Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers and Their Families: The Impacts of Early

1081 Pages·2012·16.01 MB·English

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 472 186 PS 030 810
AUTHOR Love, John M.; Kisker, Ellen Eliason; Ross, Christine M.;
Schochet, Peter Z.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Paulsell, Diane;
Boller, Kimberly; Constantine, Jill; Vogel, Cheri; Fuligni,
Alison Sidle; Brady-Smith, Christy
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers and
TITLE
Their Families: The Impacts of Early Head Start. Volumes I-
III: Final Technical Report [and] Appendixes [and] Local
Contributions to Understanding the Programs and Their
Impacts.
INSTITUTION Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, NJ.
SPONS AGENCY Administration for Children and Families (DHHS), Washington,
DC.; Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (DHHS),
Washington, DC. Head Start Bureau.
PUB DATE 2002-06-00
NOTE 1078p.
CONTRACT DHHS-105-95-1936
AVAILABLE FROM For full text: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/
core/ongoing_research/ehs/ehs_intro.html.
PUB TYPE Numerical/Quantitative Data (110) Reports Evaluative
(142)
EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF08/PC44 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS At Risk Persons; Cognitive Development; Delivery Systems;
*Early Intervention; Emotional Development; *Home Visits;
*Infants; Intergenerational Programs; Language Acquisition;
Low Income Groups; Parent Child Relationship; Parent
Education; Parenting Styles; Parents; Program Descriptions;
*Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; Social
Development; Standards; *Toddlers
IDENTIFIERS *Early Head Start
ABSTRACT
Early Head Start was designed in 1994 as a 2-generation
program to enhance children's development and health, strengthen family and
community partnerships, and support the staff delivering new services to low-
income families with pregnant women, infants, or toddlers. This document
contains the final technical report, appendixes, and local contributions to
understanding the programs and their impacts. The final technical report
examines the impact of Early Head Start on 3,001 families from 17 research
programs from all U.S. regions in both rural and urban settings. A consistent
pattern of statistically significant, modest, favorable impacts across a
range of outcomes when children were 2 and 3 years old, with larger impacts
in several subgroups was found. There was evidence that effects on children
when they were 3 years old were associated with effects on parenting when
children were 2. The impact findings suggest several lessons for programs,
including the importance of the performance standards and the need to see new
or alternative strategies for families with many risk factors. The second
part of this document includes the appendices for the technical report. The
appendixes acknowledge the contributions of individuals and organizations in
conducting the study over 6 years and present information on the methods for
data collection, sources of nonresponse, and the father study response rates;
provide supplementary information on measures used in the evaluation for the
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the on inal document.
impact and implementation analyses; describe details of analyses conducted to
test assumptions underlying the analytic approach taken in the assessment of
Early Head Start's impact on children and families; and present supplemental
data tables. The third part of this document contains brief write-ups of 21
site-specific local research studies from 9 of the local research teams and
from staff in 2 of the programs. The write-ups cover topics such as parent
responsiveness and children's developmental outcomes; mothers' socialization
of toddler conflict resolution; coping strategies of low-income mothers;
functions of language use in mother-toddler communication; father-child
interactions; a pattern of Early Head Start participation; and Early Head
Start support of families in obtaining services for children with
disabilities. Each write-up contains references. (KB)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the on inal document.
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and
Toddlers and Their Families: The Impacts of Early
Head Start. Volumes I-III: Final Technical Report
[and] Appendixes [and] Local Contributions to
Understanding the Programs and Their Impacts
John M. Love, Ellen Eliason Kisker, Christine M. Ross, Peter Z. Schochet,
Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Diane Paulsell, Kimberly Boller, Jill Constantine, Cheri
Vogel, Allison Sidle Fuligni, and Christy Brady-Smith
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY
This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it. D. F. Lara
Minor changes have been made to improve
reproduction quality TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
o Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
M2LAC3LE
MT COPY
TI
I I
R R
Making a Difference in the Lives
of Infants and Toddlers and
Their Families: The Impacts of
Early Head Start
Volume I. Final Technical
OfUfic.eS .o fD EEdPucAaRtioTnMalE RNeTse OarFch E aDndU ICmAprToIvOemNent
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC) Report
kThis document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
h F Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Head Start Bureau
INFORMATION CENTER iERICi
1
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers
and Their Families: The Impacts of Early Head Start
Volume I: Final Technical Report
June 2002
Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation
Administration for Children and Families
And the Head Start Bureau
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Department of Health and Human Services
4
Early Head Start Evaluation Reports
Leading the Way: Describes the characteristics and implementation levels of 17 Early Head Start programs in fall
1997, soon after they began serving families.
