HSIPC: Head Start Bulletin-Professional Development: The Cornerstone for Trust and Empowerment: 2002/Issue No. 72

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2002 Issue No. 72

Professional Development: 

The Cornerstone for Trust and 

Empowerment 

CONTENTS

Professional Development: The Cornerstone for Trust and Empowerment 

Strategies for Building Partnerships with Academic Institutions 

Achieving Associate Degrees: Working with Community Colleges and Head Start Staff 

College Tips for Head Start Staff 

Making the Most of Quality Improvement Funds: Lessons Learned 

Head Start Higher Education Partnerships 

Higher Education Faculty Inititiative 

Building Articulation Bridges to Support Degree Attainment 

Learning and Growing Together: A Training Model for the 21st Century 

Tips on How to Form a Professional Development Partnership 

The Benefits of Professional Development Partnerships

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A Look at Six Professional Development Partnerships

UDC's Early Childhood Leadership Institute

Choosing a Distance Education Program

Accredited Distance Learning Programs In Early Childhood Education

HeadsUp!: New Opportunities in Professional Development for Head Start Staff

Designing a Career Management System for Head Start

Credentialing Head Start Family Workers

Mentoring for Head Start and Early Head Start

Mentoring in Head Start Programs

Head Start-Johnson & Johnson Fellowship Program

Head Start Research Grants for Graduate Students

Professional Development Through the National Head Start Fellowship

Senior Early Childhood Associates

From the University Laboratory to the National Laboratory: Developmental Researchers and 

Head Start

New Head Start Quality Research Centers

Resources

Organizations

Internet Resources 

Survey for Head Start Bulletin Readers 

The Head Start Bulletin is published six times a year by the Head Start Bureau, 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. 

The Bulletin is a service of the Head Start Bureau’s Training and Technical Assistance 

Branch. Its purpose is to enhance communication among the Head Start Bureau, Head Start 

programs, and interested national, regional, and state organizations and agencies. 

Tommy G. Thompson 

Secretary

Wade F. Horn 

Assistant Secretary 

Administration for Children 

and Families

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HSIPC: Head Start Bulletin-Professional Development: The Cornerstone for Trust and Empowerment: 2002/Issue No. 72

John C. Allen 

Director 

Office of Public Affairs

Joan E. Ohl 

Commissioner 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families

Windy M. Hill 

Associate Commissioner 

Head Start Bureau

JoAn Knight Herren 

Chief, T/TA Branch 

Head Start Bureau

The Head Start Bulletin is prepared under Contract No. 105-96-2010 with PaL-Tech, Inc.

Deborah Hamilton Kremer 

Co-Editor

Jean Swift 

Co-Editor

Head Start Bulletin 

Professional Development Issue No. 72 

Traci Hefner, a Head Start Fellow from the Class of 2000–2001, is the guest editor for this 

issue of the Head Start Bulletin. 

View other Head Start Bulletins On to Professional Development: The Cornerstone for Trust and Empowerment

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2002 Issue No. 72

Professional Development: 

The Cornerstone for Trust and Empowerment

By Traci A. Hefner

Nearly a million families throughout the country place an enormous amount of trust in the 

staff of Head Start each year. They trust that their children are in a safe and developmentally 

appropriate environment. They share their hopes, dreams, and hardships with us. They open 

up their homes and divulge a wealth of personal information. We ask a litany of questions 

ranging from education, to medical histories, to family dynamics. Often, we delve into the 

most sensitive aspects of their lives. We intervene in crisis, provide families with resources, 

and teach their children. All of this requires an inherent level of trust by our families. 

Moreover, our families trust that staff has the expertise and professionalism to work 

effectively with their children, and to assist parents with their goals and needs. It is 

imperative, therefore, that we maintain this trust by supporting the professional development 

of staff, so they can provide the quality services Head Start children and families deserve. 

Professional development not only augments trust levels and expertise, it can motivate staff 

to become more informed, more creative, and more intuitive. This results not only in the 

exponential growth of staff but also in the empowerment of the families we serve. 

This issue of the Bulletin focuses on professional development for all staff. Teachers are 

currently a primary focus of development due to congressional mandates. Head Start also 

takes a proactive stance on enhancing the qualifications and professionalism of family service 

workers, managers, and directors. Several avenues for professional development are 

discussed in the following articles, which provide information on collaborations, professional 

mentoring, family service worker credentials, senior early childhood associates, and 

fellowship programs. 

Professional development will generate positive outcomes on a variety of programmatic 

levels. Specifically, professional development is a catalyst to— 

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● Empower staff and, in turn, families 

● Enhance self-esteem 

● Increase staff and family trust 

● Create a positive work environment 

● Increase productivity 

● Improve the quality of services 

● Decrease staff turnover

A win-win situation results when programs focus on professional development. The future of 

Head Start depends upon family trust and staff empowerment. With these elements as our 

cornerstones, we can collectively achieve a more promising tomorrow. 

Traci Hefner was a 2000–2001 Head Start Fellow with the Head Start Bureau in Washington, 

D.C. 

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Strategies for Building Partnerships with Academic Institutions

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2002 Issue No. 72

Strategies for Building Partnerships with Academic Institutions

By Ruth Ann Ball

A challenge lies before Head Start directors and academic institutions. The challenge is to 

build a partnership that will serve both the academic institutions and the Head Start agency 

staff who want to complete a degree in early childhood by the year 2003. 

A sense of pride will develop within Head Start staff members as they work toward the goal 

of earning an academic degree as mandated by the reauthorization of the Head Start Act in 

1998. As staff members work towards a degree, they will benefit from the support of all those 

with whom they interact, including family members, colleagues, parents, the director and 

supervisors at the Head Start agency, and the institutions of higher learning where staff 

members enroll for classes. 

Structure of an Academic Institution 

To form a partnership with an academic institution, it helps to understand something about its 

structure. The mission of most, if not all, two-year colleges and four-year colleges and 

universities is to serve the students and the community in which they are located. Two-year 

colleges can be flexible with programming and are more than willing to go into the 

community with courses. Partnerships between a Head Start agency and a local two-year 

college are natural. Both are community-based and both are concerned with quality. The 

Head Start Program has a Policy Council, whereas the two-year college has a Board of 

Regents who approve courses and faculty hiring. Academic officers in the two-year colleges 

have policies to follow according to a national accrediting body.

Many early childhood programs in two-year colleges are small, with only one full-time and 

several part-time faculty members. Instructors are required by State Boards of Regents to 

meet class size ratios and their institution's policies and procedures. Program procedures must 

conform to standards that protect the student, faculty, and children against liability in 

laboratory settings. Since application of theory learned in class is important to learning how 

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to effectively interact with children, laboratory experiences may be required of students. 

Sometimes, instructors travel to observe students working at their place of employment, but 

many may find it difficult due to the cost of travel and time away from campus. Instructors in 

higher education institutions are challenged to use a variety of teaching and instructional 

strategies to meet the variety of learning styles of students.

Early childhood programs in four-year universities have the same structure but have tighter 

schedules due to the number of students who live on or close to the campus. Early childhood 

teacher education programs must also meet the guidelines of national and state teacher 

education entities. 

Strategies to Enable Building Partnerships 

Clearly, academic institutions provide important training for Head Start programs, but Head 

Start programs can also offer valuable services to the academic institution.

If, for example, a Head Start education coordinator meets the academic requirements for 

teaching at the two-year college level, the coordinator may be able to teach a class at the 

community college. If so, the salary can be negotiated between the college and agency.

Since observation of children in a campus laboratory setting is usually required by the twoyear colleges and four-year colleges and universities, another way to build connections is by 

offering an internship for college students at the Head Start program while Head Start staff 

members work at the laboratory on campus. This gives everyone an opportunity to work in 

different settings. The opportunity to observe other early care and education settings is a 

valuable aspect of growth as a professional. Observing other teachers and seeing other 

environments stretches teachers to grow in their teacher/ child interactions and helps them 

learn about the breadth of the field. Head Start staff will also have an opportunity to be role 

models for fellow students, and other students will learn about Head Start.

Set up a meeting with an advocate at your local college or university and ask him or her to 

invite a coordinator, dean, or provost to meet with you to discuss your agency's needs for 

academic training. Invite them to serve on your Head Start Policy Council and offer to serve 

on the College's Advisory Board. Discuss the policies and procedures of the college regarding 

funding, billing processes, and requirements for faculty. Listen and share issues and 

perceptions to enable both entities to gain an understanding of the needs of the Head Start 

staff. Tradition can inhibit change; therefore, keep asking, be patient, and remember that the 

mission of colleges and universities is to serve the students and community. 

Head Start Supervisors and Directors Support from 

Once partnerships with academic institutions are formed, Head Start directors and supervisors 

can support staff in other ways, such as– 

● Providing career counseling to help staff members evaluate their career aspirations 

● Contacting the institution of higher learning to learn about enrollment procedures, 

financial aid availability, and class schedules 

● Helping staff members find substitutes if classes are at times when children are in their 

care 

● Providing resources to help pay for tuition, books, and fees 

● Supporting group study time 

● Building the literacy of the whole staff by providing opportunities to write reports, 

anecdotal observation records, and IEPs for the children 

● Giving time off (paid or unpaid) when school assignments are due 

● Providing literacy training as a part of staff in-service meetings. Literacy training is a 

critical aspect of achieving success as you work toward an academic degree. A tenthgrade reading level is expected when a student enters college; therefore, additional 

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classes and tutoring may be necessary for some 

● Identifying staff members who are near completion of a degree and helping them 

complete the process. Staff can serve as role models for other staff 

● Celebrating the completion of courses, credentials, and degrees 

Other Support 

ACCESS, the national professional organization for early childhood teacher education at twoyear colleges, is eager to support the effort of Head Start staff all across the country to 

achieve the goal of completing an academic degree by 2003. For information, contact Ruth 

Ann Ball, Senior Program Development Specialist, at (405) 799-6383 or raball@ou.edu, or 

visit the Web site at http://www.accessece.org or http://www.cecpd.org.

Head Start staff who want to complete a public school teaching credential may contact the 

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) through Leah 

Adams, President. Family and consumer science programs in four-year land grant universities 

are also available to share information regarding family and child development programs.

Ruth Ann Ball is the Senior Program Development Specialist and former President of 

ACCESS, Oklahoma’s Early Childhood Professional Development Team, University of 

Oklahoma, Center for Early Childhood Professional Development, College of Continuing 

Education. She can be reached at T: 405-799-6383; E: raball@ou.edu.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Achieving Associate Degrees: Working with Community Colleges and Head Start Staff

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2002 Issue No. 72

Achieving Associate Degrees: 

Working with Community Colleges and Head Start Staff

By Bruce R. Stam 

Working with the Community College 

● Identify a college that offers the degree that would most benefit your agency. (It might 

not be the closest one, and some agencies have little choice.) Community colleges 

offer three types of associate degrees. The A.A. degree tends to be a transfer degree 

and may have very few early childhood classes. The A.S. and the A.A.S. degrees 

normally will have a higher percentage of early childhood classes. All these degrees 

could transfer to a baccalaureate institution. 

● Ask if the associate degree that your employees will earn can be transferred to a 

baccalaureate institution, and which one(s). I suggest that you only contract with a 

community college that has a viable transfer agreement with a four-year institution. 

Then find out exactly how it transfers. My caution here is to be very careful. 

● Contract for credit classes, not simply "training." Too often there is no way for the 

college to give credit for "training," and therefore it does not help the employee earn a 

degree. 

● Ask if there is a way to incorporate the CDA into the degree; there should be a way, so 

persist. Normally the college should award eight to twelve credits for the CDA. 

● Even if half of your staff members already have associate degrees, start working on 

the rest. 

● The community college may be able to provide you with two types of contracts. One, 

the agency pays the full cost of instruction, or two, the agency pays individual tuition 

per student. The number of students taking the class determines which method is the 

least expensive for the agency. 

● Early childhood education programs often have limited staff and resources. Please 

keep this in mind when working with these programs. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to 

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ask for classes to be scheduled at the Head Start agency office in the evenings, weekly 

during in-service time, or in an intensive format. 

Assessing Your Staff 

● Many of your staff members have never taken college classes, and they will have 

some fear and anxiety. Until they have taken a few classes and achieved success, they 

will need someone to assist them with registration, textbooks, reading a class 

schedule, etc. 

● Find out what classes or credits your staff members already have; include general 

education classes such as math and English. 

● Have each staff member take the college placement test. 

● Some staff members may have to take remedial reading, writing, and math. Most 

degrees are offered only in the English language, and some employees may have to 

take English language classes before college classes. 

● Develop a plan for each employee and a system to track each employee’s progress. 

● Many of your staff members will be taking two classes per term to achieve the goal. 

This is very strenuous. Find ways to lessen their workload so they can concentrate on 

earning their degree. 

Expectations of Your Staff 

● Develop clear expectations in terms of class attendance and final grades, and 

communicate them to the staff. 

● Some students will receive an Incomplete as the final grade, which means that they are 

missing an assignment. Develop a policy as to how long they have to rectify this 

situation. I suggest two weeks, but it could be longer if there are health problems or 

other personal concerns. 

● Colleges cannot give out attendance and grade information to anyone other than the 

student, unless the student signs a waiver. Let the staff know that since the agency is 

paying for the class, the student must sign this waiver. (Also, work with the 

community college on this.) 

● Many of your employees will be the first in their families to earn a college degree and 

may face criticism or resentment from family members. Develop ways to support all 

your employees who are working towards college degrees. 

Bruce R. Stam is the ECE Program Chair and President of ACCESS, Chemeketa Community 

College, Salem, Oregon. T: 503-399-6071; E: stam@chemeketa.edu.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents College Tips for Head Start Staff

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College Tips for Head Start Staff

By Marcia A. Manter 

TIP #1 Take time to make your decision. 

College is a big investment in time, energy, and dollars. Recognize that you are making a 

personal investment. You are going to college for "yourself," not to keep a job, fulfill an 

expectation that someone else has for you, or to make someone proud of you. It is important 

to be honest with yourself– you want to attend college for yourself and you believe that you 

are going to get something out of the experience and education that will benefit you the rest 

of your life. 

TIP #2 Take time to look ahead in your life. 

What kind of a job do you want to have in five years? Do you see yourself as a "career 

person?" Do you plan to stay in the field of early care and education? Do you intend to stay in 

your present community for the next few years? Then ask the big question: "What will a 

college education do for me to increase the quality of my work life and the quality of my 

personal life in the years ahead?" Once you have that answer, you are ready to decide about 

going to college.

TIP # 3 Ask yourself, "How prepared am I to go to college?" 

Look at your attitude and feelings. Are you hesitant about going to college? Do you have 

reactions based on experiences you had five years ago? Or twenty years ago? Did someone 

tell you that you're not "college material?" Remember, you are a different person today and 

will have different experiences as a student. Most adults who return to school find studying 

easier. 

TIP #4 Be honest with yourself about your study skills. 

This may sound simple, but really, study skills are skills. If we don't use them for a while, 

they fade. If we haven't had good coaches, our skills may remain untapped. 

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To tackle college courses, you need to be able to do several things– read complex books and 

articles, present ideas clearly and logically, write papers that make sense and are 

grammatically correct, and use math. Do not let this scare you. There's help from several 

sources. Take a series of assessment tests to determine which skills you need to strengthen. 

Find out if the college has courses in study skills. Ask the college about tutors. Find ways at 

work and home to increase the amount of reading you do. Offer to make short presentations 

for your work team or your church. Write out your ideas before presenting them. 

TIP #5 Learn as much as you can about the different types of college options. 

