The National Head Start Child Development Institute :Overview

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The National Head Start
Child Development Institute

Overview

December 3-8, 2000
Ensuring Quality and Accountability Through Leadership
By E. Dollie Wolverton
Revised for the Web site from "Screening and Assessment,"
Head Start Bulletin, Issue 70, January 2001.

More than 3,200 people gathered in Washington, D.C. in December to participate in the National Head Start Child Development Institute, which was sponsored by the Office of Head Start. The Institute brought together education leaders from Head Start and Early Head Start programs around the country to increase knowledge and leadership skills, and to support participants in developing vision and action plans to improve local program quality, management systems, and child outcomes.

Participants and planners alike are calling the Institute a tremendous success. One participant said, "This has been one of the best learning experiences on child development. Thank you for bringing us the best of the best in the field...and making them available to us later in the evening for more discussion. I couldn’t get enough!" Another stated, "As a Head Start staff member for 15+ years, this is the best training that I have ever experienced . . . ."

Program Highlights

Institute participants received advance reading materials and assignments, including a guided review of their own local program services and quality in the five priority themes of the Institute: curriculum and assessment; social and emotional development; mathematics and science; language development; and literacy.

E. Dollie Wolverton During the Institute, participants heard nationally recognized experts address each of these themes. (View Print version of chart for an overview of the Institute program and faculty) Participants then had the opportunity to meet for small group discussion. Affinity groups offered facilitated discussion among education leaders from different communities on interpreting and implementing the ideas, research, and effective practices offered in plenary presentations. Leadership Team Planning sessions gave local teams the opportunity to develop vision and action plans for program improvement using the Implementation Planner. Dialogues with Experts sessions enabled participants to meet with Institute faculty for more in-depth discussion of the issues raised in their plenary presentations. Western Kentucky University is awarding three units of graduate or undergraduate credit for work successfully completed.

The Implementation Planner

The Implementation Planner was developed as a guide for participants to use before, during, and after the Institute. Its design reflects the Institute content and structure, and includes the following elements—

The Head Start Child Outcomes addressed in the plenary sessions each day
Some of the applicable Head Start Program Performance Standards for each session
Examples of Head Start systems as they affect the education leader’s role
Space to record information on the participant’s own program
Sections for noting important points from pre-Institute readings, plenary presentations, and discussion sessions
Space for developing ideas for improving child development and education services in the participant’s own program
Space to reflect on the question,"What do I need to do as an education leader to affect positive change?"
The Head Start Child Outcomes Framework (In User's Guide) (See Framework on this site.)

The Implementation Planner is very useful because it is linked to the Head Start Program Performance Standards, as well as to management and leadership roles. It focuses attention on ways to improve current management systems in order to support more effective program services and positive child outcomes. It also poses questions to help leaders consider ways to improve the child development and educational aspects of their programs.

Next Steps

The Institute was a powerful learning opportunity for the thousands of Head Start managers who participated, and it was a first step in the larger initiative to enhance program quality and outcomes for children. The next step is to carry what was gained at the Institute into local team planning efforts that engage all Head Start and Early Head Start staff, parents, and community partners. To support this work, the Office of Head Start is developing a training strategy that will support a continuous cycle of local program improvement. This includes promoting professional development; implementing an appropriate curriculum; implementing programming that supports optimal child outcomes; maintaining accountability for child outcomes based on sound curriculum implementation and appropriate child assessment; establishing a common understanding and commitment to achieving new legislative mandates in child and family literacy; and enhancing the professional qualifications of staff—associate's and bachelor degrees in early childhood education for teachers of children ages birth to five years.

By the end of May 2001, multimedia educational materials based on the National Head Start Child Development Institute will be distributed to Head Start and Early Head Start grantees and delegate agencies.The package will include—

A set of six edited videotapes of the Institute faculty presentations
A companion guide to the videotapes that provides an introduction to each program segment; key speaking points of each presenter; some of the relevant Head Start Program Performance Standards and Child Outcomes applicable to each segment; bibliographical references and resources; and handouts distributed at the Institute
A copy of the Institute Implementation Planner

The Regional Offices will organize training events in each region to continue the work of the Institute. The multimedia materials will also be featured at the National Head Start Association’s 28th Annual Training Conference, which will be held May 16-19, 2001, in Orlando, Florida.

Putting It to Work

Developing specific goals for program improvement is the responsibility of each local Head Start and Early Head Start program.The Office of Head Start is committed to supporting local programs with information, materials, and technical assistance as they proceed to develop and implement their program improvement plans. It is our way of showing respect for each of you, and for the work that you do in meeting the changing needs of families and enhancing outcomes for children.