Toward an Early Start for Head Start Children: Evidence from a Literacy Enrichment Starting at Age Three

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of providing comprehensive literacy instruction to preschool children starting at age three. The literacy development in two groups of four-year-old children (N = 1320) was compared during their enrollment in a literacy-enriched Head Start program. The first group entered the program at age four and participated in the program for only one year (Group 4-1); the second group had previously participated in the program at age three and at the time of the study were in their second year of the program (Group 4-2). Multilevel growth modelling procedures were used to compare literacy performance levels and growth rates between the two groups after controlling for relevant child, family, and educational variables. Results showed that Group 4-2 exhibited significantly higher literacy skills than Group 4-1 at both the beginning and end of the program year, although Group 4-2 had a slower growth rate than Group 4-1 over the program year. The theoretical and practical implications of the study were discussed.

Long-Term Head Start Impacts on Cognitive Outcomes for Children With Disabilities

Based on the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS) data, the current study examines Head Start’s long-term impacts on cognitive outcomes for children with disabilities: (a) Do children with disabilities who enroll in Head Start at age 4 years have better cognitive outcomes when they are 4 to 9 years old? (b) Are there other factors associated with long-term cognitive development for children with disabilities? Linear regression analysis indicated that Head Start enrollment had positive impacts on children’s short-term outcomes. However, the difference between Head Start and non-Head Start children became insignificant for cognitive scores measured at age 9 years. Children who were Black or Hispanic, without an individualized education plan, were non-English speaking at home, and who had lower preacademic skills prior to Head Start enrollment had significantly lower cognitive outcomes at age 9 years.

Examining the Bidirectional Relations Between Language and Behavior in Head Start Children

The purpose of this study is to examine the bidirectional relationship between children’s language development and challenging behaviors as well as the moderating roles of gender and race/ethnicity. We conducted a number of structural equation modeling analyses with a national representative sample ( N = 2,462) of Head Start children from the 2014 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey. Results suggest that there is no bidirectional relationship between vocabulary development and challenging behavior in the full sample. However, gender, race/ethnicity, and the interaction between the two moderate associations between language and behavior.