Premium Essay

Head Start Program Analysis

Submitted By
Words 553
Pages 3
Government’s response to women and minorities are almost seen as non-existent or impartial to a particular group's needs and have always been the center of focus for bringing about change to those in need. There is a growing concern that not enough is being done to help women or the minority in destroying barriers that they may face in their everyday life. Fortunately, there are a few government programs that serve to aid individuals who are struggling. One example of this is the early start program and the head start program. While this program serves a diverse group of low-income families, their main target is to help women and their kids by providing the children various services and making sure the mother's needs are met as well as their child's.
The head start program was established in 1965 as a way to tackle the war on poverty by aiming their attention on low-income families who were unable to give their children the proper amenities that they required since birth. What these programs do is endorse school readiness by contributing to a child's educational, nutritional, health and social requirements. The …show more content…
the results from the research indicated an obligation to help those deemed as disadvantaged. What made this program so unique from the start was that it began on an Indian reservation which gave the children a chance to experience and learn more about their own culture as well as venture out onto other cultures by exposing them to other languages such as Spanish dialect, English dialect, and their own native American dialect. The Early Start program and the Head Start program then began to expand its services to everyone and included social services program that was able to catch any health issues in a child very early on as well as provide health services which often times mothers could not

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Head Start Program Analysis

...Intervention programs were modeled to diminish the school preparedness gap between kindergartners of low-income families and kindergartners from the middle to upper income families. The concept was to give low income children access to early education programs before kindergarten. Intervention programs date back to 1965 when then President L.B. Johnson created the Head Start program in response to the governments War on Poverty. The Head Start program continues to serve underprivileged kids from age three to four, by helping them prepare for traditional school. Head Start children are taught their ABC’s, 123’s, and science through interactive activities; while promoting an atmosphere that embraces kindness, sharing, and taking turns. 2. Child Center programs are generally inspired by the Piaget model of learning, where the child will acquire ideas on their own time. These programs typically target motor and cognitive skills by encouraging children to play with blocks, puzzles, and create things by cutting out objects, and finger...

Words: 660 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Head Start Policy Analysis

...Head Start began in 1965 to provide childcare and preschool education for low-income families (Administration for Children and Families [ACF], n.d.). Since its inception, the program has served more than 30 million children and their families (ACF, n.d.). Head Start and Early Head Start targets pregnant mothers and children up to age 5 (ACF, n.d.). This program has the characteristics as a family policy because of the intersection between this public service and the impact on the family system. Most Head Start programs include a family intervention to enhance the educational experience. The program also allows low-income families access to childcare, which is a large family cost, so that the parents or guardians may work and use their income for other family needs besides childcare and preschool education. This paper uses the Popple and Leighninger’s policy analysis model to review the Federal Head Start Program (Chapin, 2014). This model was selected because of the historical, social, and political contexts in which the Head Start program was developed as well as for...

Words: 1621 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Bshs382 Research Proposal

...Research Proposal BSHS/382 Research Proposal Head Start and their Success Rates Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children ages birth to 5 from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social and emotional development. (Administration for Children and Families, na) The Head Start program was started in 1965 by Jule Sugarman who was its creator and director. It was first thought of as a catch up Summer program for low income children who were not ready to start Kindergarten. The program would teach the children what they needed to catch up to start Kindergarten the following year. (Wikipedia, Feb, 2011) The Head Start Program has been under fire in recent years because recent studies are showing the program is not having the desired effect as it did 40 years ago. The success rates of Head Start are staggering. The Head Start Impact Study shows that the effects of the program are minimal and the overall effects of the program had vanished in children by the first grade. (Klein, J, 2011) Our proposal will illustrate the program and the overall success rates of Head Start. We will demonstrate ways to improve the overall success rate of the Head Start Program and why the program needs improvements as well as why the rates of success are falling. Elements of Study Children enrolled in the Head Start program are presented with the opportunity to receive educational benefits such as learning vocabulary, letter-word recognition...

Words: 1296 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Head Start

...Head Start 1 Running Head: HEAD START Social Policy Study Improving Head Start Act of 2007 Kristin Sancken University of Minnesota Head Start 2 I. Introduction Head Start is a beloved program and one of the few social welfare programs that continues to garner strong support from both sides of the aisle. It has seen very little shift in public perception over the last 44 years since it’s creation as part of President Johnson’s Office of Economic Opportunity, and politicians have framed it essentially the same way during that time, namely, a way to provide the least fortunate with a chance at educational opportunity. Every few years, the Head Start Act must be reauthorized by the U.S. House and Senate in order to continue receiving federal funding. The Head Start Act itself states that its purpose is to, “promote the school readiness of low-income children by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development”(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Head Start focuses on growth in a variety of areas such as acquisition of language, literacy, math, science, social and emotional functioning, creative arts, and physical education (Kildee, 2007; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). To reach these lofty goals, Head Start provides a holistic blend of services to low-income children and their families, based on family needs (Kildee, 2007; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). The latest reauthorization...

