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Early Childhood: Latest Work
Reports | Journal Articles | Issue Briefs | Other
Reports |
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| "Results from the ‘I Am Moving, I Am Learning’ Stage 1 Survey." Daniel Finkelstein, Robert Whitaker, Elaine Hill, Mary Kay Fox, Linda Mendenko, and Kimberly Boller, October 2007. The Head Start “I Am Moving, I Am Learning” initiative aims to prevent childhood obesity by increasing the time children spend in physical activity, improving the quality of these activities, and promoting healthy food choices. This report examines the extent to which grantees who participated in spring 2006 training implemented enhancements. Most tried to do so and chose enhancements related to physical activity and structured movement more often than enhancements related to nutrition. Most programs felt their implementation was successful, although only half had a written plan for implementation, so it is not clear if these efforts can be sustained. |
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"Oral Health Promotion, Prevention, and Treatment Strategies for Head Start Families: Early Findings from the Oral Health Initiative Evaluation." Patricia Del Grosso, Amy Brown, Heather Zaveri, Sandra Silva, Beth Zimmerman, Anne Hopewell, and Diane Paulsell, September 2007. Dental caries is a chronic childhood disease that disproportionately affects children living in poverty.
This report describes early implementation experiences of 52 grantees implementing oral health models to address this problem. Many used grant funds to hire staff with clinical dental experience. Most formed partnerships with dental professionals, local oral health coalitions, and advocacy groups to increase access to dental care for children and families. Education was central to the models, which provided a range of support services, including transportation, translation, and systems for tracking services. Site Profiles |
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| "National Evaluation of Early Reading First: Final Report to Congress." Russell Jackson, Ann McCoy, Carol Pistorino, Anna Wilkinson, John Burghardt, Melissa Clark, Christine Ross, Peter Schochet, and Paul Swank, May 2007. The Early Reading First program provided grants that were designed to enhance teacher practices, instructional content, and classroom environments in preschools to ensure that young children, especially those from low-income families, start school with the skills needed for academic success. This report to Congress presents program impacts on children's language and literacy skills and on the instructional content and practices in preschool classrooms. The report notes that the program had positive, statistically significant impacts on several classroom and teacher outcomes and on children's print and letter knowledge. Executive Summary |
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| "Findings from the Survey of Early Head Start Programs: Communities, Programs, and Families." Cheri A. Vogel, Nikki Aikens, Andrew Burwick, Laura Hawkinson, Angela Richardson, Linda Mendenko, and Rachel Chazan-Cohen, December 2006. This report highlights information from a survey of Early Head Start programs that examined management structures and program services nationally. The report describes program approaches to service delivery, management and staffing, and partnerships. It also examines the characteristics of communities in which Early Head Start programs operate, the characteristics of enrolled families, and the wide range of services programs provide. The report draws upon qualitative information from in-depth site visits to elaborate and expand on survey findings. |
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"Strategies for Supporting Quality in Kith and Kin Child Care: Findings from the Early Head Start Enhanced Home Visiting Pilot Evaluation.” Diane Paulsell, Debra Mekos, Patricia Del Grosso, Cassandra Rowand, and Patti Banghart, July 2006. Families with infants and toddlers, especially low-income families, rely heavily on child care that is provided by family, friends, and neighbors (“kith and kin” caregivers). The national evaluation of Early Head Start found that a large proportion of program families used kith and kin care. In 2004, the Office of Head Start funded 24 Early Head Start programs to implement the Enhanced Home Visiting Pilot Project, designed to support the quality of care that kith and kin caregivers provide to children enrolled in Early Head Start. Mathematica's two-year evaluation identified program models, documented implementation strategies and challenges, explored promising practices, and assessed the quality of these child care settings. Researchers note that more than two-thirds of caregivers in the pilot were related to the children in their care, with nearly half being the children's grandparents. Nearly all programs implemented strategies to improve communication and increase consistency between parents and caregivers in caregiving practices. The results suggest that initiatives for improving the quality of kith and kin child care settings can be implemented in Early Head Start with modest additional resources. |
