Head Start Research Paper

Head Start is a federally funded, education development program that was created in 1965. The program provides education and services for eligible children from low-income families. Head Start 's philosophy focuses on the development of social-emotional, physical and mental health, nutrition, and working with families and the community and stated “low-income people should help plan and run their own programs” (p. 41-42). Head Start has truly expanded their resources over the years by providing a full school year for ages 3-6 years old and offering services such as health screenings, referrals, and social services (p. 42). Most importantly, each and every Head Start program must follow the federal Head Start Program Performace Standards that address all areas of development (p. 42). The program is truly committed to support low-income families and creating an education system that supports all aspects of the child.

What are the goals of Early Head Start? The goals or priorities of this is to provide safe and developmentally enriching caregiving. To support parent, mother and father, in the role as primary caregivers. The teaching of the children, and family in meeting personal goals. Being able to successfully achieve self sufficiency across a wide variety of domains. Communities being mobilized to provide proper resources and environment that is necessary. But also, to ensure the provision of high quality responsive services for the family. The idea of this topic, is to show the types of things that should be looked for when choosing a child care center. When choosing a child care center for whom it may involve it should be important to look for things like the quality of care, and the type of care and learning techniques that will be involved, while the child is there.

Research for Head Start has found many lasting benefits for learning and educational achievement for its attendees. Including school progress and educational attainment, social behavior, and reduction of delinquency and crime that is usually found within disadvantaged families. Head Start addresses all the guidelines within the Family Impact checklist on providing all adequate services to low income families. As mentioned above, under Family Support and Responsibilities, Head Start is a federally funded program, which also receives donations and grants. Therefore, the federal government must increase funding to the Head Start program so children from low-income families, get early education services to help them succeed in school. Since Head Start programs have minimal funding there are not enough spots available to include every child in need of the services provided by this program, especially within certain regions.

Head Start has already accomplished the goal of affecting services available for low-income families and children. This is being accomplished due to better resource and referral services (Blank, 2002). 20,302,000 children have been enrolled in the

The research finds that participants with the lowest initial skills are the most beneficial from public Head Start programs. But this study also states that Head Start program has lots of limitation. At the beginning of this research paper, the author introduces the history and definition of Head Start program and its main purpose. He states, “The federal Head Start program is the largest early childhood education initiative in the United States, giving matching grants to preschool centers that provide parent training, early education, and health services to poor children and their families” (Healy, 2015, para. 1). As the author emphasis, the Head Start program is not suitable for all children but only offers to children from the low-income families. There are still many families left who need the public

Head Start is a federally funded government agency, that provides low income youth with pre-school and health services (Barnett, 2007). However, the long term effects of Head Start are extremely difficult to measure (Lee, Zhai, Brooks-Gunn, Han, & Waldfogel, 2013). Subsequently, Head Start has become one of the most controversial government agencies (Nathan, 2007).

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which serve children from birth to age five, pregnant woman and their extended families. They are child-focused programs that have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families. . These programs try to prepare young children intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically for their future educational and social endeavors. ( U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002).. The programs prepare the parent(s) to be supportive in the endeavor. Head Start has the philosophy that parents are a child's first and most influential teacher. The Head Start program is beneficial to early learning.

Early Head Start is a federally funded grant program. Women can apply when they are pregnant and the school is for ages six weeks up to three years old. It helps out the families who are lower income to get their children the education that they need for the early years of their lives. In Early Head Start there are 48 children that are enrolled in school.

I am currently a student at New Castle Junior, Senior High School. Throughout, the past 15 years of my life, I have been connected to Lawrence County Head Start Program. I attended Head Start for two years, at the age of 3 and 4. My teachers were Mrs. Lemmon and Mrs. Gardner. They taught me to to read, write, socialize, and use proper etiquette. I still remember the family style lunch setting in the classroom. During my enrollment, my mother volunteered her time with Head Start to be a part of the Head Start Policy Council. This led to a long standing relationship with Head Start. Today, my mother is on the Head Start Governing Board, as a former parent.

The Head Start program I visited uses a more traditional comprehensive method. Students are all close to the same age. Since the program is federally funded there is much emphasis put on performance standards and teaching objectives.

On September 15, 2016 Students started clinical rotation at Head Start in Gaffney South Carolina, Located at 501 W. Rutledge Ave. Gaffneys Head Start program is administered by Piedmont Community Actions, Inc. (4) According to the Administration For Children and Families, The Economic Opportunity Act was passed  in August, 1964  which created various programs.  In 1964  President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the first Head Start Act into legislation. (4)  “ Head Start was designed to help break the cycle of poverty, providing preschool children of low income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs.”  The purpose of attending Head Start would allow students to perform the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning- Fourth Edition also known as Dial 4. The clinical experience at Head Start allowed nursing students to observe, evaluate, and incorporate communication skills, Professionalism and legal/ ethical practices, infection control practices, patient safety practices, patient teaching practices, and Invasive and non-invasive procedures.

In 1974, Congress enacts the Community Services Act of 1974 which formally recognizes Head Start’s transfer to Health and Human Services, it extended the program for 5 years and created a mandatory formula for the allocated amount given to the State. In 1982, Congress authorizes a $125 million increase in funding. Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1986 allows for children to receive Head Start services for multiple years and it reauthorizes Head Start until fiscal Year 1990. In 1990 Congress passes Head Start Expansion and Quality Improvement Act which allows Head Start to set-aside funding for training. In 1992, Congress passes the Head Start Improvement Act allowing head start to purchase building and give resources to younger sibling and parents. In 1998, The reauthorization revises the purpose of Head Start from the development of social competence to the promotion of school readiness. This reauthorization required at least one teacher in each classroom to have an associate degree. In 2003 Head Start implements Head Start National Reporting System in order to monitor all 4 and 5 years old skills in the program. In 2007, Congress passes The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act. This Act terminated the National Reporting system, increases teachers qualifications and made overall improvements to the programs

That same year Johnson enacted the Economic Opportunity Act that included many different programs including Project Head Start. In the summer of 1965 Head Start was launched. At the beginning, Head Start was an 8-week summer program that assisted over a half a million children and families. After the success of the summer program, Head

The Head Start Program, typically referred to solely as Head Start, is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program was inaugurated in 1964 as a means of preparing children

The mission of Petite Genie, is to provide an atmosphere where developmentally appropriate assessment, and active learning is key. Through hard work and play students have the ability to learn at their own pace, and in their own way. We provide a culture that believes that education is fun. Plant your little seedlings on steady educational ground. We will provide an atmosphere that is rich with learning opportunities at every corner, and caters to the different learning styles education is fun, the children of Petit Genie will play with a purpose.