Words: 5123 - Pages: 21

Premium Essay

The Effects of Parental Involvement on Academic Achievement

...Running Head: The Effects of Parental Involvement The Effects of Parental Involvement on Academic Achievement An Individual Research Project by Diane Higgins To Dr. Belinda Hartnett Research Methods – RES 531 Section 013 In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education Strayer University Washington, D.C. June 19, 2011 Chapter One: Introduction I. Topic Selected: As a teacher, one of my passions is to make sure that all of my students are able to learn and understand what is being taught to them. Sometimes this process is hindered when the only learning for some students goes on at school. I am a strong believer that students need assistance when they get home from school, so I decided to research on how parental involvement can affect student achievement. II. Description of Topic: Parental involvement plays an important part in a child’s life, not only during the early years, but throughout the school years as well. Parents who play an active role in the education of their child will have greater opportunities to motivate their children to behave more and strive for greatness. Self- esteem may rise as a result of positive reinforcement. An involved parent will also know when his child is misbehaving and be able to correct the problem before it gets out of hand and becomes a regular habit. With proper parental involvement, a child is less likely to feel the need to lash out and misbehave for much needed attention; they'll...

Words: 4484 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Project Head Start Analysis

...the program would be executed and the policies it would cover. The primary goal of the Project Head Start was to give disadvantaged children an equal chance at an education since they did not have the same resources as wealthy families. Although pre school education was an important aspect from this program funded by the federal government it also took the role of providing health care and counseling low income parents about their vital role during their children's early childhood education. Another difficulty that arose from forming this type of program was whether the citizens agreed with the involvement of the federal and state government into the pre school education. However, with research done by psychologist it was proven that education does indeed have an long term effect on children especially during the first three years of their lives....

Words: 599 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Paper

...parenting education, housing assistance, substance abuse treatment, child care, and home visits. Researchers generally find little evidence, however, that these services reduce the risk of subsequent maltreatment, although there is some promising evidence on the role of child care. Many families receive few services beyond periodic visits by usually overburdened caseworkers, and the services they do receive are often poor in quality. Preventive services for lower-risk families often focus on increasing parents’ understanding of the developmental stages of childhood and on improving their child-rearing competencies. The evidence base on the effectiveness of these services remains thin. Most research focuses on home-visiting and parent education programs. Studies of home...

Words: 8138 - Pages: 33

Premium Essay

Compare And Contrast Home Daycare To A Head Start Program

...There are not many things different from a Home Daycare to a Head Start Program, some of the differences are the teachers in a Head Start program are Chicago Public School employees and can teach up to first grade in an Elementary School. As for the teachers at a Home Daycare they can go to different daycare but if they want to teach in a school they would have to go to school and get a degree in early childhood. A Head Start program is only four hours a day which you can pick the am session or the pm session. Within those four hours they have art where they can play with blocks, paint a picture, write a story, of draw on the tablets and when it is gym time they go outside (if weather permits) and play. The teachers keep the children busy so...

Words: 329 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Head Start Program

...Does Head Start Program increase a child’s chance of academic success? The Head Start Program is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and this service supposed to provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement service for the low-income children and their families. The Head Start programs service and resources are designed to foster stable family relationship, enhance children’s physical and emotional well-being and establish an environment to develop strong cognitive skills. Head Start Program was launched in 1965 by its first director Jule Sugarman; it was originally conceived as a program that would be used as catch-up programs, for summer school that would teach low-income children in a few weeks on how to be prepared the children’s for the start for kindergarten. It was show that six weed of preschool could not make up for five years of poverty. In 1981 the Head Started program was expanded the program and December 2007 the program was revised. As of 2005 the program has more than 22 million pre-school aged children. Head Start mission was to enhancing the children social and health, wellbeing and to get the children prepared for school. Head Start program was part of President Johnson society campaign. The program started out as an eight-week summer program in 1965. The program was led by both Dr. Robert Cooke, a pediatrician at John Hopkins University and Dr. Edward Zigler, a professor of psychology...