In today's world of higher education, students have more choices than ever. And the choice 

you make will depend on your own learning style and your personal life demands. Some of 

the options include–

● Area Technical Colleges 

● Community Colleges 

● State Universities 

● Private Colleges and Universities 

● Correspondence Classes

TIP #6 Take a tour of the colleges you are interested in attending. 

Plan to walk around the campus, have lunch at the student union, pick up catalogues and 

brochures that describe the student services, and drop in on the career management office or 

the registration office to ask questions. 

TIP #7 Take advantage of all the support the college has to offer before you enroll. 

Each college has advisors and counselors who can answer your questions, and even give you 

information you didn't know you needed, such as–

● Career guidance 

● Assistance in locating financial aid and scholarships 

● Ways to plan your course schedule to fit your personal needs 

● Information about different courses and requirements for degrees 

● Ways to boost skills (like math) before you take college-level courses

TIP #8 Make a career plan for yourself. 

List your career and job goals. What kinds of jobs do you want? Where do you want to be 

working? What kinds of payoffs do you want– salary, benefits, quality of work life? Take this 

plan to the college counselor and ask for help in putting your college plan into a bigger life 

plan.

TIP #9 

Every time you hear yourself saying, "This is too much work! Why, I'll be thirty (forty, fifty, 

sixty, or seventy) years old before I'm finished with college," remember that you are going to 

be that old anyway. Why not have the college education you have dreamed about when you 

get to that great advanced age? 

TIP #10 Gather a strong support team around you–a college cheerleading squad. 

Most of us need "study buddies," and some colleges even make that a part of the program. 

Find a role model or mentor'someone who will set the standard and give you advice. All of 

these wonderful folks will make reaching your goals a breeze!

Marcia A. Manter is the Professional Development Specialist, Community Development 

Institute, Region VII Head Start Quality Improvement Center. She can be reached at T: 816-

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356-5373; E: mmanter@cdi7.com.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Making the Most of Quality Improvement Funds: Lessons Learned

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2002 Issue No. 72

Making the Most of Quality Improvement Funds: Lessons Learned

By Deitra L. Nealy-Shane 

As part of an effort to increase the benefits children and families receive from Head Start, 

over $120 million in quality improvement funds– $40 million in FY 1999, $80 million in FY 

2000– have been made available to Head Start and Early Head Start programs as part of their 

base funding to improve the training and qualifications of classroom teachers. These funds 

assist in implementing a new mandate in the 1998 Head Start Act reauthorization that 

requires, by September 30, 2003, that at least half of all Head Start teachers in center-based 

programs have an associate, bachelor's, or advanced degree in early childhood education, or a 

degree in a related field with pre-school teaching experience. 

How Funds Are Allocated 

Programs vary considerably in the numbers of their teachers who have a degree that meets the 

new mandate. While all programs receive quality improvement funding to be used to improve 

teacher training, qualifications, and compensation tied to enhanced credentials, grantees that 

have fewer teachers with degrees will receive larger allocations.

Funds are allocated according to a formula using the number of their teachers with college 

degrees reported by grantees in the June 1998 Program Information Report (PIR). 

Specifically, each grantee is allocated–

● $1,300 for each teacher employed by the grantee who, as of June 1998, did not have 

either a college degree in early childhood education or a degree in a related field with 

a state certificate; and 

● $300 for each teacher reported in the June 1998 PIR who already has either an early 

childhood education degree or a degree in a related field with a state certificate. This 

recognizes the need to provide training and/or salary enhancement opportunities to all 

teachers, including those who already meet the statutory requirements. 

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How These Funds Can Be Used 

These funds can be used to–

● Pay for courses that lead to appropriate degrees, including tuition, fees, and materials; 

● Raise the teacher–supervisor credentials to degree status; 

● Support teachers in completing courses and degrees, by providing transportation, 

release time, and substitutes; 

● Increase teacher compensation tied to achievement of associate, bachelor's or 

advanced degrees, and/or recruit and retain individuals who have attained a degree; and 

● Provide additional training to teachers who already have qualifying degrees.

Creating a Grantee Plan 

Each grantee assesses current staff and develops a plan to use these funds to best meet the 

needs of its program. In addition to describing how the initial increase would be used, the 

plan highlights how quality improvement funds will be used to increase the program's 

percentage of teachers with qualifying degrees over a five-year period. Grantees identify 

strategies to increase access to training and provide higher compensation. If a grantee's 

circumstances change, a revised plan is submitted to the Regional Office.

Suggested Strategies 

The following are strategies that have been successful for some grantees in increasing the 

number of teachers with college degrees:

Develop a comprehensive plan

● Designate a task force with representation from staff, parents, management, and 

community partners to assess the agency's needs, articulate the vision, formulate 

strategies, and track progress. 

● Assess the number of staff who hold appropriate degrees and current levels of 

participation in courses and degree programs, as well as the progress of other staff 

towards gaining a degree (i.e., numbers of courses and/or credits in degree programs). 

● Set annual goals for increasing the numbers of teachers with degrees and track staff's 

progress towards completing courses. 

● Meet with staff members to find out what supports they need to help them earn their 

degrees. 

● Review compensation rates and modify as needed. 

● Conduct exit interviews or surveys of staff who have left or are planning to leave 

Head Start for other employment. Find out what factors attracted them to work for 

Head Start and what could have persuaded them to stay, such as compensation, 

benefits, and training opportunities. 

Work to build linkages among training, courses, and degrees

● Work with local higher education institutions to ensure that CDA training is linked to 

academic credit; that course credits accumulate to degrees; and that credits or courses 

from two-year degrees can be used towards four-year degrees.

Create supports so that staff can succeed in earning degrees

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● Ensure that all staff members are informed about opportunities to apply for Federal 

Student Aid and other forms of financial assistance. Information and application forms 

for Federal Student Aid, including Pell Grants and the Perkins Loan Program, may be 

obtained by calling 1-800-433-3243. 

● Organize support networks for students pursuing degrees so that they assist each other 

academically and personally. 

● If no local higher education programs are available, consider distance learning degree 

programs. 

● Recognize, in visible and creative ways, staff who make progress in earning degrees. 

Develop partnerships with higher education institutions and other Head Start and early 

childhood programs to improve opportunities for staff to earn degrees

● Meet with local colleges and universities to discuss new partnership opportunities. 

● Focus on goals such as establishing new courses or degree programs, making training 

accessible through on-site classes or other means, devising strategies to help staff 

succeed in general education courses, and providing degree opportunities for Head 

Start parents. 

● Explore the use of work-study students to work with Head Start as community service 

placements. This could allow Head Start teaching staff time to attend classes. 

● Convene other local early childhood and child care program managers to explore 

collaborative efforts to expand training, career opportunities, access to college 

degrees, compensation, and public recognition for staff who work with young children. 

● Take advantage of opportunities to join forces with other Head Start and early 

childhood programs to create a larger group of potential students and revenue for 

higher education courses and programs. 

● Use state Head Start Associations, Collaboration Offices, Quality Improvement 

Centers and existing early childhood career development initiatives to negotiate for 

resources and higher education degree programs at the state level.

With increased funding, a working plan, and a lot of encouragement and support, every 

member of the Head Start team will be able to meet the challenge of obtaining a college 

degree. Head Start cannot do it alone, but with continued cooperation and collaboration 

between the early childhood and higher education communities, the 2003 goal is definitely 

within our reach!

Deitra L. Nealy-Shane was a 2000-2001 Head Start Fellow with the Head Start Bureau in 

Washington, D.C.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Head Start Higher Education Partnerships

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2002 Issue No. 72

Head Start Higher Education Partnerships

By Henry M. Doan

The overall goal of Head Start is to ensure that children of low-income families who are 

reaching the end of the preschool period and entering school are ready for school success. To 

accomplish this goal, Head Start provides comprehensive services to these children and 

families. Head Start enhances children's physical, intellectual, social, and emotional 

development. It supports parents in their efforts to fulfill their parental roles and provides for 

their involvement in the implementation of the Head Start program. Head Start also focuses 

on strengthening community supports for families with young children while they are 

working toward employment and self-sufficiency. 

In an attempt to ensure high quality services to children and their families, Head Start has 

conducted many demonstration projects, provided grantees with training and technical 

assistance, and given grantees funds to implement their own training efforts. For example, 

Head Start supported the creation of the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential 

designed for early childhood development teaching staff, implemented the Head Start 

Teaching Centers, and developed other innovative projects. Thus, ongoing professional 

development has long been an integral component of Head Start. Following the 1998 

reauthorization of the Head Start Act, the Head Start Bureau (HSB) focused more specifically 

on training that is linked to college credit and the reduction or elimination of barriers to 

degree programs. 

In keeping with the Head Start tradition of creating innovative programs of working with lowincome children and their families, the HSB launched its Higher Education Partnerships to 

expand professional development opportunities for Head Start staff and parents. The HSB 

currently promotes higher education and academic partnerships in a variety of ways, such as 

by making $80 million in quality improvement funds available to all Head Start and Early 

Head Start grantees for such purposes as course fees, books, transportation, tutors, release 

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time, substitute teachers, child care, and higher compensation related to increased credentials 

(per the Information Memorandum of January 10, 2000). The regional Quality Improvement 

Centers also play a role in fostering partnerships with institutions of higher education. The 

Higher Education Partnerships focus specifically on partnerships with Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities, institutions of higher education serving a majority of Hispanic/

Latino students, and Tribally controlled land grant colleges and universities.

Tribal Colleges and Universities 

In 1999, the HSB provided three-year grants to six Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) to 

develop educational models for providing academic training to Head Start program staff. An 

additional seven grants were funded in 2000 to (1) develop education models; (2) develop 

models for culture and language preservation; and (3) develop technological models, such as 

distance learning models. Through this initiative, program staff, parents, and community 

residents are attending academic courses leading to college degrees. Three additional 

institutions were recently awarded the fiscal year 2001 partnership grant, bringing the total 

number of participants in the TCU partnership consortium to 16. 

The TCU grant recipients are—

1999-2002 Institutions 

Stone Child College 

State: MT 

ACF Region: VIII 

Ft. Peck Community College 

State: MT 

ACF Region: VIII 

College of Menominee Nation 

State: WI 

ACF Region: V 

Northwest Indian College 

State: WA 

ACF Region: X 

Sitting Bull College 

State: ND 

ACF Region: VIII 

Leech Lake Tribal College 

State: MN 

ACF Region: V

2000-2003 Institutions State ACF Region 

Bay Mills Community College 

State: WI 

ACF Region: V 

Oglala Lakota College 

State: SD 

ACF Region: VIII 

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute 

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State: NM 

ACF Region: VI 

Blackfeet Community College 

State: MT 

ACF Region: VIII 

Dull Knife Memorial College 

State: MT 

ACF Region: VIII 

Fort Belknap College 

State: MT 

ACF Region: VIII 

Little Big Horn College 

State: MT 

ACF Region: VIII 

2001-2006 Institutions 

Salish Kootenai College 

State: MT 

ACF Region: VIII 

Sinte Gleska University 

State: SD 

ACF Region: VIII 

Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College 

State: MN 

ACF Region: V 

Higher Education Hispanic/Latino Services Partnerships 

The Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) reveals that Hispanic/ Latino children are 

the second largest minority group enrolled in Head Start. In 2000, the HSB undertook a new 

initiative involving institutions of higher education that serve a large percentage of Hispanic/

Latino students. Fiscal Year 2000 grants were provided to seven such institutions (HSIs) to 

(1) develop educational models;(2) develop models for culture and language preservation; 

and (3) develop technological models, in partnership with Head Start programs. They also 

provide training to Head Start staff in pursuit of academic degrees. Fiscal year 2001 grants 

were recently awarded to five additional institutions, bringing the total number of partnering 

institutions involved in this initiative to 12.

The HIS grantees are–

2000-2004 Institutions 

Portland Community College 

State: OR 

ACF Region: X 

Fresno City College 

State: CA 

ACF Region: IX 

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CSU Bakersfield 

State: CA 

ACF Region: IX 

CSU Northridge 

State: CA 

ACF Region: IX 

CSU San Marcos 

State: CA 

ACF Region: IX 

Aims Community College 

State: CO 

ACF Region: VIII 

UT Pan American 

State: TX 

ACF Region: VI 

2001-2005 Institutions 

Hartnell Community College 

State: CA 

ACF Region: IX 

Yosemite Community College District/Modesto Junior College 

State: CA 

ACF Region: IX 

Bronx Community College 

State: NY 

ACF Region: II 

UT San Antonio 

State: TX 

ACF Region: VI 

Michigan State University 

State: MI 

ACF Region: V 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Head Start has been partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) 

since 1990. Under the Head Start Higher Education Partnerships program, launched in 1997, 

there are 32 grants with HBCUs to develop working models to assist local Head Start 

programs in a variety of ways, including enhancing educational opportunities for Head Start 

staff and parents and providing specialized training in such key areas as substance abuse and 

mental health.

Current HBCU grantees are—

1997-2001 Institutions 

SC State University 

State: SC 

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ACF Region: IV 

Cheyney University of PA 

State: PA 

ACF Region: III 

Texas Southern University 

State: TX 

ACF Region: VII 

North Carolina Central University 

State: NC 

ACF Region: IV 

Kentucky State University 

State: KY 

ACF Region: IV 

Howard University 

State: DC 

ACF Region: III 

Tennessee State University 

State: TN 

ACF Region: IV 

Jackson State University 

State: MS 

ACF Region: IV 

1998-2002 Institutions 

Delaware State University 

State: DE 

ACF Region: III 

University of DC 

State: DC 

ACF Region: III 

University of MD Eastern Shore 

State: MD 

ACF Region: III 

Florida A&M University 

State: FL 

ACF Region: IV 

Shaw University 

State: NC 

ACF Region: IV 

Norfolk State University 

State: VA 

ACF Region: III 

Hampton University 

State: VA 

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ACF Region: III 

1999-2003 Institutions 

Howard University 

State: DC 

ACF Region: III 

Southern University and A&M College 

State: LA 

ACF Region: VI

H. Council Trenholm State Technical College 

State: AL 

ACF Region: IV 

Bluefield State College 

State: WV 

ACF Region:III 

Kentucky State University 

State: KY 

ACF Region: IV 

Dillard University 

State: LA 

ACF Region: VI

2000-2004 Institutions 

Harris Stowe State College 

State: MO 

ACF Region: VII 

Kentucky State University 

State: KY 

ACF Region: IV 

North Carolina Central University 

State: NC 

ACF Region: IV 

Southern University and A&M College 

State: LA 

ACF Region: VI 

Texas Southern University 

State: TX 

ACF Region: VI 

University of DC 

State: DC 

ACF Region: III 

University of AR at Pine Bluff 

State: AR 

ACF Region: IX 

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2001-2005 Institutions 

Albany State University 

State: GA 

ACF Region: IV 

Cheyney University of PA 

State: PA 

ACF Region: III 

Alabama A&M University 

State: AL 

ACF Region: IV 

Spelman College 

State: GA 

ACF Region: IV

Together, there are 60 grants involved in the Head Start Higher Education Partnerships. 

Through these efforts, the HSB hopes to increase educational opportunities for Head Start 

staff and parents, and develop model partnerships that can be replicated in communities 

across the nation. 

