for each program. ACF regional office and central office staff conduct more than 500 on-site reviews each year. The automated data system provides trend data so that a team comprised of Regional and Central Office staff can examine strengths and weaknesses in all programs.
Other Information and Management Systems: All local programs receiving Head Start funds are required to submit an annual Program Information Report tracking program participation statistics such as the age of children, the kind of education program they receive, and the medical, dental, and mental health services the children receive. Annual one-time questions capture information about children's families and the kind of support services required such as job training, education, housing, counseling, and other community based services. This data collection is automated to improve the efficiency in the collection and analysis of data. Head Start achieves a 100 percent response rate annually from 2,600 respondents. The data yielded are used for several performance measures reported in the summary tables in this plan.
Head Start's automated application includes a component which tracks costs hourly, daily, and annually across service components and allows judgments to be made by Federal officials about the reasonableness of a Head Start grantee’s proposed costs.
Measure by Measure Presentation of Performance
PROGRAM GOAL: Enhance children's growth and development.
| Objectives: |
Children demonstrate improved emergent literacy,
numeracy, and language skills. |
Significant resource allocations have been targeted to train thousands of Head Start teachers in effective methods for implementing literacy curricula in Head Start programs across the country. This activity, Project Step, conducted in concert with a Presidential initiative, began in FY 2002.
For the program goal "Enhance children's growth and development," the targets have been set to be both educationally meaningful and realistically achievable. Head Start's Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), a longitudinal study, is showing encouraging results. The most current data (FY 2002) indicate that Head Start children completing the program are achieving an average 32 percent gain in word knowledge (measure 5.2a) compared to average gain among all children during the pre-K year of 19 percent. In addition, Head Start children are achieving an average 43 percent gain in mathematical skills (measure 5.2b) compared to the average gain for all pre-K children of 30 percent. Considering most Head Start children enter the program with scores below national norms on most measures of school readiness, these early indications of program performance are quite impressive.
| 5.2a. | Increase word knowledge for children
completing the Head Start program. Data Source: Family and Child Experiences Survey data including child assessments, parent interviews, and teacher ratings (FACES) |
The Head Start FACES Study has demonstrated that children completing Head Start make more progress than the typical child in vocabulary during the Head Start year. In addition, children’s vocabulary scores at the end of the Head Start program are the strongest predictor of their general knowledge scores at the end of Kindergarten. Vocabulary knowledge is thought to measure the “outside-in” or comprehension domain, which is an important component of the development of early literacy skills, and is distinct from “inside-out” or decoding skills reflected in letter knowledge.
| 5.2b. | Increase mathematical skills for
children completing the Head Start program. Data Source: FACES data |
The Head Start FACES Study has shown that while children completing Head Start make more gains than the typical child in vocabulary and early writing, they increase at the same rate as the typical child, or perform on a par with the level of growth seen in the national sample. Therefore, they are not losing ground with respect to national norms, but they are not improving at a faster rate (as they do for vocabulary and early writing). Children completing Head Start need to improve their mathematical skills as an important component of school readiness.
| 5.2c. | Increase letter identification
for children completing the Head Start program. Data Source: FACES data |
The Head Start FACES Study has demonstrated that children’s letter identification knowledge at the end of the Head Start program is predictive of their reading decoding skills at the end of Kindergarten. Increased programmatic attention will be given to this effort. The target represents an aggressive goal relative to previous performance. This increased attention is addressed through multiple approaches at the program level, including new initiatives in family literacy, teacher credentialing, a new emphasis on local program use of child outcome data in self-evaluations, and a major teacher training initiative focused on developing literacy-rich classrooms.
Objective: Children demonstrate improved gross and fine motor skills.
| 5.2d. | Achieve at least an average 43
percent gain (1.24 scale points) in fine motor skills for children
completing the Head Start program. Data Source: FACES data |
This measure was dropped to meet the overall objective of reducing the total number of ACF measures.
| Objectives: |
Children demonstrate improved positive attitudes toward
learning. |
| 5.2e. | Increase scores on social skills
for children completing Head Start program. Data Source: FACES data |
The Head Start FACES Study has shown that Head Start children’s social skills and cooperative classroom behavior (as rated by teachers and by parents) are predictive both of their behavior in Kindergarten (as rated by Kindergarten teachers) and of their performance on direct cognitive measures in Kindergarten. Improvement in children’s social skills over the Head Start year is a crucial component of children’s school readiness.
Objective: Children demonstrate improved physical health.
| 5.2f. | Increase the percentage of children
completing the Head Start program rated by parent as being in excellent
or very good health. Data Source: FACES data |
Children’s physical health and well-being is a well-recognized part of school readiness, and well-represented in Head Start performance standards through screening and provision of needed health and mental health services.
The following two measures have been dropped in preference to measure 5.2f. The Head Start program has maintained a high level of effort in accomplishing a nearly 100 percent rate for child immunizations and rates approaching 90 percent for health examinations. While performance remained somewhat stable for these two measures, both are below the projected target levels. However, both the number of children identified as needing treatment and the number of children receiving treatment has increased for these measures.
| FY 2003 Plan | |
| Increase the percentage of Head
Start children who receive necessary medical treatment after being
identified as needing medical treatment. Data Source: Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) |
|
881,869 children were up-to-date on a schedule of preventive health care including tests and physical examinations. 209,358 children were identified as needing treatment. 186,572 children received medical treatment at the time the annual PIR report was compiled. Head Start Performance Standards required that children receive needed medical treatment. Performance was below the targeted level. However, 15,382 more children were treated over the previous year. While some children leave the program before treatment can begin, the Bureau will continue to emphasize treatment for all children who need it.
| FY 2003 Plan | |
| Increase the percentage of Head
Start children who receive necessary dental treatment after being
identified as needing dental treatment. Data Source: (PIR) |
|
Head Start Performance Standards require that children receive needed dental treatment. 223,665 children were identified as needing dental treatment. 172,447 received or were receiving treatment at the time the annual PIR report was compiled. Performance was below projected target. Lack of access to Medicaid by dental providers and children leaving the Head Start program before the beginning of treatment contribute to this shortfall. However, 15,256 more children were treated over the previous year. This effort will continue to be monitored by regular on-site reviews.
