WHAT MAKES HEAD START UNIQUE
Comprehensive
Interrelated
Adaptable
MAJOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS
The Child Development Associate (CDA) Program
Services to Children with Handicapping Conditions
Bilingual/Multicultural Education
The Home-Based Option
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Leading the Education Component
Planning the Education Component
Implementing the Program
Administering the Program
Supervising
Training Parents and Staff
Evaluating the Education Component
Head Start was launched by the federal government in 1965 to help young children from low-income families get a better start in life. Head Start was designed to support the role of parents and to provide their children, primarily three to five years old, with a full program of educational, health, nutrition, and social services to meet their needs and enrich their lives. The Head Start population reflects the rich cultural diversity of our society.
The overall goal of the Head Start program is to engender a greater degree of social competence in children of low-income families by strengthening their ability to cope with school and the world around them and helping to create new opportunities for them and their families.
From the beginning, Head Start was designed to be more than an educational program. Although Head Start children benefit from a variety of learning experiences that help lay the groundwork for success in elementary school, they receive much more:
- Hot meals each day to help meet their daily nutritional needs.
- Comprehensive health care-including physical and dental examinations, immunizations, and follow-up on identified health problems.
- Mental health services to foster their emotional growth and help them deal with special problems.
- Social activities to help them learn to get along with others and gain self-confidence.
Head Start is unique. No other program for young children is as comprehensive or reaches into so many areas of the child's life. Head Start is based on the philosophy that to be effective, a preschool program should address children's needs in all areas of development- physical, social, emotional, and cognitive-and provide support and assistance to all those who affect the child's development. Head Start's four program components- Education, Parent Involvement, Health, and Social Services-reflect this philosophy.
Head Start's Education Component is designed to meet the individual needs of children and the educational priorities of the community. Regardless of cultural back ground or special needs, every child is offered a variety of learning experiences designed to foster physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth and to develop an appreciation for ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. Children participate in indoor and outdoor activities and are introduced to new concepts. They also are encouraged to express their feelings and to develop self-confidence and the ability to get along with others.
The Parent Involvement Component ensures that parents, regarded as the most important influence on their children's development, are involved in program planning and operations and in parent education. Parents serve on Head Start's Policy Councils and Committees where they have an opportunity to make decisions about the program. Parents also work as classroom volunteers or paid staff. Through involvement in the classroom, participation in courses and workshops on child development, and interaction with staff in the home, parents learn about educational activities that can be used at home. In addition, staff learn from parents about the children's needs and interests.
The Health Component provides children with a comprehensive health services program-that includes medical, dental, mental health, and nutritional services. Children receive a complete physical exam, including vision and hearing tests, immunizations, and a dental exam. Handicapping conditions are also identified and addressed. Follow-up treatment, dental care, and psychological services are provided as needed. Children at centers are given nutritionally balanced meals that fulfill one- third to two-thirds of their daily requirements. Nutrition education is provided to children, staff, and parents.
Finally, Head Start's Social Services Component assists the family in its own efforts to improve the condition and quality of family life. Serving as advocates, the staff identifies the social service needs of Head Start families and either meets these needs or works with other community agencies to ensure these needs are met. The staff informs parents of community resources and services and facilitates their use.
INTERRELATED
A second unique aspect of the Head Start program design is its integrated, interdisciplinary nature. The Head Start Performance Standards state that the activities of all components should be integrated. The program is structured so that services in one component complement and reinforce those in other components. For example, Section 1304.2-1 of the Education Component of the Performance Standards states this objective:
Involve parents in educational activities of the program to enhance their role as the principal influence on the child's education and development.Section 1304.5-1 of the Parent Involvement Component of the Performance Standards states this objective:
Provide a planned program of experiences and activities which support and enhance the parents' role as the principal influence in their child's education and development.Similar cross-referencing appears throughout the Performance Standards. Head Start is designed so that staff members in all four components work together to provide a cohesive, comprehensive program.
ADAPTABLE
In every local program, an effort is made to adapt activities to the individual requirements and needs of each child. As part of this effort, many Head Start centers have adapted their programs to meet the needs of special groups of children and families.
Children who have physical or emotional handicaps are placed with non-handicapped children in Head Start classrooms and participate in most daily activities, so that they can learn in the least restrictive environment. Ten percent of the enrollment opportunities in each Head Start program must be made available to children with professionally diagnosed handicaps.
Children who enter Head Start with limited English speaking ability participate in programs where adults can communicate in both English and their primary language and where their cultural heritage is emphasized. Head Start has pioneered the development of bilingual- multicultural curricula for preschool children and new methods of training teachers to work with bilingual children.