Dr. Henry M. Doan is a Senior Social Analyst and the Program Manager for the Higher 

Education Partnership Initiative grants. He can be reached at T: 202-260-2667; E: .

hdoan@acf.hhs.gov

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Higher Education Faculty Inititiative

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2002 Issue No. 72

Higher Education Faculty Initiative

The Early Childhood Higher Education Faculty Initiative is a unique partnership among 

Wheelock College, Pacific Oaks College, and ACCESS (American Associate Degree Early 

Childhood Educators), in collaboration with Bank Street College and Erikson Institute. The 

Initiative objectives will challenge and support teams of faculty in higher education to– 

● Enhance the quality of higher education programs serving Head Start teachers, 

administrators, and other early childhood and child care programs, including the 

reviewing and revising curriculum; developing new strategies, pedagogical models, 

and materials; and ensuring that the content and coursework translate into enhanced 

Head Start teaching. 

● Improve access and remove barriers to higher education programs for Head Start, 

Early Head Start, and other early childhood providers, including supporting adult 

students from a range of cultural, economic, and linguistic communities; developing 

an institutional commitment to hiring a diverse faculty; and utilizing methods to 

provide effective learning experiences for faculty. 

● Create new connections that will institutionalize these advances as part of a permanent 

infrastructure, including bringing the context of Head Start to institutions; 

strengthening structures that enhance articulation and communication among colleges 

and associations; linking the initiative to career development systems; and building on 

existing infrastructures. 

The impetus for this initiative was the ambitious and challenging degree requirement 

mandated by the 1998 reauthorization of the Head Start Act. The degree mandate requires 

that, by September 30, 2003, fifty percent of all Head Start teachers in center-based programs 

nationwide must have an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in early childhood 

education, or a degree in a related field with preschool teaching experience. The mandate 

marks another milestone in Head Start's long tradition of striving to improve the quality of 

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services for young children and their families, and reinforces the program’s commitment to 

educational and career advancement for all staff members. 

There are faculty members who are educational champions on every college campus. These 

faculty members are willing to take the necessary time to encourage students, help them find 

their voice, and build confidence in their abilities as students. Faculty members continue to be 

academic leaders, mentors, and resources to countless students and professionals. The Early 

Childhood Higher Education Faculty Initiative proposes to connect the efforts of these faculty 

members at two- and four-year institutions for the benefit of students. It proposes to support 

them to be change agents at their home institutions, leading to a wave of accessibility and 

success for potential students in colleges and universities throughout the country. 

The Initiative recognizes the challenges that face today's institutions of higher education. 

Current trends in the field of early care and education have created a real and urgent need to 

ensure that higher education institutions and faculty are prepared to meet the needs of a 

diverse group of adult learners. They need assistance to remove complex systemic barriers, 

including lack of articulation agreements between programs and institutions, conflicts 

between work and class times, and inaccessibility of student services. 

Many other significant issues that affect higher education will be addressed by this Initiative. 

There is growing concern about the content of higher education degree programs in early 

childhood education. Areas such as infant/toddler curriculum, for example, are minimally 

included in most college curricula. Another issue relates to inclusion and culturally 

responsive practices. Given the changing demographics of this country and who the families 

are in early childhood programs, there needs to be expanded focus on this content. 

Finally, the Institutes will explore who is the faculty of institutions of higher education. Are 

they representative of the students and the children and families in early childhood programs? 

Recent studies indicate that faculty are largely from the mainstream, with those of color 

joining the ranks as adjunct and part-time faculty members (Preparing the Workforce, Early 

and Winton, 2001). The Initiative is proposing to challenge current understanding of the 

implications of this situation on effective teacher preparation. 

Over the life of the Initiative, nine cohorts of ten three-member faculty scholar teams from 

two- and four-year colleges and universities will be engaged to examine the content, 

pedagogy, and structures of early childhood higher education programs. These teams will be 

community-based and diverse geographically, culturally, and linguistically. To achieve its 

goal of enhancing the capacity of faculty members from two- and four-year colleges to assist 

Head Start, child care, and early childhood teachers to successfully complete associate and 

bachelors degrees, the Initiative incorporates the following strategies– 

● Hosting three, five-day institutes at a working retreat site 

● Bringing together 30 participants (10 teams) to attend these institutes 

● Establishing on-line chat rooms and distance education between each session of the 

institute 

● Offering mini-grants to participating institutions to support building early childhood 

programming in their regions or states

It is estimated that, over the next five years, approximately 100 institutions of higher 

education will be directly affected by faculty participation in the Early Childhood Higher 

Education Faculty Initiative. Other two- and four-year colleges and universities will be 

affected at the state level through shared dialogue about the institute content with faculty 

scholars participating in the Initiative. The first (pilot) institute was conducted at the Bolger 

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Center in Potomac, Maryland, in the spring of 2001. Ten faculty teams from across the 

United States and Puerto Rico participated in the event. These were selected from a pool of 

50 applications representing over 30 institutions of higher education and 150 individual 

faculty scholars. The initial session exposed scholars to current trends and research in brain 

development, language acquisition, culturally responsive teaching methodology, and adult 

learning. This institute represented the beginning of a five-year process to address systemic 

change in the development of degreed early childhood professionals.

Two additional institutes were held in the fall of 2001. One consisted of faculty scholar teams 

that represented institutions within the Head Start Regions IV and VI; the second represented 

institutions from across the United States. 

One goal of the Early Childhood Higher Education Faculty Initiative is to individualize the 

format to meet the needs of both faculty scholars and the student population. The national 

institutes will address this goal, as will special focused institutes convened as appropriate. In 

trying a variety of formats, we are looking to provide a stronger opportunity for networking 

and collaborative follow-up efforts within geographic regions of the country.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Building Articulation Bridges to Support Degree Attainment

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2002 Issue No. 72

Building Articulation Bridges to Support Degree Attainment

By Carol Brunson Day and Deborah Jordan

Right now, early childhood professionals face a variety of barriers as they pursue higher 

education degrees. Articulation is one of the most important barriers. In attempting to move 

smoothly from training and credentialing to associate's and bachelor's degrees, most 

practitioners find the lack of shared standards and linkages–the lack of bridges between 

institutions–means that they need to repeat training and course work, a costly and wasteful 

proposition. Moreover, where counseling and support for continued advancement through 

training are lacking, movement toward college degrees is further limited. 

At the same time that the Congress is mandating some important new professional 

development advances for Head Start, it is providing a prime opportunity to make higher 

education more responsive to the needs of the field. Head Start's requirement to increase the 

numbers of teachers with degrees in early childhood education can be used to build support 

for services that encourage early care and education personnel to pursue degrees. In addition, 

it can be used to muster support for forging articulation agreements to provide continuity and 

accessibility for the swelling ranks of adult learners.

Here are six "shoulds" to support more effective linkages with college degree programs and 

ease the way to degree attainment–

1. Wherever Child Development Associate (CDA) credential training is provided, it should 

be offered for college credits that can be used to transfer into degree programs. CDAs who 

did not receive college credits while they were in training should request post-secondary 

institutions to grant credits for prior learning after obtaining the credential. Both Pacific Oaks 

College in California and the University of Oklahoma grant credits for the CDA.

2. College administrators and faculty should identify and eliminate articulation barriers 

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between two- and four-year degree programs, with state and local policymakers contributing 

to the discussions where needed. The discussions may need to be ongoing as college 

programs and student populations change, and should include addressing problems that stem 

from inconsistencies in course titles and names of degree programs.

3. Two-year institutions should build mechanisms to support early care and education 

students to meet the general education requirements of the degree program. Institutions 

should consider alternative approaches that are grounded in the realities of the work and life 

experiences of these students, and that will allow them to successfully demonstrate mastery 

of the general content and skill areas.

4. Two-year institutions with no existing form of early childhood career preparation should 

develop a degree track program and build within it preparation for the CDA credential. So 

many entry-level classroom and home-based practitioners choose CDA as their first 

professional milestone that colleges are finding that CDA programs provide solid content 

grounding for their degree track curriculum, as well as serving as an attractive student 

recruitment strategy.

5. The ongoing discussion of training needs in the early childhood community should be a 

collaborative, community-based exercise. All stakeholders in the service delivery and training 

communities–including major institutions such as child care resource and referral agencies 

(CCR&Rs), and constituent groups such as parents–bring important perspectives, issues, 

problems, and solutions to the ongoing dialogue.

6. Programs and CDA candidates who purchase training should choose institutions that offer 

credit-bearing training. Cooperative agreements should be developed between non-degree 

granting organizations that are delivering high quality and accessible training and degree 

granting institutions.

In the years ahead, career development groups will have a vital role to play in making the 

connection between the CDA and degree programs in higher education institutions. The 

higher education subcommittees of many career development groups are already tackling 

articulation barriers. If they collaborate with Head Start on making inroads on this and other 

key higher education issues, the whole field will benefit by increasing the ability of colleges 

to recruit and retain adult learners, increasing practitioners’ salaries and retention rates, 

advancing to the next step on the career lattice, and building early childhood careers.

Carol Brunson Day is the President/CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition, and 

Deborah Jordan is the Deputy Director of the Council for Professional Recognition. They can 

be reached at 800-424-4310 or 202-265-9090.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Learning and Growing Together: A Training Model for the 21st Century

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2002 Issue No. 72

Learning and Growing Together:

A Training Model for the 21st Century 

Wheelock College Institute for Leadership and Career Initiatives

As the 21st century begins, the Head Start community is working hard to improve program 

quality, serve more children, and provide more full-day, full-year services for families who 

are employed or moving from welfare to work. One important way to maintain outstanding 

programs is to provide high quality, cost-effective training that enables staff to support the 

healthy emotional, physical, social, and cognitive development of children. The Head Start 

Bureau has identified collaborative efforts in early childhood training and career 

development–"professional development partnerships"–as a major strategy for helping 

programs deliver such training. 

The formation of professional development partnerships is essential to meeting the 

requirements set forth by the Head Start reauthorization of 1998. The reauthorization’s degree 

mandate makes it more important than ever for Head Start to reach out to other segments of 

the early childhood community to share expertise, open communication channels, forge 

working relationships, and pool professional development resources. Partnerships that 

involve higher education institutions, Head Start, child care, community training 

organizations, and others help to create pathways to higher education degrees for staff. When 

communication channels are open and these partners work together, members of the field are 

able to attain college credit for community training and have those college credits accepted in 

degree programs. 

In 1997, the Bureau’s belief in the promise that the partnership model holds for the field led it 

to join with Wheelock College Institute for Leadership and Career Initiatives in Boston. 

Together they produced Learning and Growing Together: Head Start and Child Care 

Professional Development Partnerships, a 168-page resource guide. Research findings from 

this project indicate that Head Start has much to contribute to and much to gain from working 

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with other programs, leaders, and providers serving young children and their families. There 

are substantial benefits to members of the early childhood system joining forces, including—

● Better use of limited training resources 

● Better quality training for more staff 

● More coherent career development pathways across programs 

● More effective efforts to improve public policies, funding, and opportunities in higher 

education for early childhood professionals 

In the pages that follow, we profile six professional development partnerships, and offer tips 

on developing partnerships in other communities. 

Clearly, the ability to learn and grow together in the years ahead will be the key to supporting 

the early childhood work force, enabling providers to support working families and protect 

and prepare children for the future. 

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Tips on How to Form a Professional Development Partnership

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2002 Issue No. 72

Tips on How to Form a Professional Development Partnership

Identify Stakeholders 

● Find out which other early childhood organizations have training needs in the 

community. 

● List all the institutions and organizations that are sources of training. 

● Identify the funders of training. 

Develop Relationships 

● Join boards and committees in the community to build relationships that later can be 

developed into partnerships or collaborations. 

● Expand your organization’s board or committees to include a wider range of members 

from the early childhood community. 

● Hold a collaborative training conference, which may be the seed for more formal and 

continuing training initiatives. It is relatively easy to plan and promote; there are often 

a variety of collaborators willing to contribute resources; and it affords an excellent 

opportunity to build partnerships that can continue to flourish. 

Find Common Ground/Build Trust 

● Invite all stakeholders to come together to share information about their programs and 

get to know each other. 

● Be sure the convener is trusted and viewed as legitimate among the stakeholders, not 

seen as a competitor trying to seize control. 

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● After the "getting to know you" stage, begin to explore training needs and work 

together to find mutually beneficial solutions. 

Achieve Results 

● Work together on something practical that can achieve concrete, visible outcomes. 

Groups that focus on achieving "small wins" during all phases of their collaboration 

set in motion forces that favor more small wins. When a solution is put in place, the 

next solvable problem often becomes more visible, new allies bring innovative 

solutions with them, old opponents change their habits, and additional resources are 

mobilized.

The above was first printed in the Center for Career Development in Early Care and 

Education’s report, Learning and Growing Together: Head Start Child Care Professional 

Development Partnerships.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents The Benefits of Professional Development Partnerships

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2002 Issue No. 72

The Benefits of Professional Development Partnerships

In interviewing representatives from professional development programs, we discovered that 

professional development partnerships enable participants to— 

● Identify new allies, strengths, and solutions 

● Develop in-depth understanding of the needs, goals, missions, and values of others 

serving children and families 

● Utilize limited resources more effectively 

● Provide higher quality, more accessible training 

● Reduce isolation 

● Build relationships that lay the groundwork for deeper collaboration 

● Enhance collaboration on behalf of children and families throughout the entire 

community–going beyond initial professional development goals (e.g., creating parent 

resource libraries, community-wide health fairs, developmental screening) 

● Influence policies and systems that affect young children, due to the 

broader representation of partners at the table 

● Achieve greater success in tackling complex issues (e.g., increased compensation 

linked with increased training, articulation of college courses and community training 

initiatives, training in multiple languages, and use of distance learning technology)

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents A Look at Six Professional Development Partnerships

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2002 Issue No. 72

A Look at Six Professional Development Partnerships

Adapted from Learning and Growing Together: Head Start and Child Care Professional 

Development Partnerships, Wheelock College Institute for Leadership and Career Initiatives

Learning and Growing Together has many examples of successful and innovative programs 

in which participants have, with investments of substantial time and energy, navigated the 

pathways to partnership to achieve shared professional development goals. In the pages that 

follow, we take a brief look at six such partnerships. 

West Virginia Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist 

The purpose of the Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist (ACDS) program in 

West Virginia is to promote highly skilled, confident, early childhood employees; quality 

early childhood classrooms; and informed, supportive, early childhood professionals. With an 

apprenticeship focus, the program requires 4,000 hours of on-the-job training under 

supervision and four semesters of related course work and assignments. Staff from Head 

Start, child care, and public school programs all participate in the program. 

Primary partners in this effort include the West Virginia State Office of the Bureau of 

Apprenticeship and Training; the U.S. Department of Labor; the Bureau of Vocational, 

Technical, and Adult Education; the West Virginia Department of Education; the Head Start 

Bureau; and local vocational schools and higher education institutions. Funding for the 

program comes from several public and private sources, including the Department of Health 

and Human Resources, Head Start agencies, and apprenticeship fees. Fees are per apprentice, 

per semester and may be paid by the apprentice, the employer, or shared by both. 

A few major successes of the program include–

● Those who complete the program meet the requirements of the nationally recognized 

Child Development Specialist Credential from the U.S. Department of Labor and have 

done the preparatory work to be able to submit their portfolios for the CDA credential. 

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(For more information on the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Program, 

contact your regional Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, or call the BAT at the U.

S. Department of Labor at 202-219-5921.) 

● The Head Start Bureau recognizes that individuals who complete the ACDS 

requirements and receive the state-awarded certificate for preschool teachers meet the 

qualifications for Head Start classroom teachers with a credential equal to the CDA. 

● Articulation agreements now exist between the ACDS program and a number of 

community and technical colleges. These agreements allow students who continue 

their educations to apply credits already earned from ACDS toward the total number 

required for an associate's degree. 

