Head Start Program

The February 8, 2009 New York Times (Sunday) had two articles that mentioned the Head Start Program. In Education is All in Your Mind, Richard E. Nisbett indicated that Head Start "have been found to have only modest effects on the children's academic achievement, and these often fade by early elementary school." In Head Start Falls Further Behind, Douglas J. Besharov and Douglas M. Call indicated that "Head Start and similar prekindergarten programs could truly help disadvantaged children, but many studies have shown that Head Star, as it is managed, is failing them."

Well, I have personal experience with a local Head Start Program. In 2001 I coordinated with the staff and was allowed to present a program to the tots during Black History Month. I read a story I created about an African chicken and had the tots provide background music using the small African drums I brought. All went well. I expected a thank you note, but none arrived. A few years I presenting an after school program at the center that hosts the same Head Start Program. While there, I stopped at the Head Start Program and offered to present a free program to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. I referenced my previous work with the the Head Start Program and left my contact information. I was alerted that the offer would be sent to the Head Start central office. I never received a reaction.

My experiences with Head Start has left me with the same impression that is supported in Richard E. Nisbett's article: the quality of Head Start depends on the management. Besharov and Call report that the U.S. House of Representative version of the stimulus bill identifies additional funds for Head Start without significant reforms even though the National Reporting System that would allow measurement of individual centers was eliminated in 2007.

I find it hard to understand why establishing accountability is difficult to achieve in Head Start. As a result the children, all to often, are the ones that suffer the most.