Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

A Snapshot of Head Start Children, Families, Teachers,

May 20, 2003

his year, Congress is
scheduled to reauthorize
Head Start, a federal-tolocal
grant program for
the provision of early childhood
education, comprehensive services,
and family support to poor preschool
children and their families.
New federal data on Head Start
children, families, teachers, and
programs provide insights into what
services the program provided and
whom it served in 2002. The data
are from Program Information
Reports (PIR) submitted to the
U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) by all Head
Start programs.1
This policy brief describes the picture
for Head Start children, families,
teachers, and programs in the
2001?¨C2002 program year, highlighting
new data never gathered
before for the PIR. In March 2003,
CLASP released an analysis of data
for 2001, identifying key trends
since the program was last reauthorized
in 1998. The 2002 data confirm
these trends, as well as provide
new information about Head Start:
?¡?¶ The vast majority of Head Start
children were in families with
earnings at or below the federal
poverty level (74 percent) or who
were receiving public assistance
(19 percent) at enrollment. In
2002, the poverty guideline for a
family of four was $18,100.
?¡?¶ The great majority (68 percent)
of Head Start families have working
parents, with only about onefifth
in receipt of welfare cash
assistance (21 percent) and with
many children (45 percent) needing
full-day, full-year child care.
?¡?¶ About half of the children (52
percent) identified as needing
full-day, full-year care received
such services through Head Start
programs, while others also participated
in other types of care
arrangements.
?¡?¶ Most Head Start families (78 percent)
do not include a parent with
more than a high school education,
and only a small proportion
of families (11 percent) had one
or both parents enrolled in an
education or training program.
?¡?¶ Head Start helps children and
families access a variety of support
services through direct
provision or referrals. In 2002,
the family services most often
received by Head Start families
were parent education (32 percent),
health education (27 percent),
and adult education, job
training, and English as a Second
Language training (23 percent).
?¡?¶ The proportion of Head Start
teachers who have at least an
associate?¡?¯s degree in early childhood
education or a related field
grew to 51 percent in 2002,
meeting a Congressional mandate
that half of teachers in
center-based programs reach this
goal by September 2003. Head
Start teacher salaries increase
(though modestly) as teacher
education levels increase.
T
What?¡?¯s New in 2002?
A Snapshot of Head Start Children, Families, Teachers,
and Programs
By Rachel Schumacher and Kate Irish
H e a d S t a r t S e r i e s B r i e f N o. 2
About the Authors
Rachel Schumacher is a Senior
Policy Analyst and Kate Irish is a
Research Assistant at the Center for
Law and Social Policy.
Joan Lombardi serves as an advisor to
this project.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
This policy brief is the second of a series of analyses
of Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data
by CLASP. The next brief will look at the Early Head
Start population of infants and toddlers and their
families. This policy brief was made possible by a
grant from the A.L. Mailman Family Foundation.
Head Start Children
The 2002 Head Start PIR data
include information on all children
served over the course of the program
year, including preschool children
between the ages of three and
five, as well as pregnant women and
children from birth to age three
served in Early Head Start and
Migrant Head Start programs. In
2002, 1,002,891 children and 7,710
pregnant women received Head
Start early education and services.2
The vast majority were served
through federal funds, with just 4
percent of Head Start?¡?¯s funded
enrollment provided by non-federal
sources. The total number of children
served in 2002 was about 5
percent greater than for 2001, but
the proportions in each age group
remained similar?¡?ª93 percent were
preschool age (three, four, and five
years old) and 7 percent were
infants and toddlers (birth through
age two). Just under one-third of
the children (29 percent) were participating
in the program for their
second or third year. Over the
course of the 2002 program year, 17
percent of the children left the program,
but 81 percent of those children
were replaced that year.
The Head Start child population
remained quite diverse, with 32
percent black or African American,
30 percent Hispanic or Latino, 28
percent white, 3 percent American
Indian or Alaskan Native, 2 percent
Asian, and 1 percent Hawaiian or
other Pacific Islander. In addition,
the 2002 data included a new category
of Bi-racial or Multi-racial,
which accounted for 3 percent. The
primary language for 74 percent of
the children was English and for 22
percent was Spanish. In 2002, the
PIR collected for the first time
information on languages other
than English and Spanish: Middle
Eastern and Indic, Far Eastern
Asian, and Pacific Islander languages
were each the primary
language for 1 percent of the population,
while other languages all
fell below 1 percent.
