The National Head Start Association released a new policy report that claims Head Start collaboration efforts on pre-kindergarten can improve the lives of children and families.
The study, “Partners for Success: Case Studies of Collaboration Between Head Start and Pre-K,” was published last month and reviews 11 existing early childhood care and education program collaborations developed by communities and states. It provides case studies of four models, those being: expanded access and blended programs in Chicago, Kansas, Oregon, Harrisburg, Pa.; expanded access, parallel programs in Connecticut, Washington state and West Virginia; expanded preschool services in California, New Jersey and West Virginia; and parent choice in Minnesota.
In each case, said NHSA, more children were served and quality of services were improved as a result of committed leadership to sustaining effective partnerships and enhanced relationships between Head Start agencies and the communities they serve.
From those partnerships, NHSA made three recommendations it said would allow expansions of early learning:
- Consider successful models for partnership and design mixed and diverse delivery systems that utilize existing providers to allow faster scaling, higher quality, and locally-appropriate programs.
- Facilitate the development of early learning systems by engaging strong, committed leaders and all stakeholders in thoughtful and deliberate pursuit of high quality for all children.
- Draw on Head Start as a valuable resource with deep knowledge of comprehensive health and development, developmentally appropriate instruction, parent and family engagement, rigorous standards and performance monitoring, meaningful coordination, effective teacher preparation and more.
“With almost 50 years of experience in communities across the country, Head Start has made important strides in early childhood education that can be scaled to meet the newfound energy of committed leadership from Washington,” NHSA Executive Director Yasmina Vinci said. “Collaborations that utilize the vast store of knowledge in Head Start programs provide a cornerstone upon which passionate change-agents deliver high quality early childhood education for every child.”
In January, President Obama called for universal access to early childhood care and education in his State of the Union address.