There are currently several major improvement efforts being implemented that directly affect the Education Component: The Child Development Associate (CDA) program; Services to the Handicapped; Bilingual/ Multicultural Education; and the Home-based Option. Each of these is discussed below.
THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE (CDA) PROGRAM
The Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program is a major national effort initiated in 1971 to improve the quality of child care by improving, evaluating, and recognizing the competence of child care providers and home visitors. The CDA Competency Standards, which define the skills needed by providers in specific child-care settings, are the foundation of the three-part CDA approach:
- Training
- Assessment
- Credentialing
Assessment and credentialing of child care providers is administered by the CDA National Credentialing Program in Washington, D.C., under the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition, a subsidiary of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. As of 1985, more than 17,000 child care providers had earned the CDA Credential, and more than half of the states have incorporated the Credential in child care licensing requirements.
The CDA Competency Standards serve as a means of measuring the performance of caregivers during the field- based CDA assessment. Assessment is available to cares givers working in several settings-center-based programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschool children; family day care programs; and home visitor programs. An optional bilingual specialization is available to candidates working in bilingual programs. A CDA Credential is awarded to a person who demonstrates competence in caring for young children by successfully completing the CDA assessment process. Resource Papers I-i illustrates CDA assessment options.
THE CDA COMPETENCY STANDARDS
Although their content differs, the CDA Competency Standards for all settings have the same structure. The Competency Standards are divided into six competency goals, which are goal statements for caregiver behavior. The competency goals are common to all child care settings. They require a candidate to demonstrate the ability to:
- establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment;
- advance physical and intellectual competence;
- support social and emotional development and provide positive guidance;
- establish positive and productive relationships with families;
- ensure a well-run purposeful program responsive to participant needs; and
- maintain a commitment to professionalism.
Although the six competency goals are the same for all settings (center-based, family day care, home visitor), the functional area definitions and sample behaviors change to define the particular skills needed for the specific child care setting and/or age group. These functional area definitions are specified in CDA credentialing publications. (See the resource list at the end of this chapter).
SERVICES TO CHILDREN WITH HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS
Head Start's open enrollment policy and emphasis on the individual has always specified that services be available to all eligible children. The program goals in the Performance Standards document this commitment to serving all children, particularly those of low-income families. In 1974, as part of the Head Start legislation, Congress mandated that a 10 percent minimum of Head Start enrollment be allotted to children with professionally diagnosed handicaps, and that services be provided to meet their special needs. Subsequent legislation (PL 95-568) extended this national mandate to 10 percent of Head Start enrollment in each state.
Head Start meets these legislative mandates by integrating children with handicapping conditions into the ongoing daily activities to the extent possible. In "main streaming," as the process is called, children with special needs are given an opportunity to learn, play, and interact with peers. Mainstreaming helps all children develop healthy attitudes and perceptions about people with special needs.
THE PROCESS FOR MEETING THE NEEDS OF
CHILDREN WITH HANDICAPPING
CONDITIONS
The Community Needs Assessment and recruitment activities identify some children with handicapping conditions who are then referred to the Head Start program. The screening process required for all Head Start children also identifies those who may be experiencing motor, cognitive, language, social, or emotional problems caused by a handicap. All children with evident or suspected handicaps are referred to an appropriate professional for evaluation and diagnosis. Parents are informed and in volved at every stage in the process.
Children with handicaps receive not only the full range of services provided to all Head Start children, but also any special education and related services they may need, such as physical therapy. The regular program is augmented or modified to meet their individual needs, and an Individual Education Plan is developed.
A successful program for handicapped children requires close coordination across all components, with the Education Coordinator playing an important part in supervising the developmental observations and participating in the preparation and implementation of the Individual Education Plans. The Education Coordinator works with the person designated to coordinate services to handicapped children in planning activities specific enough to meet the children's needs and in arranging for staff training to help teachers individualize more effectively.
The majority of Head Start programs report that the special help provided by their staff is augmented by help from other agencies and organizations. In addition, a network of Resource Access Projects (RAPs) is available to assist grantees in locating and providing specialized services and staff training. RAPs conduct needs assess ments for all programs, identify resources, and provide materials and technical assistance.