For the first time, 2002 PIR data
included information on the qualifying
factor for Head Start child
enrollment.3 At least 90 percent of
enrolled families must be lowincome,
defined as those families
with income at or below federal
poverty guidelines; families receiving
public assistance; or children in
foster care. Once enrolled, children
remain eligible through the end of
the succeeding program year. In
2002, the poverty guideline for a
family of four was $18,100. In 2002,
the vast majority of Head Start children
were in families with earnings
at or below the federal poverty level
(74 percent) or who were receiving
public assistance (19 percent) at
enrollment (see Figure 1).
In 2002, 45 percent of Head Start
children were in need of full-day,
full-year child care services due to
their parents?¡?¯ schedules at the time
of enrollment.4 Of those children in
need of full-day, full-year services,
52 percent received such services
through Head Start. Head Start
children in need of full-day, fullyear
care received care in other settings
as well?¡?ª31 percent received
child care through a relative or
unrelated adult in a home-based
setting, 19 percent through a child
care center, 7 percent through a
family child care home, and 4 percent
through a public school prekindergarten
program (see Figure 2
on page 3). And, in 2002, 10 percent
of all Head Start children were
also receiving a child care subsidy
for child care services either
through Head Start or a child care
provider partner.
Head Start Program Performance
Standards require that children
be screened for developmental, sensory,
and behavioral concerns
within 45 calendar days of enrollment.
5 In 2002, 86 percent6
of the children received medical
screenings, 24 percent of screened
children were assessed as needing
treatment, and 89 percent of that
group received follow-up medical
treatment. Of the 185,013 children
who received treatment, 26 percent
received treatment for asthma, 21
percent for being overweight, 17
percent for anemia, 14 percent for
vision problems, and 11 percent for
hearing difficulties. Seventy-eight
percent of Head Start children7
received a dental exam, 29 percent
of examined children were diag-
Children enrolled with
family income over 100% FPL
Children enrolled based on
receipt of public assistance
Children enrolled based on
income eligibility (below 100% FPL)
19%
7%
74%
FIGURE 1
Head Start Children Enrolled
by Type of Family Eligibility,
Program Year 2002
Note: FPL = Federal Poverty Level
nosed as needing treatment, and
76 percent of that group received
treatment. In addition, 77 percent
of the children who were examined
received preventative dental care.
Head Start agencies reported that
while 85 percent of children had a
source of continuous, accessible
medical care, only 74 percent had a
similar source for dental care. Most
children (93 percent) had received
all immunizations possible.8 A
lower percentage of children were
referred to mental health services in
2002 (2 percent) than in 2001 (5
percent), and 74 percent of those
children referred in 2002 received
treatment.
In 2002, 13 percent of Head Start
children were diagnosed as having a
disability, and 93 percent of those
who were diagnosed received special
services (see Figure 3). The
most common service provided to
preschool children was for speech
or language impairment (65 percent),
and the second most common
was for non-categorical
/developmental delays (20 percent).9
Most Head Start children (87
percent) were enrolled in health
insurance plans in 2002, most
commonly through Medicaid or
the Early and Periodic Screening,
Diagnosis, and Treatment
(EPSDT) program (53 percent),
private insurance (15 percent), a
state Child Health Insurance
Program (CHIP) (8 percent), or
a combined Medicaid/CHIP
program (8 percent).
Head Start Families
Head Start families most often are
low income and working, with
minimum levels of education. In
2002, 68 percent of Head Start
families had one or both parents
FIGURE 3
Head Start Disability Determination and Special Services,
Program Year 2002
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Public shool prekindergarten
program
At home or
at another
home with
a relative or
unrelated adult
Child care
center or
classroom
Family child
care home
Head
Start
52%
7%
19%
31%
4%
FIGURE 2
The Care Arrangements of Head Start Children Who Need
Full-day, Full-year Care, Program Year 2002
Note: The percentages add up to more than 100 percent because children
may have been in more than one care arrangement.
Children determined to have a disability 126,555
Percentage with a disability out of all Head Start children 13%
Children who received special services, of those
determined to have a disability 93%
Services for children ages 0-3 provided through the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Part C) 6%
Services provided for preschool age children through
Head Start 94%
Most significant disability that preschool
children received services for:*
Speech or language impairments 65%
Non-categorical/developmental delay 20%
Health impairment 4%
Emotional/behavioral disorder 4%
Multiple disabilities including deaf-blind 3%
Learning disabilities 2%
* Disabilities that accounted for 1% or less were not included in this chart.
working, while in 25 percent the
parent(s) were unemployed (see
Figure 4). In the great majority of
Head Start families (78 percent),
neither parent has more than a high
school degree or general equivalency
degree (GED) (see Figure 5).
However, only 11 percent of Head
Start families had one or both parents
in education or job training
programs in 2002. Information collected
in 2002 indicated that 56
percent of Head Start families were
headed by a single parent or caregiver.
Only 21 percent of families
received Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF), down
from 45 percent in 1997.