● Employers increase apprentices' wages after they complete the ACDS program. 

Along the pathways to collaboration, partners in this effort have learned the importance of 

having one person in the county who coordinates the work necessary for program 

implementation and follow-through. Partners have also grown to understand the importance 

of establishing strong local councils to ensure continuity of the program within the county. 

They have experienced the reality of collaborative partners who share the work, the 

responsibility, and the rewards of a successful effort. 

For more information on the West Virginia Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist 

program, contact Suzi Brodof at T: 304-529-7603, F: 304-523-2678, E-mail: suziLB@aol.

com.

Texas Head Start-State Collaboration Office 

The mission of the Texas Head Start-State Collaboration Office (THSSCO) Career 

Development System is to promote excellence in early childhood programs for all children 

and their families through the development of a comprehensive, coordinated, statewide career 

development system for all occupational roles and levels in the early care and education 

system. Over the past 10 years, the THSSCO has played a leadership role in forging 

partnerships between Head Start and State programs on behalf of economically disadvantaged 

children and families. 

The THSSCO conducts its work through a task force comprised of over 130 diverse 

representatives from around the State who provide input and guidance into the processes of 

the project. The group includes parents, legislators, State agency staff, teachers, Texas Head 

Start Association board members, Head Start staff, higher education representatives and 

faculty, community college instructors, private consultants, and others who work with young 

children. 

Major Accomplishments 

The THSSCO's task force and staff have worked steadily to achieve the goals of the project 

and can report several key accomplishments, including—• In 1993, a subgroup of the task 

force developed a three-pronged framework for the career development system. The 

framework incorporates professional standards for roles and training, coordinated and 

articulated training, and a personnel registry and credentialing system. 

● In 1995-96, the THSSCO Task Force developed legislative recommendations that 

resulted in the State legislature passing House Bill 1863. This bill created an 

interagency work group on early care and education programs to study the need for, 

design of, and potential funding for a statewide training and certification system for 

providers. 

● The THSSCO works with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), which provided 

approximately $880,000 through annual Interagency Agreements to THSSCO over the 

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first ten years to enhance statewide training and technical assistance partnership 

initiatives for Head Start, child care, and public school pre-kindergarten. A portion of 

this financial support has been used for the implementation of the early care and 

education career development system for Texas. 

● The Career Development Initiative has worked with the Higher Education Community 

to establish links among CDA, one-year technical certificates, associate's degrees, and 

bachelor's degrees. In 1998 and 1999, their efforts resulted in the articulation of 

coursework from CDA to local community college one-year certificates and 

associate's degrees. Students entering community college with a CDA now receive six 

semester credit hours for their CDA. All of the courses that a student takes to receive a 

local one-year technical certificate count toward the completion of semester credit 

hours for an associate's degree. The Higher Education Coordinating Board approved 

Child Development as a "field of study," so that twelve to fifteen semester credits 

from an associate’s degree articulates to a bachelor's degree program. The twelve 

credits have the prefix of "TECA," which stands for Texas Early Childhood 

Articulation. 

● On January 8, 2000, the State Board for Professional Educator Certification (SBEC) 

approved a new teacher certification for children three-years-old to fourth grade. This 

effort marks the completion of two years of work with the SBEC Advisory Committee 

to convince them of the need for a certificate for teachers working with young children. 

● A Higher Education Symposium conducted at the Career Development Initiatives 

National Training for Early Childhood Conference successfully highlighted existing 

partnerships and techniques used by community colleges and local Head Start 

programs to support Head Start staff seeking to complete an associate’s degree 

program. 

● Professional Development 2000: A Report of the Focus Group Meetings with Head 

Start Programs on the New Teacher Qualifications. Provides information collected 

through a series of focus group meetings conducted in 1999. These focus groups 

addressed how the Head Start programs in the State of Texas could come into 

compliance with the new staff qualification requirements in the 1998 reauthorization 

of Head Start. In the spring of 1999, the Texas Head Start-State Collaboration Office 

conducted seven focus groups with the help of the Region VI Administration for 

Children and Families, the Region VI-B Head Start Quality Improvement Center, the 

Disabilities Quality Improvement Center, the Texas Head Training Cluster Offices, 

and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Local Head Start Grantees 

hosted and co-sponsored the events in their communities.

For more information on the Texas Head Start-State Collaboration Project, contact Gwen 

Chance at the Office of the Governor in Austin, TX at T: 512-936-4059; F: 512-463-7392; E: 

gchance@governor.state.tx.us.

Macon Program for Progress New Horizons Training Center 

Macon Program for Progress (MPP) Head Start provides quality comprehensive services to 

children from birth to age five and their families. In 1994, MPP Head Start established the 

MPP New Horizons Training Center to enhance the skills of early care and education 

providers. The training component has grown into a statewide, regional, and national 

initiative that uses model classrooms as experimental learning labs. 

A central focus of the program is working collaboratively with other agencies and service 

providers to maximize and streamline services for children and families. A few of the 

program's collaborators include higher education institutions, the North Carolina Department 

of Health and Human Services Division of Child Development, the Department of Public 

Instruction, and the North Carolina Information Highway. 

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With primary funding from State (North Carolina Partnership for Children Smart Start) and 

Federal (Region IV ACF Head Start) sources, MPP Head Start has gone on to establish a 

broad base of funding sources. The program participated in a partnership to obtain start-up 

funds for the training center, and wrote a grant that enabled it to be the only child care center 

designated as a training site on the North Carolina Information Highway.

Accomplishments of the MPP New Horizons Training Center include– 

● Delivering a variety of interactive video trainings and initiating collaborative 

roundtables for both Smart Start and Head Start programs statewide. Strong, active 

support networks have emerged from these trainings that have created new 

"communities" via technology among programs across North Carolina. In 1996, the 

Center was designated a Model Technology Center by the National Head Start 

Association. 

● Offering a birth to age three infant/toddler mentoring model of training in which 

providers–including family child care and center-based providers–spend a day at the 

center shadowing mentor teachers. Its training calendar is disseminated to over 500 

early childhood providers in the area. 

● Teaching community college and university courses for providers, parents, and child 

care administrators on-site at the Center. An example of one of these courses is the 

North Carolina Child Care Credential.

The Center has found that using computers, live interactive video training, the Internet, and 

other advanced electronic communication tools helps to remove geographic barriers to 

training and creates a broader, more inclusive community with full and efficient access to 

services. 

For more information on the Macon Program for Progress New Horizons Training Center, 

contact Susie McCoy at T: 828-524-4471; F: 828-524-0823. 

Washington County Partners in Change 

In 1993, the New York State Career Development Initiative was organized to address 

concerns about training, access to higher education, and compensation for providers of early 

care and education. In 1994, the initiative was chosen to participate in the national Partners in 

Change (PIC) initiative. 

Washington County Partners in Change was funded as one of three New York State PIC pilot 

training projects. Collaborators included Washington County Head Start, Adirondack 

Community College, Southern Adirondack Child Care Network, and an advisory group 

including providers, government officials, public school administrators, and higher education 

representatives. 

The goals were to collaborate to extend CDA training to non-Head Start staff and establish a 

clearly articulated path to higher education degrees for practitioners in the community. The 

partnership's accomplishments include the following– 

● Adirondack Community College now offers a one-year, 32-credit certificate program 

in Early Childhood Studies. All coursework is fully transferable into a two-year 

associate's degree program. The new certificate program was developed in a direct 

collaboration with the Partners in Change initiative. The College intends to develop a 

two-year associate's degree program specific to Early Childhood Studies in the next 

few years. 

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● Anyone who has completed a CDA credential can now receive 10 credits towards the 

Early Childhood Studies certificate at Adirondack Community College. This makes 

the CDA credential a viable local career development path to higher education. 

● The Southern Adirondack Child Care Network, the local resource and referral agency, 

now offers 60 hours of CDA training each year. The agency also now offers 

continuing education units for all training offered under their auspices. 

Prior to the Washington County Partners in Change initiative, there was no local access to 

study early childhood education within a 50-mile radius. Now there are several new and 

permanent rungs on the ladder of career development in this field. 

Participants in this partnership found an understanding of the higher education and early care 

and education training finance systems to be very useful in their work. They also learned that 

effective outreach and communication are essential to publicize new pathways to career 

development. And, as a result of this partnership, the connection between the local Head 

Start, the Child Care Resource and Referral Network, and Adirondack Community College is 

stronger and very positive. 

For more information on Washington County Partners in Change, contact Kathy Flanagan at 

T: 518-746-9066X.26; F: 518-746-9068.

Arkansas West Campus Technical Center 

The purpose of the Arkansas West Campus Technical Center program in Fayetteville, 

Arkansas is to assist high school students and teen parents in developing careers in early care 

and education by helping them achieve the CDA and/or the Child Development Specialist 

credentials. By offering CDA training for college credit that is open to all providers in the 

community, the program allows participants with 1,000 hours of on-the-job training to enroll 

at no charge. With 144 hours of classroom work and an additional 1000 hours of on-the-job 

training, they will meet the requirements for the CDA credential plus the Child Development 

Specialist credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. 

The primary partners of this program are Fayetteville schools, Washington County Head 

Start, the New School, and Northwest Arkansas Community College. Additional groups 

participating are private, non-profit, and church-based providers; Family Day Care Providers 

Association; University of Arkansas Human Development and Family Studies; and 

Northwest Arkansas Community College. While current funding for the program is provided 

by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training section of the U.S. Department of Labor, 

funding for the program originated from the School to Work Opportunities Act. 

Among the program’s main accomplishments are–

● Northwest Arkansas Community College awards six college credits to participants 

who complete the CDA credential. 

● Articulation agreements now exist between schools and the community college as a 

result of the School to Work Opportunities Act. The State of Arkansas Early 

Childhood Commission now pays all the assessment fees for CDA candidates. 

● Employers in the community offer higher pay to providers who have obtained CDA 

credentials and now advertise for potential positions as "CDA required." 

● As a result of the higher demand for providers with the CDA credential, Northwest 

Arkansas Community College started an early childhood program.

Due to these accomplishments, the general community has learned the importance of a CDA 

credential and is demanding that providers have it as a way to promote quality care for their 

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children. 

For more information on the Arkansas West Campus Technical Center, contact Phyllis 

McGinty at T: 501-444-3058 x. 105; F: 501-444-3017; or E-mail: pmcginty@fayar.net.

Sacramento Employment and Training Head Start 

The Sacramento Employment and Training Head Start initiative provides training and career 

counseling to a diverse group of entry-level participants to prepare them for employment in 

early childhood care and education. The purpose is addressing the shortage of qualified 

workers in this field. Head Start parents, TANF recipients, individuals with little training, and 

those from diverse ethnic groups are recruited and trained to become providers in both center 

and home-based child care. 

Collaborators on this initiative include Sacramento Head Start, Child Action Inc., Los Rios 

Community College, Child Care Coalition, Rancho Cordova Coalition, Family Child Care 

Inc., City of Sacramento, Sacramento Child Care Initiatives, and the County of Sacramento. 

Funding for the initiative comes from federal Community Development Block Grant funds, 

Child Development Training Consortium funds, and Head Start grant funds provided out of 

the Training and Technical Assistance funds. The Mentor Teacher Project also lends its 

support to the initiative. 

The project was designed to–

● Provide participants with the opportunity to continue their education, gain college 

credit, and become an assistant, an associate teacher, or a teacher. 

● Provide participants with the training that will allow them to pursue employment and a 

professional career as a home-based or center-based child care provider. 

● Train approximately 100 participants per year in developmentally appropriate early 

care and education services.

This initiative soon learned that many participants believe that their inadequate educational 

level will prevent them from progressing on a career ladder in early care and education. 

Consequently, recruitment efforts now stress that while some education is needed to enter the 

field, a college degree is not a prerequisite and can be pursued over time. 

For more information on the Sacramento Employment and Training Head Start, contact 

Buffie Engstrom at T: 916-263-4061; F: 916-263-3779.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents UDC's Early Childhood Leadership Institute

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2002 Issue No. 72

UDC's Early Childhood Leadership Institute 

Like most communities across the country, Washington, D.C. once lacked a coherent, 

comprehensive system of training and professional development in early care and education. 

In response to this challenge, early childhood leaders in the nation's capital undertook a 

strategic planning process and created a unique solution to improving the quality of care in 

the community–The Early Childhood Leadership Institute at the University of the District of 

Columbia (UDC).

A quasi-independent, self-sustaining entity within the UDC, the Institute is now in its fourth 

year of operations. "Our program exemplifies how Head Start training dollars can be 

leveraged," says Maurice Sykes, Executive Director of the Institute. "With professional 

development funds available from the Head Start Bureau, we were better able to propose to 

UDC that we create win-win partnerships to support the training and professional 

development of people in early care and education." UDC benefits from the partnership 

through increased tuition revenue, student enrollment, and fidelity to its mission. The early 

childhood community benefits from improved quality of training classroom performance and 

a significant increase in the number of individuals earning academic degrees. The children 

and their families benefit from improved services from conscientious and capable providers, 

which result in improved child outcomes. Rounding out this partnership are a significant 

amount of local dollars provided by the District's Office of Early Childhood Development.

While the Institute supports individuals participating in degree and non-degree programs, its 

first initiative focused on transitioning individuals from the Child Development Associate 

(CDA) to the Associate's of Arts (AA) degree in child development through a program called 

"Project Headway." UDC awarded students entering the program six hours of college credit 

for their CDA certification. The Institute is a part of UDC's seamless, continuum of 

articulation from the AA through the Master's degree level.

Project Headway students are required to attend orientation sessions that focus on attitude, 

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study habits, time management and what it means to be an adult learner. In addition to 

receiving free tuition, books, fees and on-site child care, all Headway students are provided 

mentoring and support services throughout the academic year. Students are organized into the 

cohorts, and they take their courses together. The courses are sequenced, and instructors are 

selected for their understanding of the non-traditional student as well as course content. 

Cohort members meet for monthly discussions/workshops to link academics with the 

workplace. "Our program has three dimensions," Sykes explains. "We focus not only on 

academics, but on workplace and personal issues, to make sure that our program is meeting 

the needs of our adult learners."

The Institute's first cohort is now in its fourth year of the program, with an impressive 

retention rate of 98 percent. The second and third cohorts include both Head Start and 

community-based child care providers. The program's third and fourth cohorts started in 

January 2001. Cohort four, funded through the Head Start Bureau, has a special focus on the 

development of teachers' skills in emergent literacy and early reading. The Institute has also 

implemented an Early Childhood High School Internship program in six area high schools. 

"If professional recruiters can recruit talented players from high school to play ball," says 

Sykes, "then shouldn't we be doing the same for those who would care for our children?" 

Creating the Partnership

"Everyone needs to recognize that partnering with institutions of higher education is 

institutional change–with all the challenges and opportunities that implies," advises Sykes. 

"Therefore, one needs to take a strategic planning approach to forming these partnerships."

In Washington, D.C., Sykes and others recognized the need for a coherent, comprehensive 

system of training and professional development in early care and education. They identified 

a broad group of diverse stakeholders whose support and involvement in the process were 

critical to its success. They then convened a series of stakeholder meetings to identify guiding 

principles and created a citywide vision for the Institute. "You need everyone's buy-in and 

investment," Sykes stated. "Such broad participation also helps to sharpen the effort, in that 

you have a chance to discuss differing views and reach consensus as part of the planning 

process, rather than when you’re trying to implement the project." 

What suggestions does Sykes have for creating similar partnerships in other communities? 