BILINGUAL/MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
The Head Start Performance Standards specify that the program's curriculum must reflect the culture and language of the population served. As an educational alternative for children whose primary language is not English and who have limited English proficiency, Head Start's bilingual/multicultural initiative represents one way to tailor the services to the needs of a particular community and its population. This initiative originally was designed to meet the needs of Hispanic children with limited English proficiency who came to Head Start with their own set of values, socialization patterns, and learning styles. It has since been expanded to include other ethnic groups that exist in our nation today.
There is no bilingual/multicultural program approach that is best. Cultural and linguistic differences within ethnic groups and the presence of several ethnic groups within a particular community make it necessary to tailor each program. Although programs may vary, experts in bilingual/bicultural or multicultural early childhood development agree that all effective programs:
- use a sound bilingual/multicultural, developmental curriculum that reflects the language and culture of the children being served;
- build on the strengths that the bilingual/bicultural child brings to the leaming environment;
- continue the development of the child's first language while facilitating acquisition of the second; and
- provide an environment in which children can develop to their maximum potential.
In an effort to assist Head Start programs to meet the special needs of bilingual children, ACYF funded the development of four bilingual/multicultural curriculum models. (Descriptions of these models appear in the Resource section of Chapter III). A number of Head Start programs across the country are implementing them, and their staff has been trained to provide training to neighboring grantees who wish to implement a bilingual/multicultural approach.
THE HOME-BASED OPTION
The home-based option is one of several variations of the standard Head Start model that can be considered for use by local grantees. As the name implies, this option focuses on the home rather than on the classroom as the central learning facility. Head Start grantees that select the home-based option must adhere to the same policies and offer the same range of comprehensive services offered by center-based programs.
A second feature that distinguishes the home-based option is its focus on working with the parent in the home. In the home-based option, parents are the primary recipients of Head Start services, provided by home visitors who travel to each parent's home. All activities- child development, health, nutrition, and social services-are designed to help the parent develop the skill to continue or expand the activity independently. Needs assessments are conducted to determine the specific needs of each family and to develop long- and short-range goals for each family member.
The primary link between the parents and the local grantee is the home visitor, who makes regular visits to the child's home. Using the results of a family needs assessment as a guide, home visitors work with other component staff to plan ways of providing services. Home visitors share information, resources, and strategies to enhance parenting skills; assist the parents in planning activities for the following week; and discuss parental concerns about health, social services, and the child's behavior.
Home visitors also work with other Head Start staff to organize regular group experiences for children. These group experiences must be planned for intervals of one a week to one a month.
The home-based option also offers group experiences for parents to help them feel part of the program. Home visitors organize informal events, such as morning coffee meetings or evenings of conversation at someone's home. Parents are also encouraged to be involved in the decision- making Policy Council/Committee, in-service training sessions, and adult basic education courses.
Programs may elect to develop and incorporate a home based option . Consideration should be based on the needs of the children and the community and the capabilities and resources of the program staff. Readers providing services in home-based settings should refer to A Guide for Operating a Home-Based Child Development Program, available from the Head Start National Office.
Although programs vary, the Education Coordinator, under the supervision of the Head Start Director, is responsible for all aspects of the Education Component program requirements in all program options. Working cooperatively with other component coordinators, the Education Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that children are provided with the learning environment and the opportunities that will help them develop physically, socially, cognitively, and emotionally, and that parents are supported in their role as the child's primary teachers.
Responsibilities of Education Coordinators in Head Start differ depending
on the size of the program, the program options selected, community needs,
and other responsibilities a coordinator may be asked to assume. However,
it is possible to identify a core of responsibilities common to all Education
Coordinators. These core responsibilities form the chapters of this Guide
and are summarized below.
LEADING THE EDUCATION
COMPONENT
As the standard-bearer and the resident expert both on the Performance
Standards for the component and on early childhood education and child
development, the Education Coordinator provides guidance, support, and
suggestions to the education staff. The Education Coordinator works closely
with other component coordinators to provide comprehensive services and
is an advocate for quality programs for children and families.
PLANNING THE EDUCATION
COMPONENT
Working cooperatively with parents and staff, the Education Coordinator organizes the development and annual review of the Education Component Plan. The Education Coordinator ensures that everyone involved understands the Performance Standards and the procedures for developing a sound education plan.
IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM
Implementing the education program means ensuring that the staff knows how to actualize the Education Plan by individualizing the program, creating a leaning environment, implementing the curriculum, managing the classroom, overseeing delivery of education services by home visitors, preparing weekly plans, and involving parents in the program.
ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM
This involves working with the Director to implement the policies and procedures that will facilitate the implementation of the Education Plan and keep activities on course. Administrative duties include keeping records, establishing procedures for special situations, overseeing facilities, and tracking all activities in the Education Component.