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| "Design Options for the Assessment of Head Start Quality Enhancements, Volume I." Christine Ross, Gretchen Kirby, Peter Schochet, John Hall, Susan Sprachman, Kimberly Boller, Diane Paulsell, and Sheena McConnell, September 2005. Head Start, the largest federally funded preschool program, provides comprehensive services to economically disadvantaged children and their families so that children can enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school. Performance standards include requirements for the intensity and quality of a broad range of services for children and families. This report discusses design options for potential future evaluations of Head Start quality enhancements. It describes the goals and activities associated with each of the three stages of research through the use of specific examples of potential Head Start Quality enhancements. |
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| "Measurement Options for the Assessment of Head Start Quality Enhancements, Volume II." Shefali Pai-Samant, Joanna DeWolfe, Sarah Caverly, Kimberly Boller, Sharon McGroder, Jennifer Zettler, Jessica Mills, Christine Ross, Cheryl Clark, Mariel Quinones, and Jamie Gulin, September 2005. This volume provides a compendium of measures that could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of Head Start enhancements. The focus is on child outcome measures, although measures pertaining to intermediate outcomes related both to changes in the program and changes in the home are included. The authors also review measures and variables pertaining to baseline characteristics and conditions that may moderate program impacts. |
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Journal Articles |
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| “Parental Interactions with Latino Infants: Variation by Country of Origin and English Proficiency.” Natasha J. Cabrera, Jacqueline D. Shannon, Jerry West, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Child Development, September/October 2006. In 2001, Latino children represented 18 percent of the U.S. population 18 years of age and younger, with this percentage expected to rise during this century. This study examined variation in mother-infant interactions, father engagement, and infant cognition as a function of country of origin, socioeconomic status, and English language proficiency in a national sample of Latino infants born in the United States and living with both biological parents. Differences between Mexican-American infants, who had lower mother-infant interactions and less father physical play than did the other Latino infants, were associated with differences in acculturation (both parents' English proficiency). Indicators of acculturation and paternal reports of happiness with partner were associated with paternal engagement. Indicators of acculturation were also related to mother-infant interactions. Infant cognitive scores were associated with maternal interaction but not father engagement, and maternal but not paternal mental health. |
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| "Mother-Child Bookreading in Low-Income Families: Correlates and Outcomes During the First Three Years of Life." Helen Raikes, Gayle Luze, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, H. Abigail Raikes, Barbara Alexander Pan, Catherine S. Tamis-LeMonda, Jill Constantine, Louisa Banks Tarullo, and Eileen T. Rodriguez, Child Development, July/August 2006. Although reading to preschoolers has been shown to influence their later language and cognitive development, few studies have examined these relationships for children under age 3. Researchers studied over 2,500 low-income English- and Spanish-speaking families across the country who were participating in the Early Head Start evaluation. About half of the mothers reported reading daily to their children, and frequency was higher among white mothers than other ethnic groups, as well as among mothers of girls, firstborn children, and children in the Early Head Start program. English-speaking mothers who read to their children at a very early age had 2-year-olds with greater language comprehension; larger, more expressive vocabularies; and higher cognitive scores. Spanish-speaking mothers who read to very young children every day had 3-year-olds with greater language and cognitive development. The researchers note that language-oriented interventions for vulnerable children should begin earlier than has been generally proposed. |
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A new special double issue of Parenting: Science and Practice titled Early Head Start Fathers and Children, April-September 2006, addresses the nature and consequences of fathering in low-income families. Based on the national evaluation of Early Head Start, the eight articles offer insight into how fathers are involved in family life. Read more about the Early Head Start study. Mathematica researchers co-authored the following articles:
1. "The Early Head Start Father Studies: Design, Data Collection, and Summary of Father Presence in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers.” Kimberly Boller, Robert Bradley, Natasha Cabrera, Helen Raikes, Barbara Pan, Jeffrey Shears, and Lori Roggman. This introduction provides an overview of the research and policy context for the Early Head Start Father Studies, which began in 1997. The studies addressed key questions about low-income fathers and their children (all under 3 years old), using a variety of data collection approaches. The article describes methods and response rates, father demographics, and father-child relationship status.
