by Danielle Ewen, CLASP Senior Policy Analyst

The question of state control over Head Start has been discussed during the debate over Head Start reauthorization. But a better question is: “How Can Congress Raise the Quality and Availability of Head Start?”

The answer lies in improving teacher education standards; oversight and accountability at the federal level; supports for collaboration and coordination by states, federal agencies and Head Start grantees; and increased resources to help local programs serve more children and make investments in quality. State control does nothing to ensure improved quality or availability, risks the diminution of existing services and standards, and misses an opportunity to use research and data to improve programs.

Head Start can—and should—do better. Every eligible child should have access to the program. Children in Head Start should have access to teachers with bachelor’s degrees and training in early childhood education. Ongoing appropriate assessment should be used to ensure that programs are of the highest quality. More programs should provide full-day and -year services. Early Head Start should reach more eligible children. Head Start programs can benefit from state pre-kindergarten and other programs in their communities.

Head Start works. The national Head Start Impact Study shows that “children in Head Start are making gains in pre-reading, pre-writing, vocabulary, and parent reports of children’s literacy skills.” Nearly a million children and their families have access to comprehensive services including health care, dental care, family literacy and other supports. Babies and toddlers are receiving high quality services. Head Start programs participate in state pre-kindergarten programs, form collaborative agreements with states, participate in joint outreach, training and mentoring activities, and partner with schools to transition children from preschool to kindergarten.

A change in governance would not assure these outcomes. State control risks the loss of comprehensive services and less targeting of scarce federal resources to the children most at-risk. Most state pre-k programs have fewer resources per child, do not include comprehensive services, have lower standards and serve a smaller percentage of the eligible population than Head Start.

Collaboration and strategic state-level planning among Head Start, education and child care programs, and additional funding for these activities can help achieve these outcomes. Federal technical assistance can share strategies that help state and local partners bridge differences in cost sharing, eligibility and program standards.

The best solution for every child in Head Start is not a restructuring of governance, but rather a stronger commitment of resources and improvements in quality.

This piece first appeared in the August 26, 2005 issue of CQ Researcher, vol. 15, no. 29, p. 701. (Membership required to view publication.)