In 2002, 81 percent of families had
formal family partnership agreements,
which describe family goals
and strategies for achieving them.
Head Start programs coordinate
with other agencies to support parents
in accomplishing their goals.10
Head Start programs help the children
and families they serve access a
variety of support services, either
through direct provision, linkages,
or referrals. In 2002, the services
that the PIR survey found were
most often received by Head Start
families included: parent education
(32 percent), health education (27
percent), and adult education, job
training, and English as a Second
Language training (23 percent) (see
Figure 6 on page 5).
In addition, many of the program
volunteers (65 percent) and staff
(27 percent) were current or former
Head Start parents.
Head Start Teachers
and Programs
In 2002, Head Start teachers continued
a trend in improved education
qualifications seen in 2001.
Among the 51,681 teachers in
Head Start, 51 percent had an associate?¡?¯s
degree or better?¡?ªmeeting a
Congressional mandate that 50 percent
of teachers in center-based
programs attain an associate?¡?¯s
degree or higher, with a specialization
in early childhood education or
a related field, by September 2003.
Among non-degreed teachers, 45
percent are enrolled in an early
childhood education or related
degree program. For the first time,
2002 PIR data indicated the average
salary for Head Start teachers
according to their highest level of
education (see Figure 7 on page 5);
teachers with higher levels of education
tended to have somewhat
higher salaries, with the average
salary for teachers with bachelor?¡?¯s
degrees at $25,090. To place this in
context, public school teachers with
bachelor?¡?¯s degrees have average
salaries of $43,250 and average
beginning salaries of $28,986.11
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Parents(s)
unemployed
One or both parents
in education/training
One or both
parents employed
68%
25%
11%
FIGURE 4
Employment Status of Head Start Families, Program Year 2002
Bachelor?¡?¯s or advanced degree
Some college, vocational school,
or associate degree
High school graduate or GED
Less than high school graduate
45%
33%
18%
4%
FIGURE 5
Highest Level of Education
Obtained by Head Start
Parents, Program Year 2002
Note: Figures add up to more than 100 percent because parents may combine
work and education/training.
Eleven percent of Head Start teachers
left and were replaced in 2002.
In 2002, the PIR collected new data
on the backgrounds of Head Start
staff. For example, the ethnic and
racial background of child development
staff who worked directly with
Head Start children roughly
reflected the diversity of the children
served, with 37 percent of
child development staff being
white, 29 percent black or African
American, 24 percent Hispanic or
Latino, 3 percent American Indian
or Native Alaskan, 2 percent Asian,
1 percent bi-racial or multi-racial, 1
percent Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander, and the remaining other
or unspecified (see Figure 8 on page
6). In addition, 28 percent of Head
Start staff were proficient in a language
other than English in 2002,
which is comparable to the percent
of Head Start children who spoke
a primary language other than
English.12
Based on community needs assessments,
Head Start programs choose
whether to offer services for children
in center-based settings, in
home-based settings (working
directly with children and parents
in the home), or by combining a
mix of both approaches.13 Some
programs also work with family
child care homes to deliver Head
Start services. In 2002, most Head
Start services (91 percent) were
available in center-based programs,
with 66 percent of all opportunities
for enrollment in centers for five
days a week.14 And, most of the
five-day-a-week center-based programs
offered services for six hours
or more a day (67 percent). Another
25 percent of all Head Start slots
were in center-based programs
operating four days a week. The
remaining services were offered at
0
10
20
30
40
Housing assistance
Transportation assistance
Emergency/crisis intervention
Adult education, ESL, and job training
Health education
Parenting education
32%
27%
23%
15%
11% 10%
FIGURE 6
Family Services Most Often Received by Head Start Families,
Program Year 2002
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Graduate degree
Bachelor's degree
Associate's degree
Child Development Associate credential or state certificate
35%
23%
4%
25%
$19,004 $21,048 $25,090 $31,061
FIGURE 7
Head Start Teacher Education Qualifications and Average
Salaries, Program Year 2002
Note: ESL = English as a Second Language
Note: Degrees are in early childhood education or a related field.
home-based (5 percent), combination
(2 percent), or locally designed
(2 percent) service models, and a
small number through family child
care homes (1 percent).
Head Start programs are in diverse
auspices, including 39 percent in
private, non-profit agencies, 31 percent
in community action agencies,
17 percent in public or private
school systems, 6 percent in government
agencies, 6 percent in
Tribal or Alaskan Native government,
and 1 percent in private, forprofit
agencies. For the first time,
2002 PIR data reported what proportion
of Head Start agencies were
religiously affiliated?¡?ª5 percent.
