Head Start Program Evaluation Essay

Total Length: 1314 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

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Launched in the year 1965, the Head Start program cultivates preparedness for school among kids from poor backgrounds by providing them with social, nutritional, educational, health and other relevant services. Ever since its introduction, the program has catered to over 33 million early childhood-age kids (0-5 years of age) and their family members. Figures for 2015 revealed program funding to cater to almost a million expectant mothers and early childhood-age kids at home, educational facilities, and family childcare homes within rural, urban, and suburban communities across America. The program's advantages are being closely scrutinized in the wake of congressional talks to consider reauthorizing it. How successful has the program been? Are there any areas for improvement? This paper will assume the form of a critical analysis and summary of the program; its implications will help inform formal discussions on the subject. Considerable controversy exists regarding whether or not the program has any long-term advantages, tracing back to the days of its inception. The analysis has gleaned mixed, although largely positive, proofs pertaining to the program's long-term advantages (Barnett & Hustedt, 2005).



Answers to Questions



Intermediate Outcome Measures



S. No



Measure



Explanation



Unit of Measurement



1



Personnel Performance



Routinely implement performance assessment. This has been recognized as a clear strategy, indicating an interactive assessment technique incorporating the 'appraisee' and appraiser in establishing feasible annual professional goals and work plans. Formats for performance assessment are both job-specific (i.e., associated with individual roles) and generic (related to overall corporate objectives).



One task or job a day



2



Charging fees



Fees ought to recover total costs of delivering services, including direct organizational and activity connected expenses and a suitable share of support or overheads.




One patient's expenses



3



Budget Tracking



Sources of funds and expenditure ought to be adequately traced at a unique level.



One area tracked



4



Answerability



Greater emphasis on accountability and benchmarks will probably have an impact on Head Start's future. A sound system in this regard will be able to assess and collect information linking program implementer activities to outcomes achieved (Manna, Vinovskis, & Haskins, 2012).



One individual responsible



5



Cultural Modifications



Head Start's facilities are required to develop "ethnic pride," besides having in place an appropriate Programme that reflects the aided population's requirements (bicultural/bilingual, multi-ethnic and so forth). As some disagreement exists regarding whether early childhood bilingual education eventually facilitates or hampers English language acquisition, the empirical question deals with whether these programs of Head Start prove more beneficial compared to other preschools that don't mandate bilingual instruction (Currie & Thomas, 1996).



One problem dealt with monthly



6



Structural Modifications



African-American kids in Head Start reportedly exhibited greater attentiveness, lesser structured learning issues, and improved interactions and relationships with fellow students and educators (Westat, 2010).



A single patient daily



7



Allotment of Time



Programs reveal managers' lack of adequate time to commit to I am Moving/ I am Learning. This can hamper effective implementation.



Allotment of 1 hour allocated



8



Networking or.....

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References

Barnett, S., & Hustedt, J. (2005). Head Start's Lasting Benefits. Infants & Young Children, 16 - 24.

Brandeis University. (n.d.). Head Start Research Findings. Diversity Data Kids.

Currie, J., & Thomas, D. (1996). Does Head Start Help Hispanic Children? National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

(2005). Evaluating Head Start. CQ Press.

Kutz, G. (2010). Undercover Testing Finds Fraud and Abuse at Selected Head Start Centers. United States Government Accountability Office.

Manna, P., Vinovskis, M., & Haskins, R. (2012). Head Start in an Era of Standards and Accountability. ACF.

Westat. (2010). Head Start Impact Study. Washington DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.

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