Department of Health and Human Services
December 2003
Head Start is not the whole story! This 35-page report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services describes and summarizes a number of state initiatives to mount pre-kindergarten programs at their own expense, and reviews what can be learned from extant evidence as to their effectiveness. Though not nearly enough solid studies have been conducted, "There is promising evidence that states can implement programs that produce positive outcomes in areas that include cognition, language, and academic achievement, with some positive outcomes, such as improved achievement test scores, reduced grade retention, and school attendance, lasting into the elementary grades." The report also notes that "several" states (e.g., Kentucky, California, the Carolinas) have developed imaginative approaches to school readiness that span health, welfare, and education. This is no bell-ringer report, but the (anonymous) HHS authors conclude that "selected states appear ready" to "undertake the administration of a coordinated and comprehensive early childhood education system that includes a strong evaluation component to measure results." If you'd like to see for yourself, you can find it on the web at http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/state-funded-pre-k/index.htm.