"You need to approach the process strategically," he says. As part of the process, he suggests, 

one must assess the following–

● Who are the stakeholders in the community? 

● What programs or resources already exist? 

● What have been the typical barriers that keep these partnerships from forming? 

● What are the leverage points, and where might small changes be made that would get 

the process moving? 

● What supports need to be in place for this undertaking? 

● What do the learners need, and how will these needs be linked to resources?" 

Don’t pander to stereotypes about folks," Sykes cautions, "and don't adopt a deficit model 

about learners. Adult learners in the Head Start and early childhood communities are quite 

capable of succeeding in higher education. However, you must believe in their worth as 

human beings and go the extra mile to see them through." 

"And that's another thing," Sykes adds. "There is no monolithic "Head Start learner," as 

though all staff and parents have exactly the same needs.

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"Finally, Sykes advises that Head Start-higher education partnerships should be viewed as 

"action research" and an ongoing process. "We should always remember our mission, ask 

ourselves what our folks need that they can't get within the typical university arrangement, 

and strive to meet those needs."

For more information, contact Maurice Sykes, Executive Director of the Early Childhood 

Leadership Institute at the University of the District of Columbia, T: 202-986-1819, E: 

mrussell18@aol.com.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Choosing a Distance Education Program

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2002 Issue No. 72

Choosing a Distance Education Program

By Deitra L. Nealy-Shane 

Remember those correspondence courses you used to see advertised in the back of your 

favorite magazine? Well believe it or not, those were the precursor to today's distance 

education revolution. Distance education is all the buzz right now, but before you jump on the 

bandwagon, it is important that you know what to look for when selecting a program. The 

increase of non-traditional students returning to college and the technology explosion have 

opened the flood gates of courses offered on-line, on television, by satellite, by 

correspondence–and even by conference call! Alternative course delivery often means that 

you will not only learn more about the subject of the course, but also that you will be 

stretched to find and process information in ways you have never imagined.

However, all distance education programs are not created equal. By doing your homework 

before enrolling, you will ensure that the course of study you enroll in will meet your needs. 

Ask yourself these questions– 

What are the qualifications of the sponsoring institution?

Is the coursework offered by an accredited, well-respected, technical school, college, or 

university? Who are the faculty members and are they credentialed? 

Who are the targeted students?

Are most of the students currently enrolled in the program non-traditional students? What is 

the retention rate for the program? Is financial assistance available? 

Is it a degree-awarding program?

Are the courses credit-bearing and attached to a degree program? If not, will your local 

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college or university count them towards your degree plan? 

What skills should you have?

If the course is computer based, what level of computer proficiency do you need? Is the 

format geared for independent study, or will you have opportunities to work with your peers? 

Are courses geared for first-time students, or for those with prior college coursework? 

What resources will you need?

What hardware—i.e. satellite access, cable television, or computer with access to the Internet

—will you need? Will you need any special software? Are reading materials covered under 

the cost of enrollment, or will you have to purchase additional texts? 

What support systems are in place?

Does the program provide locally based facilitators? Is there a mechanism in place to link you 

with other students in your area? Is tutoring available? Is assistance available if you have 

technical difficulties? How and when can you contact your instructor?

Deitra L. Nealy-Shane was a 2000–2001 Head Start Fellow with the Head Start Bureau in 

Washington, D.C.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Accredited Distance Learning Programs In Early Childhood Education

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2002 Issue No. 72

ACCREDITED DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS IN 

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

The following is a list of accredited programs offering degrees in early childhood education 

through distance learning. The listing is not meant to be exhaustive, and it does not imply 

endorsement by the Head Start Bureau. 

California College for Health Science (CCHS) 

2423 Hoover Avenue 

National City, CA 91950 

619-477-4800 

E-mail: cchsinfo@cchs.edu

http://www.cchs.edu

CCHS offers an associate's degree in Early Childhood Education entirely via correspondence.

Concordia University 

Concordia School of Human Services 

275 Syndicate Street North 

St. Paul, MN 55104-5494 

800-211-3370 

E-mail: cshs@csp.edu

http://www.cshs.csp.edu

Concordia offers both a master's degree in Education with an early childhood emphasis and a 

bachelor's degree in Child Development on-line, after a five-day residency on campus.

Loyalist College 

Early Childhood Education Distance Education Program 

Wallbridge Loyalist Road 

Box 4200 

Belleview, Ontario K8N 5B9 

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613-969-1913 ext. 2-335

http://www.loyalistc.on.ca/learn/programs/ECEP.html 

Loyalist offers a diploma in Early Childhood Education using a variety of media including 

the Internet, E-mail, workshops, projects, and a weekend session on campus.

Nova Southeastern University 

Graduate School of Education 

1750 N.E. 167th Street 

North Miami, FL 33162-3017 

1-800-986-3223 ext. 8756

http://www.nova.edu

Nova offers an Internet-based associate's degree in Early Childhood Education.

Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School 

Office of Admissions 

5 Westmoreland Place 

Pasadena, CA 91103 

800-684-0900

http://www.pacificoaks.edu

Pacific Oaks offers upper-division coursework on-line, including a bachelor's degree in 

Human Development, a postgraduate certificate in Early Childhood Education, and 

specializations for bachelor's and master's degree students. All on-line degree-seeking 

students are required to take at least two classes on-site.

University of Cincinnati 

Early Childhood Learning Community 

P.O. 210047 

Cincinnati, OH 45221-0047 

1-888-ECLC-NOW 

http://www.ucollege.uc.edu/eclc 

The Early Childhood Learning Community offers Associate's, master's, and bachelor's 

degrees in Early Childhood Education using satellite TV and on-line course delivery.

You can also contact the following organizations for additional information about distance 

learning opportunities–

Bay Mills Community College 

12214 West Lakeshore 

Brimley, MI 49715 

906-248-3351

http://www.bmcc.edu

Bay Mills offers an associate's degree in Early Childhood Education via an on-line 

curriculum. 

Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) 

1601 18th Street, NW 

Washington, D.C. 20009-2529 

202-234-5100

http://www.detc.org

University Of Wisconsin-Extension 

Small Business Development Center 

432 North Lake Street, Room 423 

Madison, WI 53706-1498 

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608-263-7794

http://www.uwex.edu/disted/catalog/

This listing is for informative purposes only. It is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of 

distance education programs, nor does the Head Start Bureau endorse any specific distance 

learning program. 

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents HeadsUp!: New Opportunities in Professional Development for Head Start Staff

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2002 Issue No. 72

HeadsUp!: New Opportunities in Professional Development for 

Head Start Staff

By Gabrielle Fardwell 

Professional development is important to Head Start staff and especially vital to every Head 

Start teacher. Important new developments are constantly being made in how to care for and 

teach young children, and Head Start staff remains committed to the highest quality child care 

and education. At the same time, requirements for degreed teachers have increased. Further, 

finding access to affordable, convenient, quality training can be a challenge, particularly for 

large Head Start programs and those in rural areas.

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is keenly aware of these issues and in 1998 

unveiled an innovative way for Head Start staff and parents to benefit from the latest training 

in early care and education practices. The HeadsUp! Network, dedicated exclusively to the 

Head Start and early childhood community, provides cost-effective training and professional 

development in key areas including program management, health, infant/toddler 

development, parenting issues, Head Start news, and more. Programs across the U.S. can 

easily train their staffs, parents, and community partners on-site via satellite television at 

convenient times. This means entire staffs and parents can learn while they earn vital 

education credits, without incurring the time and expense involved in travel. This advantage 

is key in making the most of program training dollars.

Among the greatest strengths of the network is the variety of professional development 

credits it offers. Not only are credits toward the CDA credential available for selected 

training, but in Fall 2000, HeadsUp! launched HeadsUp! Reading, a new, 44-hour researchbased early literacy course that offers CDA, continuing education units (CEU), and college 

credit. Course content is delivered by a renowned faculty of experts and is supported by the 

Internet and trained on-site facilitators. 

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Partnerships are key to making HeadsUp! work. The Network includes leaders in curriculum 

development, adult learning principles, television production, and other key disciplines. To 

make the programming cost-effective for programs, HeadsUp! has arranged to provide the 

receiving equipment to programs at no charge. 

Today, the HeadsUp! Network delivers state-of-the-art training to thousands of Head Start 

and early childhood programs in 47 states. Most of the early childhood communities across 

the states of Ohio, Nebraska, California, and Pennsylvania are participating in HeadsUp! 

Reading and several other states have expressed interest in joining the network in similar 

ways. In addition, individual new sites are coming on-line each day. 

But that is just the beginning. Staff at programs can earn a full associate degree in early 

childhood from the University of Cincinnati via their HeadsUp! Network equipment, and new 

programming is in the evaluation stages, which will add even more value for Head Start staff 

and parents. 

The HeadsUp! Network's unique combination of direct delivery to centers, education credits, 

a low monthly fee, and free equipment combine to enable staff and parents to provide topnotch care and education to Head Start children now and in the future. 

Gabrielle Fardwell is HeadsUp! Marketing Manager at the National Head Start Association.

For more information on the HeadsUp! Network, call 1-800-GET-HUTV or visit www.headsup.org.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Designing a Career Management System for Head Start

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2002 Issue No. 72

Designing a Career Development and Management System for 

Head Start

By Marcia A. Manter 

Head Start has enjoyed a long and active role in career planning for parents and staff. These 

efforts have produced outstanding outcomes, such as parents who have become teacher/

mentors, Head Start directors, and community leaders; employees who have become Head 

Start fellows in Washington, D.C., staff specialists in the Administration for Children and 

Families, and college faculty; and Head Start directors who have become leaders at the Head 

Start Bureau and in state government agencies.

With the current emphasis on professional development, more attention is being paid to 

formal career development systems for Head Start. This paper discusses some of the essential 

elements of career development systems that have been successful in businesses and large 

non-profit organizations and gives suggestions for child development settings. 

Career Ladders and Lattices 

A career ladder or lattice can be a useful tool for employees to see the possible career options 

available to them within Head Start. The first step is to develop and graphically portray all of 

the positions employees might seek in career advancement. This portrayal should include 

clear, brief descriptions of the roles, major job functions, and realistic qualifications. The 

information can be taken from existing job descriptions and it should be condensed to fit on 3 

x 5 index cards. 

Employees find it helpful when positions are shown in ladders up and down the 

organizational lines. For example, the ladder can depict career moves a Head Start employee 

can make from a teacher assistant’s job to classroom teacher to lead teacher in a center to 

teacher/mentor. These levels and career moves are most often based on the experience and 

knowledge needed to be successful. Employees also gain an understanding of the career 

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opportunities open to them in a lateral direction, across specialty lines. For example, an 

employee can see what skills and knowledge are needed to move from a beginning job as a 

nutrition aide to a job as a teacher aide in a classroom to a job as a family advocate. 

Policies and Procedures 

Policies and procedures help all aspects of an organization work smoothly and fairly, and 

career management is no different. Here are some items to cover when developing career 

management policies– 

● 

What career management services are available? 

● 

Who is eligible to participate in the career management program? 

● 

Must employees be in their jobs a specific amount of time before being eligible? 

● 

What costs must the employee assume? 

● 

May employees use work time for career exploration? 

● 

Who may apply for positions available within the organization? 

● 

What compensation is connected to job changes, advancement, and career moves? 

● 

When and how will a supervisor learn about an employee's internal job search? 

Once policy statements have been developed, career management procedures flow from 

them. Here are examples of procedures to cover– 

● 

Where can an employee find career information within the organization? 

● 

Who (staff title or department) oversees the career management system? 

● 

What is the process for an employee to express interest in an internal career move? 

● 

How is confidentiality handled? 

● 

What forms, if any, need to be completed? 

Communication and Promotion Plan 

Formal career development plans within organizations may be a new concept to some 

employees. A communication and promotion plan should be designed to inform several 

audiences about the career management program, including– 

● Parents and the Policy Council, who will want to know how parents and community 

members can take advantage of the career management program 

● Managers and supervisors, who already are active participants as informal career 

counselors for staff and parents and may be interested in career changes themselves 

● Front-line staff, who will have the most interest in and opportunity to use the career 

management programs 

Employees are usually excited about a formal and open program to advance their careers. At 

the same time, it is good to remember the hesitant feelings some employees will have; they 

may be unsure about confidentiality or reactions of supervisors who want to retain quality 

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staff for their centers. An effective communication and promotion plan will meet these 

challenges by– 

● Explaining the program clearly 

● Creating enthusiasm in people for whom it was designed 

● Reducing the anxiety of supervisors and staff 

Community Partners 

Most Head Start programs have organizations in their communities that offer some type of 

career guidance (schools, colleges, private organizations, or non-profit job development 

agencies). In fact, many programs already work with these groups to provide services to 

parents and employees. It makes sense first to search out these organizations to determine 

what services they offer.

Marcia A. Manter is the Professional Development Specialist for the Community 

Development Institute, Region VII Head Start Quality Improvement Center. She can be 

reached at T: 816-356-5373; E: mmanter@cdi7.com.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Credentialing Head Start Family Workers

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2002 Issue No. 72

Credentialing Head Start Family Workers

By Yasmine Daniel 

As Head Start grantees scramble to get their teachers' qualifications in compliance with Head 

Start Program Performance Standards, family workers nationwide are wondering, "What 

about us? Isn't the work we do important?" 

In fact, family support has recently become a hot topic for most agencies, schools, and 

community programs. Working with families has been an integral part of Head Start since its 

inception in 1965. A proponent of family involvement, Head Start has always recognized the 

importance of family as the first and most important teacher of their children. But, it was not 

until 1994 that Congress formally acknowledged the importance of parent involvement:

"[E]very school will promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement and 

participation in promoting the social, emotional and academic growth of children." (GOALS 

2000: Educate America Act) 

Over 25,000 Head Start family workers spend each day working with families. The term 

"family worker" refers to a person in a Head Start program whose primary role is working 

with families. It is interchangeable with similar titles such as family advocate or family 

service provider. "Health and family services are what make this program different from 

other programs," stated the late Helen Taylor, Associate Commissioner of Head Start, 

"Nobody knows how to partner with families better than Head Start, which is why we have 

thrived all these years." 

Recognizing the importance of families is not enough. Training staff to work in partnership 

with families is crucial. Section 684A(c) of the Head Start Act, P.L. 105-285, calls for the 

development of qualification standards, competency-based training curricula, and a 

competency-based, nationally recognized credential for Head Start family service workers. 

This legislation is further supported by feedback from family workers nationwide whose 

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contributions to the program may not be fully recognized.

Staff must be able to get the training they need to meet minimum performance standards for 

job performance. It is not enough to find and train family workers; it is equally important to 

provide a supportive work environment. Too often, family workers receive training, gaining 

new knowledge and skills, then find that their program service model is not conducive to 

implementing much of what they learned, or that the caseloads are so high there simply is not 

enough time to implement the new skills.

To address the issue of competency-based training and credentialing for family workers, the 

Head Start Bureau organized a series of focus groups that included representatives of 

different stakeholders. These groups helped identify baseline skills that family workers need 

to do their jobs effectively. 

"A lot of interested, motivated, and dedicated people are selflessly contributing their 

thoughts, time, and energy to this initiative," maintains Jack Corrigan, Senior Program 

Specialist for Family and Community Partnership Branch. "The payoff [to future Head Start 

families] will be enhanced quality services provided by each program's trained and 

credentialed family worker." 

In one focus group of Head Start parents, the question was asked, "What is a good family 

worker?" A rousing conversation ensued–

One participant offered, "Well, she is accessible to families." 

"Is nurturing and caring," said another. 

