A 63 page paper that presents a research proposal project. Includes abstract. Chapter 1 includes: introduction, background, problem statement, purpose, definitions, hypothesis, research questions. Chapter 2 is the literature review, which is subdivided into the historical and legal background of Head Start and Early Head Start, including the program's mission, goals and outcome exceptions, and a report of research conducted over the years. Research studies that support and do not support the program are reported. The writer also points to the contradictions not only between research studies but also in the interpretation of the same data by different "experts." The writer also points to the expectations in terms of the original purpose of the program and he disparity between these. Chapter 3 is the Methods section and begins with comments and recommendations from the Head Start Bureau regarding research projects. The population to be studied is identified, assessment process, demographics to be considered. The results section comments on what the researcher might want to do. The Discussion section provides a hypothetical discussion of the study's results. Data are included. Bibliography lists 29 sources.
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assessed using three instruments in conjunction with staff and family interviews and observations. The control group of children qualified for Head Start but did not attend this program. The two
groups were similar in their language development skills at the beginning of the study. By the beginning of Kindergarten, there was a significant difference in language ability between the two
groups. The gap widened by the end of Kindergarten. It was also found that Head Start children had fewer social interaction problems than their peers during the first weeks of
Kindergarten. Girls scored higher than boys in both groups but the difference was not significant. CHAPTER 1 Introduction The mission of the Head Start Program is "to help prepare
young economically disadvantaged children for success in school and life" (Ganson, 1998). The goal of the program is to "improve[e] childrens social competence" (Ganson, 1998). In 1993, the Head Start
Bureau identified "five performance-based objectives that reflect the different areas (such as cognitive, emotional, and social development; physical and mental health; and nutritional needs) that it believes make up social
competence" (Ganson, 1998). The purpose of these objectives was to measure the quality and effectiveness of Head Start Programs (Ganson, 1998). With these objectives, the Bureau changed the focus from
operational activities to achieving specific results (Ganson, 1998). The ACF went on to include two of these objectives as part of their annual performance goals (Ganson, 1998). The remaining three
objectives emphasize activities that are believed to be "critical to achieving its two outcome objectives" (Ganson, 1998). Over the nearly 40 years the Head Start Program has been in
operation, numerous studies have been conducted to determine the impacts of the program on the children who attend them as well as the impacts on the childrens families. Studies have
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