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Since its beginning in 1965 as a part of the War on Poverty, Head Start’s goal has been to boost the school readiness of low-income children. Based on a “whole child” model, the program provides comprehensive services that include preschool education; medical, dental, and mental health care; nutrition services; and efforts to help parents foster their child’s development. Head Start services are designed to be responsive to each child’s and family’s ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage.Russ Whitehurst summarizes the findings:
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The Head Start Impact Study is a comprehensive, carefully designed study of a large-scale early childhood program that has existed for more than 40 years. It is designed to address the overall average impact of the Head Start program as it existed in 2002.
There is no measurable advantage to children in elementary school of having participated in Head Start. Further, children attending Head Start remain far behind academically once they are in elementary school. Head Start does not improve the school readiness of children from low-income families.
Ed told me that when he was in college a professor of his, applauding Head Start, said: "We have to get them away from their families."
That's the social model.
Siegfried Engelmann never passed judgment on the families. He taught disadvantaged children to read, write, and do arithmetic, and he didn't presume that he could replace a mother or a father.
Siegfried Engelmann never passed judgment on the families. He taught disadvantaged children to read, write, and do arithmetic, and he didn't presume that he could replace a mother or a father.
Siegfried Engelmann on Head Start
Siegfried Engelmann teaches fractions to disadvantaged 5-year olds
One Strongly-Confirmed Impact on Math
Third Grade Follow-up to the Head Start Impact Study
Is Head Start Working for American Students?
Can We Be Hard-Headed About Preschool? A Look at Head Start