SUPERVISING
Most Education Coordinators supervise a larger staff than any other component coordinator. Because staff needs are so varied, an individualized approach to supervision is most useful. Responsibilities include providing on going support and feedback to the staff, building morale, and acting as a resource and problem solver as well as conducting scheduled performance appraisals.
TRAINING PARENTS AND STAFF
Education Coordinators participate in the development of the Program
Training Plan, which is based on staff, parent, and program needs and the
training requirements in the Performance Standards. Education Coordinators
ensure that training is implemented and evaluated for education staff and
parents.
EVALUATING THE EDUCATION
COMPONENT
Head Start has a built-in evaluation system, the annual self-assessment. The Education Coordinator participates in the evaluation process with the Policy Council to determine whether the Education Component complies with the Performance Standards. Further, the Education Coordinator may implement local evaluation efforts, such as questionnaires for parents and staff to determine how well the program meets its goals.
Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project. Head Start Is Working. Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project, Lincoln Center, Merritt Hill Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. $75.00.
This 11-minute slide/tape presentation provides an overview of the Head Start program. It is intended for general audiences, but is particularly appropriate for staff, parents, and community organizations.
Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project. Head Start Bureau Tapes. Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project, Lincoln Center, Merritt Hill Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. $39.50 per set.
These five audio tapes are a series of interviews with National Office Head Start Bureau Coordinators. The interviews range in length from 10 to 30 minutes and address the following topics: CDA Programs; Bilingual Programming; Health and Mental Health; Social Services; Eligibility and Enrollment; Parent Involvement; Dental Health and EPSDT; Handicap Services; Nutrition; Home-Based Option; and Administrative Regulations.
Child Development Associate Program, National Credentialing Program.
Child Development
Associate System and Competency Standards Series (Family Day
Care Providers, Home
Visitors, Preschool Caregivers in Center-Based Programs, Infant/Toddler
Caregivers in
Center-Based Programs) Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition,
1341 G
Street, N.W., Suite 802, Washington, DC 20005. 1986. Free.
These booklets present overviews of the CDA National Credentialing Program and the Competency Standards assessment system for home visitors, preschool caregivers in center based programs, infant/toddler caregivers in center-based programs, and family day-care providers.
Hymes, James L., Jr. Early Childhood Education, the Year in Review. Carmel, CA: Hacienda Press, 197 1-1984. Consult local libraries for availability.
Each year since 1971, James Hymes has prepared a report on the happenings in early childhood education during the previous year. Each report covers early childhood education news in areas such as state and national politics, Head Start, research findings, day care, CDA, academia, and more.
Institute for Child Study. Head Start Information Series. Institute for Child Study, College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742. $36 per 30-minute 3/4" cassette; $29 per 30-minute VHS tape.
Produced and distributed cooperatively by the Institute for Child Study and ACYF, this series of 12 videotapes was developed to keep Head Start administrators abreast of the latest developments in the program. Each tape is related to one or more of the Head Start components. Some cover new information or revised guidelines; others are summaries of existing information with new ideas for program implementation. Information is valuable for use in training staff, parents, and the local community.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A Review of Head Start Research Since 1970. Head Start Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services, P.O. Box 1182, Washington, DC 20013. 1983. DHHS Publication No. (OHDS) 83-31185. Stock No. 017-092-00092-8.
This is a review of research on the impact of Head Start that took place from 1970 to 1982. This volume also contains an annotated bibliography of Head Start research since 1965.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Status of Handicapped Children in Head Start Programs: Annual Reports of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the Congress of the United 'States on Services Provided to Handicapped children in Head Start. Head Start Bureau, P.O. Box 1182, Washington, DC 20013.
This report provides an overview of Head Start policies on services to handicapped children; the numbers, types, and severity of handicaps of children enrolled in Head Start; and the services performed for handicapped children since 1974.
Weikart, et al. Changed Lives: The Effects of the Perry Preschool
Program on Youths Through Age 19. High Scope Educational Research Foundation,
600 N. River Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48195. 1984. $15.00 (paperback).
This 210-page volume reports on the Perry Preschool longitudinal research
study. It presents empirical evidence that preschool education for
disadvantaged children translates into significant educational, economic,
and social change. Changed Lives compares and evaluates the findings
of seven early intervention studies, presents case studies of 8 of the
123 youths in the study now over 19 years or age, and gives evidence that
disadvantaged children who have been to preschool are more apt to attend
college or job training courses, be employed, and support themselves at
age 19.