ACF OPRE: Head Start Impact Study and Follow-up

Building Futures The Head Start Impact Study Interim Report

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Title Page

Executive Summary
	Introduction
	Study Overview
	Data Collection
		Status Update and Reports

Chapter 1: Introduction
	Introduction
	Background
	The Congressional Mandate
	Contents of This Report

Chapter 2: The Design of the Head Start Impact Study
	Overall Research Design
	Selection of Head Start Programs
	The Grantee/Delegate Agency Sampling Process
	How Representative Is the Program Sample?
	Comparison of Grantee/Delegate Agency Sample with National Population
		Effects of Exclusion Due to Saturation
	Child-Level Selection and Assignment Process
		Child Sample Selection
		Random Assignment of Children
	Comparison of Treatment and Control Children and Their Families at the Time of Random Assignment

Chapter 3: Data Collection Procedures, Measures, and Data Sources
	Overview of Planned Data Collection
	The Field Test
	Data Sources and Measures
	Defining and Assessing the Child's Care Setting
		Direct Child Assessments
		Parent/Primary Caregiver Interviews
		Staff Surveys and Interviews
		Care Setting Observations to Assess Quality

Chapter 4: Fall 2002 Data Collection: Some Preliminary Information on Child and Family Characteristics, Fall 2002 Data Collection
	Comparison of Head Start and Non-Head Start Groups
		Response Rates
		Respondent Characteristics
	Early Care Experiences of Children Assigned to the Control Group
		Data and Methods
		Children's Care Settings: Non-Head Start Group
		Geographic Variation in Children's Settings
		Comparison to Arrangements Used by a National Sample of Low-income Families
		Implications

Chapter 5: Study Status

Appendix A: Section 649G of the Head Start Act, 1998, PL 105-285

Appendix B: Analysis of Programs Excluded During Sampling
	Comparison of Saturated and Non-saturated Head Start Programs
	Comparison of Saturated and Non-saturated Head Start Centers

Appendix C: Comparison of Fall 2002 Respondents and Non-Respondents

Appendix D: Comparison of Fall 2002 for Head Start Treatment and Non-Head Start Control Group Children: Weighted and Un-weighted Data

Appendix E: Citations for Child Assessments, Scales, and Observation Instruments

Appendix F: Language Decision Form

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