2. “The Meaning of ‘Good Fatherhood': Low-Income Fathers' Social Constructions of Their Roles.” Jean Ann Summers, Kimberly Boller, Rachel F. Schiffman, and Helen H. Raikes. To gain a better understanding of how low-income fathers of young children think about their role, researchers asked fathers of 24-month-old children what “good fatherhood” means to them. Fathers identified four broad responsibilities: (1) providing a stable environment, (2) teaching their children, (3) fostering physical interaction, and (4) giving emotional support. Overall, fathers articulated a strong sense of commitment and intentionality in their plans for interactions with their children. The findings provide opportunities for service providers and policymakers to develop strategies to support fathers' abilities to carry out their intentions.
3. “Relation Between Father Connectedness and Child Outcomes.” Cheri A. Vogel, Robert H. Bradley, Helen Raikes, Kimberly Boller, and Jeffrey Shears. This article examines the relation between low-income fathers' presence in their children's lives and children's early developmental outcomes. Children with resident or involved nonresident biological fathers showed higher levels of self-regulation and lower levels of aggression than children with unstable father connections. Children with involved nonresident biological fathers were better off than children who had transient relationships with their fathers. However, relations appear to differ by race and ethnicity, with the most straightforward relations for European Americans and Latin Americans.
4. “Two Studies of Father Involvement in Early Head Start Programs: A National Survey and a Demonstration Program Evaluation.” Helen Raikes and Jeanne Bellotti. Using data from a population survey of 261 Early Head Start programs and a father involvement demonstration of 21 programs, the authors examine the extent to which fathers participate in Early Head Start intervention programs for infants and toddlers. Fathers were present in the lives of a majority of Early Head Start children—70 percent in the national study and 76 percent in the demonstration study. Fifty-nine percent of resident fathers and 30 percent of nonresident fathers reported participating in the Early Head Start program. Nearly a quarter of the fathers had high levels of participation (attended three or more events a month).
5. "The Early Head Start Father Studies: Design, Data Collection, and Summary of Father Presence in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers.” Kimberly Boller, Robert Bradley, Natasha Cabrera, Helen Raikes, Barbara Pan, Jeffrey Shears, and Lori Roggman. This introduction provides an overview of the research and policy context for the Early Head Start Father Studies, which began in 1997. The studies addressed key questions about low-income fathers and their children (all under 3 years old), using a variety of data collection approaches. The article describes methods and response rates, father demographics, and father-child relationship status.
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Issue Briefs |
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| "Reaching Out to Kith and Kin Caregivers in Early Head Start." Trends in Family Programs and Policy, Issue Brief #2. Diane Paulsell, Debra Mekos, Patricia Del Grosso, Patti Banghart, and Renée Nogales, April 2006. Although children's care before they enter school influences readiness in important ways, quality of care can vary widely. Low-income families tend to rely on family, friends, and neighbors—“kith and kin caregivers”—especially for infants and toddlers. The Enhanced Home Visiting Pilot Project, funded by the Head Start Bureau in 2004, supports the quality of care that kith and kin caregivers provide to infants and toddlers enrolled in home-based Early Head Start programs. This four-page issue brief describes characteristics of enrolled children, families, and caregivers. It also details early implementation experiences of pilot programs based on site visits after one year of operation. Full Report Appendix |
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Other |
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Quality prekindergarten can help provide children with the skills they need to succeed in school and later in life. As a result, states have begun to invest millions of dollars for state-funded early education programs. And they need to know if those investments are achieving the desired outcomes. The Pew Charitable Trusts launched the National Early Childhood Accountability Task Force in 2005. In fall 2007, the task force released its final report and recommendations for developing a comprehensive assessment system to improve the performance of early education programs. The following background papers were commissioned by the task force:
"Uses of Data on Child Outcomes and Program Processes in Early Childhood Accountability Systems: Assumptions, Challenges, and Consequences." John Love, September 2006. This paper examines a number of issues crucial in establishing state early childhood accountability systems. The author notes that these systems require careful consideration of who will be using the results and how the results are likely to be used. Challenges exist in attributing outcomes to program characteristics, implementing a large system with limited resources, and anticipating negative unintended consequences. The paper concludes with five actions that can lead to effective accountability.
