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Head Start: The National Reporting System Quality Assurance Study
The Office of Head Start launched the Head Start National Reporting System (NRS) to assess the development of all Head Start children during the year before their entry into kindergarten. During the initiative's first two years, Mathematica examined implementation quality and suggested strategies for system development. The work continues as we enter the third year of implementation and develop recommendations for improvements, extensions, and enhancements.
Mathematica has visited over 140 Head Start programs nationally. During each visit, site visitors observed a random sample of child assessments and interviewed program staff about their experiences in implementing the system. After each round of observations, we prepared reports on the quality of assessment administration and programs' implementation experiences. Recommendations based on these observations and interviews help improve instrumentation and training in each subsequent round of data collection.
Mathematica convened four meetings of experts selected by the study's technical work group. The experts reviewed findings from the observation visits; developed recommendations for improvements and enhancements; and identified strategies for disseminating and using the information to improve Head Start services, including links with the training and technical assistance and monitoring systems. In addition, we continue to build on strategies for system improvement, including enhanced implementation for English language learners; expansion of the assessment into other domains of development, such as social-emotional functioning; analysis of the data in conjunction with other studies, such as the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey and the Head Start Impact Study; and options for sampling. An initiative launched in 2006 developing materials to assist programs in using child assessment data to improve program practice.
The executive summary of the spring 2005 report is available online. The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and directed by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
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