Words: 899 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Theory of Strain

...opportunities are more limited. Strain is more common among lower-class persons, who live in inner-city urban areas that are characterized more by social problems and crime. As a way to enhance educational and employment opportunities and reduce delinquency, the government funded policies such as “Head Start” and job programs for the lower-class youths. The Head Start program is a federal program for preschool children three to five years of age in low-income families. This program promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families. They engage parents in their children’s learning and help them in making progress toward their educational, literacy and employment goals. Significant emphasis is placed on the involvement of parents in this program. (Administration for Children & Families) By focusing on children and families during the children’s preschool, kindergarten and first grade years, yes, Head Start has positive impacts on the children during their time in the program. No one can say that a structured program like Head Start in ineffective. Any type of help that can be given to these young...

Words: 754 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Head Start Impact Study

...year olds were enrolled in Early Head Start, a similar federal program for younger children living in poverty. The Head Start Impact Study found that program attendees increased their test scores in reading, writing, vocabulary, and literary skills (“Head Start”). However, many studies show that the gains made in test scores gradually fade away as the children progress in school. While the program fails to show sustained increases in test scores among participants, studies suggest that the program leads to positive outcomes later on such as increased graduation rates and lower rates of crime. Programs like Head Start target not only cognitive advances but also social and behavioral. Though Head Start is considered...

Words: 1705 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Early Childhood Observation

...Due: Spring, 2014 Assignment: Observation Paper: Head Start / Early Head Start Point Value: 25 points Directions: Now that you have a broader perspective on both the early intervention movement in general and the Head Start initiative, consider their impact on both society and the field of early childhood education. Responding to social inequities and global demands may not be motivations you previously associated with teaching. Consider these perspectives as you observe, reflect, and research on the following questions. You will search out a variety of avenues to offer free or reduced services in your community which meet the following situations. 1. Head Start is the primary model for Early Childhood Education here in the United States. President Obama supports Head Start with federal dollars. Discuss the advantages of your own personal child attending a Head Start Program. 2. What is the difference between Head Start and Early Head Start? Where is the local seat for Head Start located in your region? Who is the state Early Head Start seat? 3. Subsidized childcare assistance: What is the poverty level for income in your county? How many children in your county are on subsidized childcare assistance? Whom do they talk to? Where are they located? What is the number? 4. Who is your Healthy Start Nurse in your county? What is their job? What services do they offer to your parents? 5. Subsidized housing: What is the...

Words: 339 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Service Learning Look Judge Act

...can be defined as a serious thought or consideration. I had a lot of time reflecting on my service learning. I completed my hours quickly because of how disgusted I was of Istrouma Early Head Start Center. The YWCA Early Head Start Program provides comprehensive, educational and health services for pregnant adolescents, children of adolescent parents, children with disabilities, and children living in poverty. Istrouma Early Head Start is first and foremost a child development program with the goals of promoting school readiness and effective parenting. All children served at the center are the ages of six weeks to three years old. There are five goals the center provides for the families. The first goal is that the children of the center will have access to high quality early childhood services. The second goal is that families will progress toward their goals in health, mental awareness, education and employment. The third goal is that the staff will leverage their personal and professional growth to assist children and families in realizing their goals. The forth goal is that community partnerships will be established and or mentioned to build comprehensive, integrated services for children and their families and increase community investments. The fifth goal is that the program that they will strive to strengthen the management systems and provide the support required to expand their services. I will Look, Judge, and Act on the services this company provides for poverty...

Words: 1438 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Mckinny-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Case Study

...Both The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act and The Head Start Program are created to help the low-income and homeless people. The both programs have almost the same goal, which is reduce the poverty and improve the welfare. In fact, the Head Start program was established before The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Next, the rest of the paper will be summarizing for The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act and The Head Start Programs and some opinion. First of all, The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 is one of the United States federal laws, which provides money for homeless shelter programs. It was the first response to the homeless by the federal legislative. Also, it was passed and signed by President Ronald...

Words: 914 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Head Start Research Paper

...Benefits of Head Start Program Between ages two to six, the brain increases from seventy percent of its adult weight to ninety percent (Berk, 2014). This is the time where children can improve certain skills such as physical coordination, perception, attention, memory, language, logical thinking and imagination. Each individual child will express these skills differently due to contributing factors such as nutrition, parent involvement, social- economic status and etc. According to Erickson, this age group is in the stage of initiative versus guilt where children begin find purpose in what they do, have the sense of completing task, engaging with peers and discovering what they can do with the assistance from adults. Play is vital in this...

Words: 1130 - Pages: 5