Introduction
This Congressionally required study examined three existing datasets to describe the characteristics, services, and well-being of Head Start children and families who speak a language other than English at home, approximately a quarter of all children served by Head Start in the 2007-2008 program year. The study addresses the following questions posed by Congress in the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-134):
- What are the characteristics of children who are dual language learners (DLLs) and their families receiving Head Start/Early Head Start services?
- What is the nature of the Head Start/Early Head Start services provided to children who are DLLs and their families?
- What are the qualifications and training of Head Start and Early Head Start teachers/staff that serve children who are DLLs and their families?
- What are the languages that Head Start and Early Head Start teachers/staff use in relation to the children and families they serve?
- What developmental progress is observed in children who are DLLs in Head Start/Early Head Start programs?
The full Report to Congress and an Executive Summary were developed based on data analyses completed by Mathematica Policy Research. Standard error data tables are available upon request from Ann Rivera.
Files
- PDF Report to Congress on Dual Language Learners in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs (3,050.91 KB)
- PDF Report to Congress on Dual Language Learners in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, Executive Summary (610.25 KB)
- PDF Report to Congress on Dual Language Learners in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, Appendix: Tables (1,432.13 KB)