Objective: Head Start parents demonstrate improved parenting skills.
| 5.2g. | Increase the percent of parents
who report reading to child three times per week or more. Data Source: FACES Data |
The Head Start FACES Study has demonstrated a link between frequency of parental reading and children’s level and gain in early literacy activities. Therefore, setting a program goal of supporting parent reading helps to take literacy activities from the classroom into the home learning environment and emphasizes the primary role of parents in children’s learning.
| Objectives: |
Parents improve their self-concept and emotional well-being.
|
| FY 2003 Plan | |
| 5.2h. | Maintain the percentage of Head
Start employees who are parents of Head Start children. Data Source: PIR |
Head Start continues to employ and provide training to 57,500 parents of Head Start children; approximately 28 percent of present Head Start employees are parents of Head Start children. Head Start programs continue to train parents to work in Head Start programs. Head Start parents achieve required credentials thereby benefiting from career training, and enjoy long term stable employment in Head Start. These parents, many of whom were participants in temporary public assistance, participate in employer provided health care and retirement benefits, accruing benefits not only for themselves, but also for their children. Nationwide approximately 30 percent of Head Start staff has been comprised of current or former parents since this measure was first implemented. Because this percentage has changed very little over time, this measure is being dropped in FY 2004. Head Start Performance Standards require that employment opportunities be available to parents. This effort will continue to be monitored through routine program monitoring.
PROGRAM GOAL: Children receive educational services.
Objective: Programs provide developmentally appropriate educational environments.
In response to the legislative mandate, substantial resources have been allocated during FY 2003 to upgrade the credentials of Head Start classroom teachers. More than $1.7 million in annual funding is earmarked to pay for teacher training and credentials.
| 5.2i. | Increase the percentage of teachers
with an AA, BA, Advanced Degree or a degree in a field related to
early childhood education. Data Source: PIR |
Grantees are required to develop plans for using their allocation to increase the number of teachers with degrees, a factor which research indicates is strongly associated with positive child outcomes. Head Start has shown a steady increase in the number of teachers with BA, AA, or advanced degrees in early childhood education and has met the present goal required by the Head Start Act. The Head Start Act now requires that at least 50 percent of all teachers have an AA, BA, or degree in a field related to early childhood education. For FY 2003, of Head Start’s 53,900 teachers, 30,868 have an AA degree or higher (57.5 percent). This represents an increase of 6,071 degreed teachers over the previous year. This measure has been increased by 10 percent for the FY 2005 reporting period.
| FY 2003 Plan | |
| Achieve the goal of 100 percent
of classroom teachers with a degree in early childhood education (ECE),
a child development associate credential, a State-awarded preschool
certificate, a degree in a field related to ECE plus a State-awarded
certificate, or who are in CDA training and have been given a 180
day waiver, consistent with the provisions of Section 648A(a)(2) of
the Head Start Act. Data Source: PIR |
|
This target established in the Head Start Act for qualified teaching staff was 100 percent; the actual was 96.4 percent. This is a 6.4 percentage point increase over the previous year. In partnership with institutions of higher education, Head Start is working to ensure that a majority of teachers obtain associate or bachelor degrees in early childhood education over the next few years. This measure has been dropped in preference to 5.2i that measures degreed teachers.
Objective: Staff interact with children in a skilled and sensitive manner.
| 5.2j. | Improve the average lead teacher
score on an observational measure of teacher-child interaction. Data Sources: FACES and observation of classroom teachers |
Teacher-child interaction is a demonstrated measure of classroom quality, and often linked to children’s school readiness outcomes.
PROGRAM GOAL: Children in Head Start receive health and nutritional services.
Objective: Children in Head Start receive needed mental health services.
| 5.2k. | Increase the percentage of Head
Start children who receive necessary treatment for emotional or behavioral
problems after being identified as needing such treatment. Data Source: PIR |
The social and emotional development of children is an important aspect of their ability to enter school ready to learn. Acquiring appropriate mental health services for children with emotional or behavioral problems will enable Head Start children to achieve school success. Of the 22,526 children referred for mental health services, 16,167 children had received or were receiving services at the time the annual PIR was compiled. This represents an increase of 623 children who received mental health services over the previous year. While Head Start has not yet achieved eliminating the barriers to services for all children there is a need for continued emphasis on acquiring services for children who require them.
| FY 2004- 2005 Plan | |
| 5.2l. | Proportion of Head Start grantees,
using the National Reporting System that meet or exceed numerical
targets in selected dimensions of school readiness. (New) Data Source: Head Start Administrative Data |
This above measure is under development in FY 2003 as we pilot test the implementation and utilization of Head Start’s National Reporting System of local child development outcomes. The baseline will be created in FY 2004.
| Percentage of all Head Start
grantees that are reporting child outcome data using the National
Reporting System. Data Source: Head Start Administrative Data |
This measure has been dropped and replaced by the new 5.2l which includes the percentage of Head Start grantees reporting child outcome data as the denominator of the metrics.
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