"Understands that being low-income is a financial state, not a reflection of intelligence or 

capabilities," explained yet another. 

"Has good listening skills and communication skills and can relate to many types of people," 

a participant commented. 

One individual interjected, "Stays current on changing program requirements and available 

resources." 

Finally one person exclaimed, "I think what we are saying is that she needs to be an angel."

Although "superhuman" is not one of the requirements for the position of family worker, it is 

evident that the demands of the position are extraordinary. Head Start family workers interact 

daily with families that face a variety of challenging circumstances. This requires the ability 

to respect and respond competently to the culture, traditions, lifestyle, language, and values of 

each family and community. Communities are diverse and ever changing, with varying 

degrees of resources. There is an overarching need for family workers to have communitybuilding skills that go beyond identifying available community resources. Therefore, Head 

Start family workers need to develop partnerships with professionals in their communities. 

For those partnerships to be most effective, it is important that the community respect family 

workers and the skills and knowledge they contribute.

One of Head Start's challenges is to come up with a framework for training family workers 

that can be used across the country. Because local programs have had the flexibility to 

determine how to meet their own needs, there is great diversity regarding the education and 

experience of family workers and the degree of service they provide to families. Any 

professional development system would use and build upon the existing training and 

credentialing systems to prepare and support family workers for the critical work that they do. 

The end result would be better services for children and families.

Recently, Head Start has taken a major step forward in advancing the initiative and moving 

towards the establishment of a nationwide baseline for qualifications of all family workers in 

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the program as well as for those that are employed in the future. In April 2001, the 

Administration for Children and Families announced the availability of funds for academic 

institutions or other training providers to design competency-based training programs suitable 

for the training and credentialing of Head Start family workers. This investment represents 

Head Start's continuous commitment to quality services and support of the critical work done 

by family workers.

Yasmine Daniel is the New Jersey Head Start-State Collaboration Project Director in the 

Office of Early Care and Education, New Jersey Department of Human Services. She can be 

reached at T: 609-633-2546; E: ydaniel@dhs.state.nj.us.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Mentoring for Head Start and Early Head Start

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2002 Issue No. 72

Mentoring for Head Start and Early Head Start

Excerpted from Putting the Pro in Protégé: A Guide to Mentoring in Head Start and Early 

Head Start. 2001. 

Mentoring is ideally suited to the Head Start philosophy and approach to staff development. 

Consider the following: 

● 

Mentoring fits in with Head Start Program Performance Standards that require grantee 

and delegate agencies to implement a formalized approach to staff training and 

development. Mentoring offers an approach to teacher training within the context of 

the teaching environment and emphasizes excellence in daily practice. It increases the 

internal capacity of grantee and delegate agencies to meet the Program Performance 

Standards. 

● 

Mentoring supports Head Start's concept of career ladders. Mentoring is one way to 

recognize experienced staff for their expertise. Being a mentor teacher requires an 

additional set of responsibilities for staff who take on the role. Mentoring offers the 

possibility of new rewards, such as salary increases and promotions, additional 

training opportunities, the ability to attend conferences, and the opportunity to meet 

with other master teachers. Mentoring also helps protégés advance on the career 

ladder as their knowledge and skills are enhanced. 

● 

Mentoring reflects the principles of adult learning that guide Head Start training and 

staff development. Training in Head Start builds on teachers' experiences, provides 

opportunities for peer interaction and problem solving, is relevant to the work in 

which staff are engaged, and uses a variety of learning strategies. The mentoring 

process incorporates these principles of adult learning. 

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Mentoring is a strategy to ensure the implementation of curricula and best practices in 

teaching and home visiting. It is a field-based approach to professional development 

that encourages staff to build their skills in these areas within a supportive 

environment. By enhancing staff skills, mentoring fosters positive child outcomes and 

school readiness. 

● 

Mentoring fits in well with Head Start's philosophy of individualizing programs to 

meet the needs of children and their families. Head Start promotes individuality and 

flexibility in many ways. For example, Head Start offers a variety of options for 

delivering services–center-based, home-based, and family child care–to meet the 

needs of a diverse population. Mentoring also is individualized to meet the needs of 

both the program and the protégé. There is no one mentoring model but rather many 

different approaches depending on the goals of the mentoring relationship, the 

resources available, the grantee and delegate agencies' structure, and the like. 

● 

Mentoring encourages reflective practice for both mentors and protégés and supports 

effective practices for Head Start teachers. Good teachers think about their own 

practices and use the experience to reshape their behaviors. Mentors ask questions that 

help protégés think about what is working or not working in their learning 

environment. At the same time, mentors reflect on their own practices and how they 

can improve them. 

● 

Mentoring reflects the philosophy of partnership-building that is characteristic of Head 

Start programs. Head Start encourages building partnerships within and outside the 

program. Mentoring is about building relationships among individuals to foster 

learning while on the job. Mentors model best practices in their own classrooms or 

work alongside protégés in protégés' classrooms, family child care homes, or on home 

visits, demonstrating how skills and practices may be applied.

For these reasons, mentoring is a good match for Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

The Advisory Committee on Quality and Expansion recommended that Head Start "develop a 

new initiative to encourage qualified mentor teachers to support classroom staff." 

Head Start teachers working directly with children should receive adequate levels of 

observation, feedback, and support to promote developmentally appropriate practice. A 

sufficient number of master teachers with B.A. degrees in early childhood education or 

equivalent and appropriate experience should be available to supervise and support classroom 

staff. In addition to providing more decentralized, qualified supervision to classroom staff, 

the master teacher position could serve as a career development opportunity for classroom 

teachers. A "mentor" position should also be developed for home visitors and family service 

workers.

Reflective practice, defined as the ability to think about one's daily life, is important because 

it provides an opportunity to–

● Discuss relevant issues in relation to past and present experiences,

● Set goals and determine areas for improvement,

● Change practices in a supportive and caring environment.

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There is no "one size fits all" way to design a mentoring program.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Mentoring in Head Start Programs

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2002 Issue No. 72

Mentoring in Head Start Programs

By Sarah Merrill 

What is a Mentor Program? 

A mentor program provides an opportunity for newer teachers to learn and receive support 

from more experienced teachers, thus improving the quality of teaching in the classroom. 

While the primary goal of the mentor program is to provide an opportunity for professional 

growth, a mentoring program also creates another rung on the career ladder for teachers since 

only the most experienced and effective teachers become mentors.

The design of a mentoring program ranges from informal buddy systems to structured 

meetings between a trained mentor teacher and a mentee. Some programs are conducted 

entirely in-house while others involve partnerships with local programs. 

To be effective, a mentor program should be designed to meet the needs of the Head Start 

program and staff. Doing this takes time, reflection, and research. Support from the 

administration is key, and provides the impetus for the creation and continuation of a mentor 

program. It is important that the entire staff has a clear understanding of the purpose and 

mission of the mentor program. With this mission in mind, staff and local programs are more 

willing to weather the growing pains in support of the bigger picture. 

This article summarizes the design strategies chosen by one Head Start program, and 

discusses some of the outcomes of the program as noticed by the colleagues of the mentor 

and mentee teachers. 

Designing a Mentor Program: A Case Study 

Our case study is a large, child care center, with 67 full-time staff and 200 children, ranging 

in age from infancy (three months of age) through kindergarten (six years of age). After one 

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year of research and reflection, a task force team–which included staff, administration, and 

parents–designed an internal mentor network to meet the needs of the center. 

The task force team developed and now implements an interview and selection process. 

Teachers apply on a voluntary basis to be either a mentor or mentee. Certain eligibility 

requirements are established. For example, mentor teachers must be qualified to be lead 

teachers and mentees must have been with the center for at least one year. Once selected, the 

mentor and mentee meet once a week for two hours, from October to May. Substitute 

teachers are scheduled to work with both classrooms during that time to fill in for the mentor 

and mentee teachers. 

Mentors as well as mentees receive training. Training for the mentors includes adult 

development, mentoring skills, and leadership development. Ongoing support is also 

provided, for both the mentor and mentee, via monthly check-ins. In our case study, the child 

care center pays for the classes and seminars. The mentor and mentee teachers also receive 

stipends for their work. 

At the end of May, the center celebrates the accomplishments of the mentor and mentees with 

an annual dinner. The teachers share their projects and accomplishments. Awards are also 

presented to teammates and substitute teachers who have supported the program.

Evaluations occur annually via interviews and written inquiries. Feedback from the 

interviews and surveys are then used to enhance the program. 

Ripple Effects of a Mentor Program 

We often think of how mentor programs provide sound professional development for the 

mentor and mentee. In formal programs, the mentor and mentee teachers spend time outside 

of the classroom. They discuss, research, implement, and reflect on their teaching practice 

over time. This process allows for critical examination and growth for the mentee as well as 

for the mentor. 

The mentor program can also be a powerful dynamic for others within a program. Teammates 

of the mentor and mentee teachers note positive outcomes from the mentor program. They 

notice an increase in collaboration among the staff, and ideas, resources, and materials are 

more readily shared between teachers and classrooms. 

Classroom teammates also realize that the program has a direct impact on their classroom. In 

addition to improved teaching skills, mentees may bring other knowledge back to the 

classroom. For example, physical design of the classroom can be improved: In our case study, 

the mentor and mentee used tools, such as the Infant-Toddler Environment Rating Scale, to 

assess the physical surroundings and make appropriate changes. 

Teachers have also observed that the dynamics within a classroom can be difficult during the 

absence of the mentor or mentee, yet substitute teachers can help staff get through the busy 

moments. 

Conclusion 

A mentor program is a wonderful way to enhance professional development for individual 

teachers as well as for local programs. The success of the mentor program depends upon 

designing a mentoring program that matches the needs of your Head Start program. Internal 

support is also necessary to maintain the systems that support the mentoring program's 

mission. 

As one teacher summarizes, "...if we keep doing things like the mentor program, we'll keep 

growing and expanding. We'll always be on the cutting edge and looked at as top quality."

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Internal systems that support the mentor program can ensure success despite growing pains. 

One way for a program to begin is to create a task force team. Topics for the task force team 

to research and consider, while creating a program specific to their program's needs, may 

include–

● Qualifications of mentor and mentee applicants

● Application and interview process

● Course work and seminar support

● Stipends

● Substitute teachers

● Scheduling issues

● End-of-the-year celebrations, acknowledging everyone who supported the program, 

such as teammates and substitute teachers

● Evaluation and enhancement processes of the program

Sarah Merrill was a 2000–2001 Head Start Fellow with the Head Start Bureau in Washington, 

D.C. 

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Head Start-Johnson & Johnson Management Fellows Program

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2002 Issue No. 72

Head Start-Johnson & Johnson 

Management Fellows Program

By Myra Brown 

Program Overview 

Each year since 1991, the Anderson School at the University of California-Los Angeles has 

conducted the Head Start-Johnson & Johnson Management Fellows Program. The Fellows 

Program, which is fully funded by Johnson & Johnson and the Head Start Bureau, is a unique 

opportunity for Head Start directors and management teams to participate in a two-week, 

intensive management training session. 

Curriculum 

Two programs are offered each summer. The June program is for Head Start directors while 

the July program works with management teams. The curriculum, designed from a strategic 

planning perspective, builds both executive and entrepreneurial management skills. Lectures, 

workshops, and group discussions cover management topics that take into account current 

Head Start needs and issues. Several case studies from actual Head Start programs are used to 

illustrate key concepts and to enhance learning. Subject areas include the following–

● Organizational Design & Change

● Operations and Project Management

● Marketing & Public Relations

● Human Resource Management

● Finance & Economics

● Management & Leadership

An important and innovative element of the Fellows Program is the involvement of the Head 

Start directors' supervisors during the last three and one-half days of the program as "coparticipants." The director (or in July, the management team) and supervisor work together to 

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develop a strategic initiative called a Management Improvement Project (MIP). These MIPs 

prepare the Fellows to implement major projects upon returning to their organizations. 

Graduates of the Fellows Program are awarded a certificate from UCLA and are given the 

option of receiving academic graduate-level credits. Fellows are often called upon to work 

with the Head Start Bureau and regional offices to provide management training to their Head 

Start colleagues. 

Eligibility 

Head Start managers, who have been directors for at least three years, compete for 

fellowships based on the quality of their application to the Fellows Program. Head Start 

teams are selected based on the team's experience and need. Each Fellows class is 

representative of the Head Start program nationwide in terms of urban/rural mix, size, 

auspice, and other demographic factors. The next round of applicants will be for the 2002 

Program to be held June 16-28 and July 7-19. 

Program Follow-Up 

During their two weeks at UCLA, Fellows develop an invaluable network that they continue 

to draw upon long after they return to their own programs. They are also given the 

opportunity for ongoing training through the annual Advanced Management Institute (AMI)–

a four-day training, held each winter at UCLA, that offers advanced-level workshops and a 

public policy forum dealing with current issues facing the Head Start community.

A newsletter is published quarterly, providing a mechanism for Fellows to stay informed of 

the professional activities of colleagues, program developments, and other news of interest. 

The program also maintains an informational Web site that includes a searchable database on 

all alumni as well as a list of resource areas where alumni offer their expertise to help other 

programs.

For an application or further information, please contact Myra Brown, Senior Program 

Manager at The Anderson School at UCLA, T: 310-825-6306; F: 310-206-3924; E-mail: 

mybrown@anderson.ucla.edu; Web site: http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/community/headstart.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Head Start Research Grants for Graduate Students

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2002 Issue No. 72

Head Start Research Grants for Graduate Students

By Jason T. Hustedt 

In its 1993 report, the Advisory Committee on Head Start Quality and Expansion called for 

an expanded role for research in Head Start. One of the initiatives that emerged from the 

renewed emphasis on research was the Graduate Student Head Start Research Grants 

program. 

In this program, graduate students work with faculty members at their universities, as well as 

with Head Start practitioners and policy councils, to develop projects that are grounded in the 

research literature and responsive to local Head Start agencies' needs. Grantees are awarded a 

maximum of $20,000 per year for up to two years to carry out their research. Five to ten 

graduate students receive this prestigious award each year; they come from across the country 

and represent a variety of academic disciplines. 

A primary goal of this research grants program is to invest in graduate students while they are 

still developing their skills as researchers. Head Start benefits from its investment by having a 

highly trained and diverse body of developing scholars working in local Head Start programs. 

Both local programs and the research community profit when new information is learned 

about the children being served by Head Start and about the effectiveness of specific practice 

initiatives. Also, by carrying out their funded projects, the graduate students are able to 

cultivate the skills necessary to develop new–and even more sophisticated–research studies.

Not only does the program provide funding for students' research projects, but it also covers 

expenses for travel to professional development meetings. All grantees participate in one of 

Head Start's biennial National Research Conferences, which provides opportunities to interact 

with more experienced researchers. Grantees also come to Washington, D.C. every year to 

give presentations on their research projects. At that time, they receive advice and 

constructive critiques from other Head Start researchers, including first- and second-year 

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grantees and representatives from the Commissioner's Office of Research and Evaluation at 

ACYF. 

The hope is that graduate students will use the talents, skills, and contacts that they developed 

through this program to continue to conduct research that benefits Head Start participants and 

programs throughout their professional careers. Through this professional development 

initiative, Head Start is nurturing a growing cadre of scholars committed to high quality Head 

Start research.

Jason T. Hustedt is a graduate student at Cornell University and a recipient of a Graduate 

Student Head Start Research Grant. He can be reached at T: 607-266-9345; E: jth14@cornell.

edu.