Executive Summary (December 2000): Summarizes Volumes I, II, and M.
Volume I (December 1999): Cross-Site PerspectivesDescribes the characteristics of Early Head Start research
programs in fall 1997, across 17 sites.
Volume II (December 1999): Program ProfilesPresents the stories of each of the Early Head Start research
programs.
Volume III (December 2000): Program ImplementationDescribes and analyzes the extent to which the programs
fully implemented, as specified in the Revised Head Start Program Performance Standards, as of fall 1997.
Pathways to Quality and Full Implementation (spring 2002): Describes and analyzes the characteristics, levels of
implementation, and levels of quality of the 17 Early Head Start programs in fall 1999, three years into serving
families. Presents an analysis of the pathways programs followed to achieve full implementation and high quality.
Building Their Futures: How Early Head Start Programs Are Enhancing the Lives of Infants and Toddlers in Low-
Income Families: Presents analysis of the impacts that the research programs have had on children's
development, parenting, and family development through 2 years of age.
Summary Report (January 2001): Synopsis of the major findings.
Technical Report (June 2001): Detailed findings and report on methodology and analytic approaches.
Special Policy Report on Child Care in Early Head Start (summer 2002): Describes the nature, types, and quality of
child care arrangements in which Early Head Start and control group children enrolled, and presents implications
for public policy.
Special Policy Report on Children's Health in Early Head Start (summer 2002): Describes health services received by
Early Head Start and control group families.
Making a Difference in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers and Their Families: The Impacts of Early Head Start
(June 2002): Presents analysis of the impacts that the research programs have had on children's development,
parenting, and family development through the children's third birthday (including two to three years of program
participation).
Reports Are Available at:
http://www.acf.dhlis.gov/programs/coreiongoing_research/ehs/ehs_intro.html
http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/3rdLevelfehstoc.htm
ii
Prepared for:
Rachel Chazan Cohen, Helen Raikes, Louisa Banks Tarullo,
And Esther Kresh
Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, DC
Prepared by:
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Princeton, NJ
Under Contract DHHS-105-95-1936
Authors:
John M. Love
Ellen Eliason Kisker
Christine M. Ross
Peter Z. Schochet
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
Columbia University
Center for Children and Families
Diane Paulsell
Kimberly Boller
Jill Constantine
Cheri Vogel
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Allison Sidle Fuligni
Christy Brady-Smith
Columbia University
Center for Children and Families
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This report comes at the conclusion of almost seven years of work, which had its roots even
earlier in the vision of the Advisory Committee on Services for Families with Infants and
Toddlers. During this time, some 3,000 Early Head Start and control group families put up with
our phone calls, visits in their homes, lengthy interviews, video cameras, and child assessment
materials. Moreover, this research would not have been possible without the dedication,
cooperation, patienceand even enthusiasmof 17 Early Head Start program directors and
their staffs who participated in this research in many ways. The local and national research
teams are most grateful to the Early Head Start programs for their role in making the study
possible. The tangible incentives we were able to offer were small, but we hope both the
programs and the families felt like important contributors to the growing knowledge base of
Early Head Start research.
Of particular importance to everyone who stands to benefit from the information presented
here are the sponsoring agenciesthe Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the
Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation team (CORE) within ACF's Office of Planning,
Research and Evaluation (OPRE), and the Head Start Bureau in the Administration on Children,
Youth and Families (ACYF). As Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, Wade F. Horn
provided guidance soon after assuming his position. The CORE staff members, particularly
Helen Raikes, Rachel Chazan Cohen, Louisa Banks Tarullo and Michael Lopez, have shown
unusual devotion to the study. Howard Rolston and Naomi Goldstein of OPRE have been
particularly devoted to ensuring the success of this research. Within the Head Start Bureau,
Esther Kresh served as project officer for all 15 local research grants and contributed her advice
and counsel to the national evaluation as well. Many dedicated staff of ACYF and the Head
Start Bureau contributed through the years; we especially thank National Early Head Start
Coordinator Judith Jerald and her colleagues Frank Fuentes, Frankie Gibson, Jim Harrell, Windy
Hill, Mimi Kanda, Doug Klafehn, Ann Linehan, Joan Ohl, Edgard Perez, Tom Schultz, Mary
Shiffer, Willa Siegel, Craig Turner, Carol Whitten, and Sarah Young love, as well as ACYF
fellows, Gina Barclay-McLaughlin, Senobia Crawford, Brenda Jones Harden, and Carole Kuhns.
