ERIC Number: ED641135
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jan
Pages: 38
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
State-Level Accessibility of Head Start Data across the United States
Jing Tang; Kara Ulmen; Sara Amadon; Katie Richards; Gabriella Guerra; Ja’Chelle Ball; Carlise King; Dale Richards
Child Trends
The preschool landscape is complex, consisting of several publicly funded programs supported by federal, state, and local funds. Included in this landscape is Head Start, a critical early childhood education (ECE) program that serves--in every state and territory--young children in families with incomes at or below the federal poverty line, families experiencing homelessness, families receiving assistance like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), families of children with disabilities, and children who are in the foster care system. Comprehensive data on Head Start programs are available nationally but can be challenging to integrate with other preschool and K-12 data, in part because the data typically flow from local Head Start grantees up to the federal Office of Head Start (OHS), bypassing the state. However, without the inclusion of Head Start data, researchers, policymakers, and preschool administrators are unable to answer key questions about the experiences of those being served or understand which children and families are served in states with Head Start and state pre-kindergarten (pre-K). To better understand the ways Head Start data are being accessed, analyzed, and used with other preschool data at the state level, the Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) at Child Trends conducted a survey of Head Start State Collaboration Offices (HSCOs). HSCOs play a role coordinating Head Start systems at the state level with other early childhood programs, and they are well positioned to understand the data collection efforts within a state. The primary goal of the survey was to better understand the types of Head Start data that HSCOs can access and how these data are used, disaggregated, and linked with other early childhood and K-12 data; in addition, the survey aimed to understand data-related supports and infrastructure.
Descriptors: Access to Education, Low Income Students, Social Services, Federal Programs, Preschool Education, State Programs, Enrollment Trends, Trend Analysis, Data Analysis, Student Characteristics, Teacher Characteristics, Access to Information, State Surveys, State Agencies, Data Collection
Child Trends. 7315 Wisconsin Avenue Suite 1200W, Bethesda, MD 20814. Tel: 240-223-9200; Fax: 240-200-1238; Web site: http://www.childtrends.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Authoring Institution: Child Trends; Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC)
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Head Start
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A