For more information on the Graduate Student Head Start Research Grant, call Michael 

Lopez, Director of the Commissioner's Office of Research and Evaluation. He can be reached 

at T: 202-205-8212; E: mlopez@acf.hhs.gov.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Professional Development Through the National Head Start Fellowship

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2002 Issue No. 72

Professional Development Through 

the National Head Start Fellowship

By Traci A. Hefner 

Leadership Vision 

By Terra Bonds 

#1 

Proceed 

Forward toward the goal 

Work starts and suffering stops 

I act; parents progress; children smile 

Induce happiness

Terra Bonds was a 2000–2001 Head Start Fellow with the Head Start Bureau in Washington, 

D.C. 

A Personal Thought 

By Wassy Tesfa 

A world 

Grounded in honesty 

Nurtured with compassion 

Open and thoughtful 

Joy 

A vision of wholeness

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Wassy Tesfa was a 2000-2001 Head Start Fellow with the Head Start Bureau in Washington, 

D.C.

One way you may consider enhancing your professional development is through the National 

Head Start Fellowship. The Fellowship is a phenomenal experience that will challenge your 

intellect and thinking–and quite possibly be a life changing opportunity. 

It is a privilege to be a member of the 2000-2001 Fellowship class. The exposure to top 

policy makers, lobbyists, and child development specialists is immense. This experience has 

piqued my curiosity to learn and understand fully how best practice or research becomes 

national policy. Furthermore, being in the nation's capital has allowed me to attend senate and 

congressional hearings, think tank seminars, and lectures by some of the most influential 

people on child development issues and social policy. 

Exactly how the Fellowship experience will influence my career is yet to be determined. I am 

confident, however, that the knowledge and resources acquired during the Fellowship year 

will profoundly benefit the children and families I serve in the future. Finally, there is the 

added benefit of forming lifelong relationships with the nine other Fellows. I have been 

inspired and challenged by each of them in a way that will influence my life forever. This has 

truly been an amazing experience–an experience that I highly recommend for anybody 

interested in professional development. 

Why professional development? 

Professional development is fully recognized as essential to ensuring quality staff and service 

to Head Start families. As stated in the Head Start Act, a bipartisan 

reauthorization, "the purpose of the Fellowship program is designed to enhance the ability of 

Head Start Fellows to make significant contributions to programs, by providing opportunities 

to expand their knowledge and experience..." 

Since 1996, the Commission on National Head Start Fellowships offers ten Fellowships to 

emerging leaders in the field of early childhood and family services. As an intensive one-year 

work and education experience, the Fellowship provides an opportunity for increased 

knowledge on a multitude of policy issues, program development, research, and best practice 

modalities in the field of child development. This exposure assists in the development of a 

new cadre of leaders. 

Who should apply for the Fellowship? 

Individuals who apply for the Fellowship are highly motivated with a desire to grow 

professionally as well as personally. The class of 2000-2001 represents a variety of different 

disciplines and education levels. This class is composed of social workers, teachers, a 

psychologist, a social anthropologist, and a medical doctor. The education level ranges from a 

baccalaureate degree to a master's degree to a medical degree. The group's diversity allows 

for a more profound experience for each of the Fellows. Moreover, work placements are with 

the executive branch of the Federal government and vary in content according to the Fellows' 

interests and expertise. Hence, a class is generally composed of individuals from multidisciplinary backgrounds, interests, and education. 

Why should you apply? 

The Fellowship experience provides a more thorough understanding of how government 

works in terms of policy development and implementation. You will gain a broader 

perspective of the national issues affecting children and families. However, the Fellowship is 

not only about understanding policy. A plethora of leadership development trainings provide 

an opportunity to explore the type and style of leader you are or possibly want to become. 

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The trainings are further complemented through leadership book discussions, meetings with 

senior management, policy makers, educators, and researchers, and content workshops on 

conflict management, effective writing, and career development. This experience will expand 

your knowledge base, network, and resources–empowering you to be a more proficient 

leader. 

Where can you get more information? 

For additional information regarding the Fellowship, contact the address and number below:

Council for Professional Recognition 

2460 16th Street, NW 

Washington, D.C. 20009-3575 

Telephone: (202) 265-9161

Traci Hefner was a 2000–2001 Head Start Fellow at the Head Start Bureau in Washington, D.

C.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Senior Early Childhood Associates

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2002 Issue No. 72

Senior Early Childhood Associates

By Lynette Kimes 

The Early Head Start National Resource Center (EHS NRC) at ZERO TO THREE, in 

partnership with the regionally based Quality Improvement Centers (QICs), works to provide 

training and technical assistance support to Early Head Start (EHS) programs. A task of the 

EHS NRC is to support capacity building of Federal staff. The Senior Early Childhood 

Associates (SECA) have a unique opportunity to support this effort on an individual and daily 

basis within the Regional Offices. 

While Associate Commissioner of Head Start, the late Helen Taylor envisioned the 

Associates as critical to building knowledge and expertise among Federal staff because of 

their critical role in supporting EHS programs serving infants, toddlers and their families. The 

Associates support Federal staff on issues related to infant and toddler development and the 

link between knowing what is good for babies and families and creating and sustaining 

quality EHS programs. The Associates are co-located in the regional offices of the Federal 

government, the American Indian and Alaska Native Program Branch, the Migrant and 

Seasonal Program Branch, and the Head Start Bureau. The Associates represent diverse 

professions that include special education, early childhood education, child development, 

social work, and family life education. 

Each Associate, in partnership with staff at the regional offices and program branches, creates 

work plans that outline the strategy for providing training and that support capacity building 

initiatives within the region or program branch. Support to Federal staff is offered dependent 

on the individuals' needs within each region or branch. The SECAs often accompany Federal 

staff on monitoring reviews. In addition, Associates may provide consultation and technical 

assistance on issues related to Early Head Start. We may provide a series of workshops on 

topics of interest to EHS, and our attendance at meetings and regional conferences assists in 

ensuring shared knowledge on issues related to babies and their families. Associates in each 

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region have also established libraries with resources that support Early Head Start grantees. 

The Associates have become integral team members in regional offices and program 

branches as we provide support through our knowledge on issues related to infants, 

toddlers, and their families. Associates often participate in training initiatives supported by 

the QICs and Quality Improvement Centers for Disabilities (QIC-DS). Associates also play 

an active role in the conferences and meetings held by the EHS NRC such as the Leader's 

Seminar and Orientation Conference and the annual Birth To Three Institute. Often, 

participants in these events include Federal staff from regional offices.

As Associates working with Federal staff, we have had the opportunity to interact with a 

talented team of individuals who offer significant knowledge and skill in supporting babies 

and families, and who strive each day to improve the work they do within Early Head Start. 

Together, we work toward increasing capacity in infant/toddler knowledge and embrace 

lifelong learning as essential to improving the work of Early Head Start. 

Lynette Kimes was a Senior Early Childhood Associate, Early Head Start National Resource 

Center at ZERO TO THREE. She can be reached at T: 202-260-2670; E: lkimes@acf.hhs.gov.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents From the University Laboratory to the National Laboratory: Developmental Researchers and Head 

Start

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2002 Issue No. 72

From the University Laboratory to the National Laboratory: 

Developmental Researchers and Head Start

By Brenda Jones Harden 

Developmental researchers conduct laboratory-based scientific studies on developmental 

processes experienced by children as they mature. But they seldom have the opportunity to 

use their work to influence social policy issues that affect children's development. The 

Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), the major professional organization for 

developmental researchers, offers a unique professional development experience to 

researchers who want to apply their skills in national policy settings.

This year, SRCD has provided nine resident scholars to work in congressional and executive 

branch offices in the Washington, D.C. area. Fellows are assigned to the National Institute of 

Mental Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National 

Institute of Drug Abuse, the Department of Education, and the Administration for Children, 

Youth and Families (ACYF) of the Department of Health and Human Services. Three SRCD 

Fellows have been placed in the Commissioner's Office for Research and Evaluation (CORE) 

at the ACYF and work on a variety of Head Start and other child policy research initiatives. 

Dr. Rhonda Boyd is coordinating the Head Start mental health research consortium. Dr. Carol 

Kuhns is working on the Head Start and Early Head Start impact evaluations, and the Head 

Start Quality Research Centers. Dr. Brenda Jones Harden is supporting the Head Start 

Graduate Student Scholars effort, as well as working on the Head Start and Early Head Start 

impact evaluations. 

Although this program was initiated to provide developmental research expertise to agency 

and congressional settings, the professional development opportunities for the Fellows are 

endless. A major benefit for the Fellows is being involved in large-scale, national studies that 

have policy implications. Fellows develop skills in sampling, designing evaluations, 

analyzing data, and disseminating studies. They also have the opportunity to begin selfhttp://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/hsbulletin72/hsb72_26.htm (1 of 3)9/15/2008 2:03:12 PM
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directed projects related to Head Start (e.g., home visiting and child care via Head Start). 

Most importantly, they become more aware of the policy implications of all the research in 

which they are involved.

In addition to the learning experiences that come from their work on specific research 

projects, SRCD Fellows also participate in monthly meetings at SRCD in which speakers 

address a variety of topics related to child policy and research. Some of the meetings are held 

jointly with policy fellows of the American Psychological Association. Fellows also have 

attended lectures sponsored by the Council on Early Childhood Professional Recognition for 

the Head Start Fellows.

An important aspect of the fellows' learning experience is the mentorship they receive within 

and outside of their placements. The individual mentor from CORE assists the Fellow to 

establish and implement a work plan that includes the projects and learning experiences that 

will occur over the year. The external mentor–often a former SRCD Fellow–addresses larger 

professional development issues with the fellows, including how to integrate a policy focus 

into their research and how to secure policy-related employment after the fellowship year 

ends.

The goal of developmental research is to explore the many processes that propel a child 

toward adulthood. Through the SRCD Public Policy Fellowship, developmental researchers 

have the opportunity to participate in activities that promote their own development. They 

utilize their theoretical and empirical knowledge to make a contribution to Head Start and 

other policies that promote development in young children from low-income backgrounds. 

Moreover, they experience what is often elusive in academia–a concentrated effort to enhance 

their own development as scholars and as advocates for children. 

Brenda Jones Harden is an SRCD Fellow, Commissioner's Office for Research and 

Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She can be reached at T: 202-

260-8515.

For further information on the SRCD Public Policy Fellowship program, access the SRCD 

Web site at http://www.srcd.org.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents New Head Start Quality Research Centers

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2002 Issue No. 72

New Head Start Quality Research Centers Funded

By Louisa B. Tarullo and Carole Kuhns 

The Head Start Bureau and the ACYF Commissioner's Office of Research and Evaluation are 

pleased to announce the award of eight cooperative agreements under the Head Start Quality 

Research Center (QRC) Consortium to promote the school readiness of preschool children in 

Head Start. These five-year grants will fund partnerships between academic researchers and 

Head Start programs designed to improve child outcomes in the areas of literacy, socialemotional development, and other domains of school readiness, through enhancements to 

curriculum, teacher training and mentoring, parent involvement, and assessment practices. 

Research teams will implement and evaluate their interventions with Head Start program 

partners in an initial site, then replicate the successful interventions at additional sites.

QRC Consortium Members include– 

Columbia University, New York 

"Using Assessment to Improve School Readiness and Head Start Program Quality" 

Sharon Lynn Kagan and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn

In partnership with programs in Stamford and Waterbury, Connecticut, the research team will 

implement an innovative observational assessment system for Head Start children, 

classrooms, and programs, and provide the supports and resources necessary to use data from 

the assessments to improve classroom and program practice and child outcomes. 

Collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Education on school readiness outcomes is 

a key feature. 

Education Development Center, Massachusetts 

"A Systematic Approach to Fostering Language and Literacy Development" 

David K. Dickinson

Collaborating with programs in Waltham and Boston, Massachusetts, the researchers will 

develop, implement, and assess a systemic version of the Literacy Environment Enrichment 

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Program, enabling programs to create their own self-improvement programs with a focus on 

language and literacy development. The intervention features intensive professional 

development activities involving both QIC staff and mentor teachers from the program. 

High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Michigan 

"Achieving Head Start Effectiveness through Intensive Curriculum Training" 

Lawrence J. Schweinhart

This intervention, based in programs in Oakland County, Michigan, will provide intensive 

training in the use of the High/Scope curriculum framework, and verification that the 

curriculum is being implemented in the most effective manner in Head Start classrooms. 

University of North Carolina 

"Socioemotional Interventions to Enhance School Readiness" 

Donna Bryant, Janis Kupersmidt, Ellen Peisner-Feinberg

Working with programs in Person County and Roxboro, North Carolina, the research team 

will implement an evidence-based intervention program to reduce disruptive behavior and 

improve classroom functioning. Moving from a very intensive intervention provided by 

clinical consultants and tested via the Head Start Mental Health Research Consortium, this 

modification will develop and evaluate a self-sustaining, program-based intervention suitable 

for dissemination through the Training and Technical Assistance Network. 

University of Oregon 

"Head Start Adaptation of First Step to Success: Preparing Children for Social/Emotional 

Success at School" 

Hill Walker, Edward Feil, Annemieke Golly, Herbert Severson 

In partnership with grantees in Lane County and Springfield, Oregon, the Oregon team 

proposes to adapt the First Step to Success early intervention program, originally developed 

for kindergarten children, to help preschool children at risk for school problems become 

better prepared for the social and emotional challenges of school.

Quality Counts, Inc., Georgia 

"Supporting Children's Individualized Learning in Head Start" 

Martha Abbott-Shim, Richard Lambert

Continuing their collaboration with programs in Jefferson County, Alabama, and in 

Gainesville, Georgia, and adding new partners in Jackson and Brunswick, Georgia, the 

research team plans to implement a mentoring intervention that supports individualized 

learning experiences for children in Head Start that have been shown to promote classroom 

quality and children's school readiness. 

University of South Carolina 

"The Companion Curriculum: Connecting Head Start Parents and Teachers to Promote Early 

Learning and Development" 

Julia Mendez, Jean Ann Linney

Based on the premise that enhancing parent involvement is crucial to preparing children for 

school, this research team is working with programs in Columbia, South Carolina and 

surrounding counties to implement a home-based learning curriculum for parents and 

children, supplemented by parent-child centers within individual classrooms. 

State University of New York at Stony Brook 

"Evidence-Based Emergent Literacy Approaches for Head Start" 

Janet E. Fischel

Through a partnership with a grantee in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, this 

intervention will compare leading curricula used in Head Start programs that aim to enhance 

emergent literacy and language skills in terms of improved classroom practice and child 

outcomes.

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Louisa B. Tarullo is a Senior Social Science Research Analyst at the Commissioner's Office 

of Research and Evaluation, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, DHHS. Louisa 

can be reached at T: 202-205-8324; E: lbtarullo@acf.hhs.gov. 

Carole Kuhns is a Society for Research in Child Development Policy Fellow in the 

Commissioner's Office of Research and Evaluation, Administration on Children, Youth and 

Families, DHHS. More information on the QRC Consortium is also available at http://www.

acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Resources

| Home | Publications | Partnership/Collaboration | Information Center | What's New? |

For information requests contact AskUs 

We welcome your comments and suggestions, contact webmistress@headstartinfo.org 

For website technical assistance contact technical@headstartinfo.org 

To order publications contact puborder@headstartinfo.org Office of Head Start

Copyright © 2002-2006 Trans-Management Systems Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Please Note: Links on this site are verified monthly. 

While links are evaluated before being included on this site, HSIPC is not responsible for the information presented on external sites. 

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2002 Issue No. 72

Resources

FROM THE HEAD START INFORMATION AND PUBLICATION CENTER

Putting the Pro in Protégé: A Guide to Mentoring in Head Start and Early Head Start. (2001). 