In earlier years, Olivia Golden, Joan Lombardi, and the late Helen Taylor provided inspiration
for both the Early Head Start programs and research. In the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), Linda Mellgren and Martha Moorehouse contributed in
important ways, as did Natasha Cabrera and Jeffrey Evans at the National Institute of Child
Health and Human Development (NICHD). We are also grateful to Christopher Gersten of ACF,
Reid Lyon and Melissa Welch-Ross of NICHD, and Denise Bradley and Martha Moorehouse of
ASPE for comments on an earlier draft of this report. As leaders of the National Resource
Center and providers of technical assistance to all Early Head Start programs, Linda Eggbeer,
Helen Keith, Tammy Mann, Adrienne Sparger, and Lillian Sugarman frequently helped us
understand program operations.
We also gratefully acknowledge the central role of the 15 local research teams. In addition
to conducting their own investigations, they have been valuable partners in the research process.
In addition to assisting in the national evaluation process, they conducted research in connection
with their local programs that is reflected throughout this report, with special emphasis in
Volume III.
v
In the initial years of the project and in subsequent individual consultations, valuable
consultation was provided by members of the Early Head Start Research Technical Working
Group whose guidance on site selection, sample size, baseline data, cultural sensitivity, measures
preparation, quantification of levels of implementation, theories of change, and analyses plans
helped steer us on the right course. For these contributions, we thank J. Lawrence Aber, Mark
Appelbaum, Gina Barclay-McLaughlin, Hedy Chang, Tom Cook, Eugene Garcia, Kathleen
Hebbeler, Judith Jerald, Judith Jones, Sharon Lynn Kagan, Marie McCormick, and Suzanne
Randolph.
The authors of this report are grateful to our many colleagues at MPR and Columbia, whose
work has been essential in enabling us to achieve this milestone. We list all contributing
colleagues in Appendix A, but here we note the special contributions of Jeanne Bellotti, Anne
Bloomenthal, John Burghardt, Julius Clark, Walter Corson, Cheryl De Saw, Mark Dynarski,
Jennifer Faerber, Stuart Kerachsky, Don Lara, Miriam Loewenberg, Linda Mendenko, Chuck
Metcalf, Lorenzo Moreno, Linda Rosenberg, Margo Salem, Barbara Schiff, Andrea Sleeper,
Susan Sprachman, Xiaofan Sun, and Welmoet van Kammen.
We thank Jane Nelson for serving as the project secretary, who was able to call upon skilled
support staffLynne Beres, Connie Blango, Monica Capizzi, Kathy Castro, Jennifer
Chiaramonti, Bill Garrett, Gloria Gustus, Cathy Harper, Cindy McClure, Jill Miller, and Marjorie
Mitchell. Walt Brower, Roy Grisham, and Patricia Ciaccio provided editorial support. While
acknowledging our indebtedness to these many individuals, the authors take responsibility for
any errors or inadequacies that remain.
In Appendix A, we more completely acknowledge the participation of hundreds of staff
within the government, the consortium, and Columbia University and Mathematica, as well as a
number of expert advisors. However, two individuals deserve special thanks for their
unparalleled devotion to conducting quality research and developing meaningful policy
messages. Helen Raikes and Rachel Chazan Cohen shared the responsibilities of federal project
officer and have been special partners in this venture.
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CONTENTS
Chapter Pag
e
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xxiii
I INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT FOR THE
EVALUATION 1
A. OVERVIEW OF THE FINDINGS 2
B. EARLY HEAD START, ITS HISTORY, AND ITS DEVELOPMENT AS A
NATIONAL PROGRAM 4
1. The Role of Legislation and Advisory Committees
5
2. The National Early Head Start Program 8
3. The Program's Policy Context
9
4. The Research Context for the Early Head Start Program and Its
Evaluation 10
C. RESEARCH QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THE EARLY HEAD START
IMPACT STUDY 16
1. Central Questions of the Study
16
2. Conceptual Framework
17
3. Overarching Hypotheses
18
D. THE EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS, FAMILIES, AND
COMMUNITIES 20
1. The 17 Early Head Start Research Programs
21
2. The Families That Early Head Start Research Programs Served
25
3. The Communities Served by Early Head Start Research Programs 28
4. How Early Head Start Research Programs Compare with All Funded
Programs from Which They Were Selected 29
E. OVERVIEW OF THE EVALUATION
31
1. Description of the Evaluation
31
2. The Early Head Start Research Consortium
32
3. Overview of the Implementation Study and Its Findings
32
vii