"Measuring Children's Progress from Preschool Through Third Grade." Sally Atkins-Burnett, July 2007. Research in the past few decades illustrating the potential benefits of quality early childhood education has led to an increase in state-funded programming. This paper discusses measurement of child outcomes in the context of evaluating effectiveness of preschool programs and highlights ways in which this challenge is being addressed. Problems related to relying solely on traditional, on-demand standardized tests to assess achievement of young children are explained. The author notes that observational measures that span the preschool to elementary age range offer an alternative to direct testing. The use of these measures in formative evaluation efforts is discussed with the caution that high stakes should never be attached to these measures. Using a multimethod approach would provide a richer portrayal of children's performance. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of measuring classroom quality and recommendations for next steps. |
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"Observations of Mother-Twin Interactions at 9 Months: User's Manual for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) 9-Month Twin Triad Restricted-Use Data File." Nikki Aikens, Nana Kwakye, Amy Rathbun, Jennifer Park, and Jodi Jacobson Chernoff, 2007. This user's manual describes the design, instrumentation, coding methodology, and special issues pertaining to the twin triad data file from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort base year (9-month) data collection. Also included is information to help users access and use the twin triad data file in conjunction with the main ECLS-B restricted-use data files.
"Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) 9-Month Twin Triad Restricted-Use Data File." Nikki Aikens, Nana Kwakye, Amy Rathbun, Jennifer Park, and Jodi Jacobson Chernoff, 2007. This CD-ROM contains restricted-use base year (9-month data collection) twin triad data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B). The twin triad data file contains data from a subsample of twins videotaped with their mothers during a teaching interaction. Triadic interactions are coded using the Parent Infant Coding Scheme coding system. The data file is accompanied by a record layout, SAS, SPSS, and Stata syntax files. The twin triad data file, when merged with the larger ECLS-B data set, can be used to investigate numerous research topics regarding twinship, child development, and maternal behaviors. |
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| "Head Start: What Do We Know About Its Effectiveness? What Do We Need to Know?” John M. Love, Louisa Banks Tarullo, Helen Raikes, and Rachel Chazan-Cohen, in Blackwell Handbook of Early Childhood Development, 2006. Head Start has been the setting and source of a great deal of research over the four decades since its inception. The authors summarize previous reviews of Head Start research and examine more recent outcome and impact studies that have not been systematically summarized. The authors conclude that Head Start research has come far since the last major synthesis in the mid-1980s. There continues to be clear evidence that the program provides immediate benefits for the children it enrolls and long-term gains persist into elementary school, although evidence for the latter is weaker. The authors also talk about the next steps for Head Start research. |
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"Evaluating Early Childhood Assessments: A Differential Analysis.” Samuel J. Meisels and Sally Atkins-Burnett, in Blackwell Handbook of Early Childhood Development, 2006. Assessment is fundamentally a positive process that holds the potential for enhancing teaching and improving learning. This chapter provides an analytical discussion of the field by adhering to the National Education Goals Panel typology that categorizes four uses or roles for assessment in the preschool years: (1) identification, (2) instructional improvement, (3) program evaluation, and (4) accountability. The chapter also describes a number of achievable challenges: identifying children at risk for developmental delay or school failure; obtaining evaluative information from classroom settings that can be used to inform instruction and improve learning; and designing evaluations that reflect the wide range of influences that affect child growth and development.
To find all Early Childhood-related publications, please go to the Publications Search page. |
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