Washington, D.C.: Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services. This resource is designed to help grantees develop new 

mentoring programs or improve those already in existence. It describes basic principles, key 

components, and necessary supports for effective mentoring. The guide also includes 

examples of mentoring in a variety of programs (both Head Start and non-Head Start) and the 

Take Stock! strategic planning tool. 

Consumers' Guide to Professional Development Resources. (1999 and 2000). Washington, D.

C.: Early Head Start (EHS) National Resource Center at Zero to Three. The Consumer's 

Guide was developed by the Early Head Start National Resource Center with contributions 

from the Head Start Quality Improvement Centers and EHS grantees. It consists of two 

sections: a professional development plan and an annotated bibliography of resources. The 

professional development plan consists of twelve steps, including identifying resources and 

conducting an evaluation. The bibliography offers multimedia resource materials, including 

books, curricula, and training systems.

To order, fax your request to the Head Start Information and Publication Center at 703-683-

5769 or order on-line at http://www.headstartinfo.org.

FROM WHEELOCK COLLEGE

Learning and Growing Together: Head Start and Child Care Professional Development 

Partnerships by Kimberly Elliott and Anita Vestal (1998; $15.00). Across the country, people 

from different branches of the early childhood field are partnering to provide cost-effective 

and high quality training. Based on a study initiated and supported by the Head Start Bureau 

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and conducted by Wheelock College Institute for Leadership and Career Initiatives, this 

report includes: profiles of 23 partnerships in 19 states; key benefits of partnerships; tips on 

how to form partnerships; a model illustrating the process groups undergo as they form 

partnerships; and resource materials.

The Power of Mentoring (2000; $11.95). Mentoring is one of the most traditional and 

effective forms of training new leaders. Taking the Lead sites all across the country breathed 

new life into mentoring as an essential strategy for leadership development among early 

childhood professionals. This booklet describes a variety of mentoring models, each designed 

by different communities or cultures, and offers ideas for enhancing training and practical 

experience.

Making A Career of It: The State of the States Report on Career Development in Early Care 

and Education by G. Morgan, S.L. Azer, J.B. Costley, A. Genser, I.F. Goodman, J. Lombardi, 

& B. McGimsey. (1993; $20). The first comprehensive national study of career development 

and training in the field of early care and education, this report provides information about 

qualifications requirements, available training resources, higher education models and access, 

and Federal funding streams for all program types. It highlights promising practices for 

developing, coordinating, and funding early care and education career development.

Ordering Information: These publications are available from Wheelock College. Your order 

must include a purchase order or a check made payable to Wheelock College, and must 

include shipping charges (add $3.50 for orders totaling $1-25; $7.00 for orders totaling $25-

50; $15 for orders totaling $50-100; $22.00 for orders totaling $100-150; $31 for orders 

totaling $150-200). Send your request, along with check or purchase order, to: Wheelock 

College Institute for Leadership and Career Initiatives, 200 The Riverway, Boston, MA 

02215. Allow four to six weeks for delivery. For two-week delivery, add 15% to the standard 

shipping charges. Don't forget to indicate which publications you are ordering!

FROM NHSA

"Educated Teachers = Quality Classrooms = Better Outcomes for Children: How Career 

Development is Re-energizing Head Start," W.C. Siegel. (Fall 2000). Children and Families, 

Vol. XIV No. 4, pp. 36-40.

"Distance Learning: How NHSA and Other Organizations are Delivering Education," G. 

Fardwell and L. Doggett. (Fall 2000). Children and Families, Vol. XIV No. 4, pp. 70-75.

FROM THE CENTER FOR THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE

Salary Improvements in Head Start: Lessons for the Early Care and Education Field by M. 

Whitebook. (1995; $8.95). The 1990 Head Start Expansion and Quality Improvement Act 

recognized staff compensation as a key element in assuring better-quality Head Start services. 

Since the passage of the Act and its reauthorization in 1994, nearly $500 million has been 

allocated to increase salaries for approximately 100,000 Head Start personnel. Using 

quantitative data and interviews with Head Start administrators and teachers, this report 

evaluates the salary improvement initiative and identifies features of the process – and of the 

structure of Head Start agencies – that facilitated or hindered it.

The Early Childhood Mentoring Curriculum by D. Bellm, M. Whitebook, & P. Hnatiuk. 

(1997). The Early Childhood Mentoring Curriculum is a comprehensive, flexible new 

teaching tool for mentors and mentor trainers in center-based and family child care programs. 

Comprised of two volumes – a Trainers Guide and a Handbook for Mentors – it includes 

learning activities, handouts and supplementary readings. Each volume is $19.95.

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To order, contact the Center for the Child Care Workforce at 202-737-7700, or download 

order forms from their Web site at http://www.ccw.org.

OTHER RESOURCES 

Working Together: Head Start and Child Care Partnerships by N.O. Poersch & H. Blank. 

(1996). Washington, D.C.: Children's Defense Fund. To order, contact the Children's Defense 

Fund at 202-662-3652 or order on-line at http://www.childrensdefense.org/.

Building Bridges: Supporting Families Across Service Systems. (1994). Chicago, IL: Family 

Support America (formerly the Family Resource Coalition of America). To order, contact 

Family Support America at 312-338-0900. 

Not by Chance: Creating an Early Care and Education System for America's Children by S.L. 

Kagan, & N.E. Cohen. (1997). Princeton, NJ: Bush Center in Child Development and Social 

Policy at Yale University.

New Perspectives on Mentoring by S. Kerka. (1998). ERIC Digest No. 194. Columbus, OH: 

ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education (ED 418249). To download 

a copy of this article, go to search ERIC database http://www.eduref.org .

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Organizations

| Home | Publications | Partnership/Collaboration | Information Center | What's New? |

For information requests contact AskUs 

We welcome your comments and suggestions, contact webmistress@headstartinfo.org 

For website technical assistance contact technical@headstartinfo.org 

To order publications contact puborder@headstartinfo.org Office of Head Start

Copyright © 2002-2006 Trans-Management Systems Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Please Note: Links on this site are verified monthly. 

While links are evaluated before being included on this site, HSIPC is not responsible for the information presented on external sites. 

Last Modified: 01/08/04 

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2002 Issue No. 72

Organizations

Organizations offering a variety of useful resources and with whose members you may wish 

to partner include–

American Associate Degree Early Childhood Educators (ACCESS) 

Bruce R.Stam, President 

Chemeketa Community College 

PO Box 14007 

Salem, OR 97309-7070 

Phone: 503-399-6071 

Fax: 503-399-5038 

Web site: http://www.accessece.org

Cooperative Extension's National Network for Child Care 

University of Massachusetts at Amherst 

206 Skinner Hall 

Box 37605 

Amherst, MA 01003 

Phone: 413-577-0332 

Fax: 413-545-4410 

Web site: http://www.nncc.org

National Association for Family Child Care 

525 SW 5th Street 

Suite A 

Des Moines, IA 50309 

Phone: 515-282-8192 

Fax: 515-282-9117 

Web site: http://www.nafcc.org

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National Association for the Education of Young Children 

1509 16th Street, NW 

Washington, D.C. 20036-1426 

Phone: 202-232-8777 

Fax: 202-328-1846 

Web site: http://www.naeyc.org

National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies 

1319 F Street, NW 

Suite 500 

Washington, DC 20004-1106 

Phone: 202-393-5501 

Fax: 202-393-1109 

Web site: http://www.naccrra.net

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators 

Frances Rust, President-Elect 

New York University 

239 Greene Street 

New York, NY 10003 

E-mail: frances.rust@nyu.edu 

Web site: http://www.naecte.org

National Black Child Development Institute 

1101 15th Street, NW 

Suite 900 

Washington, DC 20005 

Phone: 202-833-2220 

Fax: 202-833-8222 

Web site: http://www.nbcdi.org

National Child Care Information Center 

243 Church Street, NW, 2nd Floor 

Vienna, VA 22180 

Phone: 800-616-2242 

Fax: 800-716-2242 

Web site: http://nccic.org

National Clearing House for Military Child Development Program 

Military Family Resource Center 

4040 North Fairfax Drive 

Room 420 

Arlington, VA 22203-1635 

Phone: 888-237-3040 

Fax: 703-696-9062 

Web site: http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil

National Head Start Association 

1651 Prince Street 

Alexandria, VA 22314 

Phone: 703-739-0875 

Fax: 703-739-0878 

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Web site: http://www.nhsa.org

National School-Age Care Alliance 

1137 Washington Street 

Boston, MA 02124 

Phone: 617-298-5012 

Fax: 617-298-5022 

E-mail: staff@nsaca.org

Web site: http://www.nsaca.org

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Internet Resources

| Home | Publications | Partnership/Collaboration | Information Center | What's New? |

For information requests contact AskUs 

We welcome your comments and suggestions, contact webmistress@headstartinfo.org 

For website technical assistance contact technical@headstartinfo.org 

To order publications contact puborder@headstartinfo.org Office of Head Start

Copyright © 2002-2006 Trans-Management Systems Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Please Note: Links on this site are verified monthly. 

While links are evaluated before being included on this site, HSIPC is not responsible for the information presented on external sites. 

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2002 Issue No. 72

Internet Resources 

Each of the organizations listed on the previous page has a useful Web site for professional 

development information and activities. In addition, the following Internet resources are 

excellent sources of up-to-date information on professional development in the early 

childhood education field– 

The National Center For Early Development and Learning 

http://www.ncedl.org 

The National Directory of Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Institutions, published by the 

National Center For Early Development and Learning and the Council for Professional 

Recognition (CDA), contains a listing of 1400 two- and four-year colleges. It is also available 

at http://www.cdacouncil.org/, in print from CDA, and as a Spotlight under: http://www.fpg.

unc.edu/~ncedl/PDFs/spot22.pdf. 

The National Center for Early Development and Learning

http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/PAGES/wnew.htm#SpotAnchor 

Spotlights are one-page summaries (double-sided) of the latest research from The National 

Center for Early Development and Learning. Spotlights may be downloaded and freely 

distributed.

The On-line Internet Institute

http://oii.org/

This Web site provides a variety of professional development tools for educators and students 

who use the Internet to improve classroom achievement. Four Directions for Lifelong 

Learning is a comprehensive document on staff development for use and integration on the 

Internet. The Web site also offers discussion forums, and links to sites for curriculum, 

technology, professional development, assessment, and the Internet Librarian, as well as 

template-based tools.

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Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (MCREL)

http://www.mcrel.org/

The "Educator Resources" section of the Web site provides a variety of information on 

professional development, including links for teacher resources, articles, and directories. 

Established in 1966, McREL's mission is to make a difference in the quality of education and 

learning for all through excellence in applied research, product development, and service.

The AT&T Learning Network Resources for Educators 

http://www.att.com/foundation/programs/education.html 

This Web site provides a list of links to professional development Web sites for 

organizations, agencies, services, and staff development issues. The links are worthwhile 

although they attempt to enroll you in their fee-based Virtual Academy.

From Now On: The Educational Technology Journal

http://www.fno.org/

This on-line journal, published gratis by Jamie McKenzie, features regular articles on 

professional development and provides a separate Web directory of staff development 

resources. Dr. McKenzie writes regularly for EdWeek and other educational publications.

North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL)

http://www.ncrel.org/pd 

This non-profit organization specializes in educational applications of technology to improve 

learning. Its Web site features a professional development toolkit, video clips from awardwinning Professional Development Specialists, a resource center, needs assessments, 

activities, planning, research, and funding links. NCREL is one of 10 Regional Educational 

Labs funded by the US Department of Education. Each Regional Lab has a different 

emphasis, yet all have some activities related to professional development. 

The International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning (IEJLL)

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~iejll

Founded in 1997, this refereed electronic journal is intended for a broad audience of persons 

interested in leadership and learning. Many articles pertain to professional development in a 

wide variety of educational and technological settings.

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents Survey for the Head Start Bulletin Readers

| Home | Publications | Partnership/Collaboration | Information Center | What's New? |

For information requests contact AskUs 

We welcome your comments and suggestions, contact webmistress@headstartinfo.org 

For website technical assistance contact technical@headstartinfo.org 

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2002 Issue No. 72

Dear Reader, 

Please take this opportunity to share your views on the Bulletin. The Bulletin reaches a wide 

audience and we are interested in learning how to make it more useful and interesting. Please 

make additional copies of this form for other readers if you wish.

If you have questions, please contact Judy David at 703-243-0495 or e-mail: jdavid@pal-tech.

com. You may return this form by mail (fold and tape it and add a stamp) or by fax: 703-465-

1782. Thank you.

The Head Start Bureau 

Bulletin Development Team 

1. How often do you read the Bulletin? 

This is my first time _____ Infrequently _____About every issue

2. The length of the articles is: 

About right _____ Too short _____ Too long

3. The level of writing is: 

Just right _____ Too difficult _____ Too easy

4. The Bulletin provides information that I can't find elsewhere. 

Agree ____ Somewhat agree _____ Disagree

5. How do you primarily use the Bulletin? (check all that apply) 

_____For keeping myself informed _____ For updates to staff 

_____For updates to Policy Council _____ For training sessions 

_____For sharing information with those outside of Head Start

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6. Do you pass the Bulletin onto someone else? 

______ Yes ______No

7. If yes, how many people do you usually give it to? ______

8. Do you access the Bulletin on the Head Start Information and Publications Center Web site 

(http://www.headstartinfo.org)? 

Never ______ Sometimes ______ Usually

9. Which articles or parts of this Bulletin did you find most interesting or useful? 

(please list top three titles) 

___________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________ 

10. What would make the Bulletin more useful to you? (check all that apply) 

_____Tear out sheet listing key points 

_____Article(s) in Spanish 

_____More about Federal policies and initiatives 

_____More about professional development opportunities 

_____More about local programs 

_____More about best practices 

_____More resources 

_____More about regional initiatives 

Other (please specify) ________________________

11. What type of organization are you with? (please check one) 

_____Head Start preschool program 

_____Early Head Start program 

_____Regional Office 

_____QIC 

_____DS-QIC 

_____State Collaboration Office 

_____Head Start Bureau 

_____Higher education institution 

_____Other early childhood or family services organization 

_____Head Start Research/evaluation project 

Other (please specify) ________________________

12. If you are associated with a Head Start program, what is your position? 

_____Administration 

_____ Management staff 

_____Teaching staff 

_____ Family and community partnership staff 

_____Parent 

_____ Volunteer 

Other (please specify) ________________________

13. If you have additional comments or suggestions, please share them below: 

__________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________ 

14. If you are interested in learning more about future plans for the Bulletin, please contact 

Judy David of the Head Start Bureau Bulletin Development Team or put your contact 

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information below and we will contact you. 

__________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________ 

THANK YOU!

Please return your completed survey by mail or fax (703-465-1782) to:

Head Start Bureau Bulletin Development Team 

National Head Start Training and 

Technical Assistance Resource Center 

1901 N. Fort Myer Drive, Suite 301 

Arlington, VA 22209

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 72 Contents View other Head Start Bulletins 

| Home | Publications | Partnership/Collaboration | Information Center | What's New? |

For information requests contact AskUs 

We welcome your comments and suggestions, contact webmistress@headstartinfo.org 

For website technical assistance contact technical@headstartinfo.org 

To order publications contact puborder@headstartinfo.org Office of Head Start

Copyright © 2002-2006 Trans-Management Systems Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Please Note: Links on this site are verified monthly. 

While links are evaluated before being included on this site, HSIPC is not responsible for the information presented on external sites. 

Last Modified: 06/19/02 

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