TY - JOUR
T1 - Getting inside the "Black Box" of Head Start quality
T2 - What matters and what doesn't
AU - Currie, Janet
AU - Neidell, Matthew
N1 - Funding Information:
Head Start is a federal–local matching grant program, so it is funded quite differently from most education programs in the US. Local grantees apply to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for funds to run their programs on a 3 year cycle. Head Start grantees must provide 20% of program costs, either in cash or in kind. Incumbents appear to have priority for funding. For example, they have the right to appeal if their applications for funding are turned down, while would be new entrants do not. Applications are evaluated on the basis of: “the extent to which the applicants demonstrate in their application the most effective Head Start program”; the cost-effectiveness of the proposed program; the qualifications and experience of the applicant and of the staff; the capability to adhere to the Head Start Performance Standards; and the need for Head Start services in the community ( DHHS, 2001 , Section 1302.1).
PY - 2007/2
Y1 - 2007/2
N2 - Critics of Head Start contend that many programs spend too much money on programs extraneous to children. On the other hand, Head Start advocates argue that the families of severely disadvantaged children need a broad range of services. Given the available evidence, it has been impossible to assess the validity of these claims. In this study, we match detailed administrative data with data on child outcomes from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, including test scores, behavior problems, and grade repetition. We find that former Head Start children have higher reading and vocabulary scores where Head Start spending was higher. Holding per capita expenditures constant, children in programs that devoted higher shares of their budgets to child-specific expenditures have fewer behavior problems and are less likely to have been retained in grade.
AB - Critics of Head Start contend that many programs spend too much money on programs extraneous to children. On the other hand, Head Start advocates argue that the families of severely disadvantaged children need a broad range of services. Given the available evidence, it has been impossible to assess the validity of these claims. In this study, we match detailed administrative data with data on child outcomes from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, including test scores, behavior problems, and grade repetition. We find that former Head Start children have higher reading and vocabulary scores where Head Start spending was higher. Holding per capita expenditures constant, children in programs that devoted higher shares of their budgets to child-specific expenditures have fewer behavior problems and are less likely to have been retained in grade.
KW - Efficiency
KW - Expenditures
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U2 - 10.1016/j.econedurev.2005.03.004
DO - 10.1016/j.econedurev.2005.03.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33845884050
SN - 0272-7757
VL - 26
SP - 83
EP - 99
JO - Economics of Education Review
JF - Economics of Education Review
IS - 1
ER -