Head Start agencies often work in
partnerships with other community
entities. Head Start agencies had
formal agreements with 8,082
school districts to coordinate transition
services for children and families
in 2002, which represent 58
percent of the school districts in
Head Start service areas. In 2002,
10 percent of classes in center-based
Head Start programs were operated
by a child care center partner. Head
Start programs worked with 2,692
family child care homes to provide
Head Start services in home-based
settings.
Head Start programs may choose
which screening, curriculum, and
ongoing assessment tools to use.
Programs are required to screen
children within 45 days of child
enrollment to identify any problems
regarding children?¡?¯s development,
including developmental, sensory,
behavioral, motor, language, social,
cognitive, perceptual, and emotional
skills, in a manner sensitive to
children?¡?¯s cultural backgrounds.15
In 2002, programs reported that 84
percent of children were screened,
with 15 percent of those children
determined to need follow-up.
A majority of programs used a
nationally recognized curriculum,
most often Creative Curriculum or
High Scope, in 2002. Approximately
5 percent opted to design their curricula
locally.
Most programs chose from available
ongoing assessment tools to
determine how children are doing
and how to improve services and
practices. Less than 30 percent
designed assessment tools locally.
Conclusion
The 2002 PIR data confirm that
Head Start serves a diverse population
of low-income children and
families. Most of these families are
working poor, with minimum education
levels. These children and
families receive a variety of family
support and comprehensive services
through Head Start and through
coordination with available services
in their communities. The 2002
PIR data provide helpful contextual
information as the reauthorization
of Head Start moves forward.
0
20
40
60
80
100
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Asian
Bi-Racial or Multi-Racial
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
White
Direct Child
Development Staff
Children
3%
2%
3%
28%
37%
30%
24%
3%
2%
1%
32% 29%
Race/Ethnicity of Head Start Children and Direct Child Development Staff, Program Year 2002
Endnotes
1 Data from U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services,
Head Start Bureau, Head Start
Program Information Reports,
2001-2002. These data are for
the Head Start program years
running from September to
August, not for the federal fiscal
years of October to September.
Therefore, they may differ from
calculations posted by the Head
Start Bureau in the annual Head
Start Statistics Fact Sheet. This
brief includes only a subset of
the PIR data; for more details
please visit the CLASP website
at http://www.clasp.org.
2 The PIR collects data on all
children and pregnant women
who participated in the program
at any point in the year, including
those who may not have
completed the year, and so this
figure is not simply the number
of funded slots in the program.
Note that the 2002 PIR data
collected information on the
number of pregnant women for
the first time.
3 Prior to 2002, the PIR collected
data on family income levels. In
2001, the median family income
level was between $9,000 and
$11,999 annually, well below
$17,650, the 2001 poverty
guideline for a family of four.
4 Prior to 2002, the PIR collected
data on child care needs based
on family unit, not individual
children. In 2001, 49 percent of
families needed full-day, fullyear
services.
5 Head Start Performance
Standards. 45 CFR 1304.20
(b)(1). CLASP?¡?¯s calculations of
the percentages of children who
received medical screenings,
dental exams, and immunizations
or were referred to mental
health specialists may slightly
under-represent the percentage
of children who received these
services because there is no way
to adjust the figures to exclude
those children who dropped out
of Head Start within 45 calendar
days.
6 Note that this number includes
children who left the program
in the first 45 days of enrollment
(5 percent), possibly prior to
the day the program screened
children.
7 The data on dental exams are
only collected for three- to fiveyears-
olds; different data regarding
dental health are collected
for infants and toddlers.
8 Children who have all the
immunizations allowable at a
certain point are those who are
not on the schedule recommended
for their age group but
have been brought up to date to
the maximum extent they can be
given a late start on their immunization
schedule.
9 Data on disabilities services are
only collected for preschool
children, ages three to five.
10 Head Start Performance
Standards, 45 CFR 1304.40(a)(1)
and (2).
11 American Federation of
Teachers. Annual Survey of State
Departments of Education. Table
III-1: Actual Average Beginning
BA Teacher Salaries, 1999-2000
and 2000-2001. Washington,
DC: Author. Retrieved May 12,
2003, from http://www.aft.org/
research/survey01/tables/
tableIII-1.html.
12 No further information is available
on exactly what other languages
besides English Head
Start staff speak.
13 Head Start Performance
Standards, 45 CFR 1306.31.
14 These figures are based on
funded enrollment, meaning the
number of children that grantees
are funded to serve in a program
year, rather than on actual child
enrollment, which includes all
the children who are served in a
year, even when more than one
child is served in a slot due to
turnover. Also, the PIR data on
program types offered do not
indicate whether these program
options were full-year?¡?ªthat is,
operating during school vacation
periods and the summer months.
15 Head Start Performance
Standards, 45 CFR
1304.20(b)(1).