The National Head Start Child Development Institute Ensuring Quality and Accountability Through Leadership

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

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

Program Highlights

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

During the Institute, participants heard nationally recognized experts address each of these themes. (See the chart on pages 52–53 for an overview of the Institute program and faculty.) Participants then had the opportunity to meet for small group discussion. Affinity groups offered facilitated discussion among education leaders from different communities on interpreting and implementing the ideas, research, and effective practices offered in plenary presentations. Leadership Team Planning sessions gave local teams the opportunity to develop vision and action plans for program improvement using the Implementation Planner. Dialogues with Experts sessions enabled participants to meet with Institute faculty for more in-depth discussion of the issues raised in their plenary presentations. Western Kentucky University is awarding three units of graduate or undergraduate credit for work successfully completed.

The Implementation Planner

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

• The Head Start Child Outcomes addressed in the plenary sessions each day
• Some of the applicable Head Start Program Performance Standards for each session
• Examples of Head Start systems as they affect the education leader's role
• Space to record information on the participant's own program
• Sections for noting important points from pre-Institute readings, plenary presentations, and discussion sessions
• Space for developing ideas for improving child development and education services in the participant's own program
• Space to reflect on the question, "What do I need to do as an education leader to affect positive change?"
• The Head Start Child Outcomes Framework (See Framework on pages 45–50 of this Bulletin.)

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

Next Steps

The Institute was a powerful learning opportunity for the thousands of Head Start managers who participated, and it was a first step in the larger initiative to enhance program quality and outcomes for children. The next step is to carry what was gained at the Institute into local team planning efforts that engage all Head Start and Early Head Start staff, parents, and community partners.

To support this work, the Head Start Bureau is developing a training strategy that will support a continuous cycle of local program improvement. This includes promoting professional development; implementing an appropriate curriculum; implementing programming that supports optimal child outcomes; maintaining accountability for child outcomes based on sound curriculum implementation and appropriate child assessment; establishing a common understanding and commitment to achieving new legislative mandates in child and family literacy; and enhancing the professional qualifications of staff – associate and bachelor's degrees in early childhood education for teachers of children ages birth to five years.

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

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

The Quality Improvement Centers and Quality Improvement Centers for Disability Services, along with the Regional Offices, will organize training events in each region to continue the work of the Institute. The multimedia materials will also be featured at the National Head Start Association's 28th Annual Training Conference, which will be held May 16–19, 2001, in Orlando, Florida.

Putting It to Work

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

E. Dollie Wolverton is Chief of the Head Start Bureau's Education Services Branch; T: 202-205-8418; E: dwolverton@acf.dhhs.gov.

INSTITUTE GOALS

To increase the knowledge and leadership skills of local program managers in:

• Supporting child development and learning in the domains of language development, literacy, mathematics, science, creative arts, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, and physical health and development;
• Supporting school readiness and positive child outcomes in Early Head Start and Head Start through comprehensive child development services, age-appropriate, meaningful curriculum; child observation and assessment; and family involvement and partnerships; and
• Enhancing the quality, intentionality, and effectiveness of staff interactions with children and families.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Institute is a week-long learning experience for Head Start and Early Head Start managers with oversight for child development, education, and disabilities services through center-based, homebased, and family child care program options.

The Institute is grounded in the Head Start Program Performance Standards and the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework.

Institute participants received advance reading materials and assignments, including a guided review of local program services and quality in the five priority themes of the Institute. An Institute Implementation Planner guided participants in developing a vision and action plans to improve local program quality, management systems, and child outcomes.

Saturday

REGISTRATION AT HILTON WASHINGTON CONCOURSE
2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday

REGISTRATION AT HILTON WASHINGTON EXHIBIT HALL
10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

FACILITATORS' MEETING HILTON WASHINGTON, LINCOLN ROOM
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

WELCOMING RECEPTION HILTON WASHINGTON, INTERNATIONAL BALLROOM
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Monday
9:00 a.m.

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT PLENARY SESSION

Welcome and Institute Overview
The Head Start Bureau

"School Readiness and Our Children"
Barbara Bowman
Erikson Institute

"Curriculum, On-going Assessment and Child Outcomes"
Sue Bredekamp
The Council for Professional Recognition

BREAK – 10:30 a.m.

PANEL "Curriculum: Birth to Five"

Diane Trister Dodge
The Creative Curriculum

Ann Epstein
The High/Scope Curriculum

Eileen Borgia
The Project Approach

LUNCH – 12:30 p.m.

PLENARY SESSION
"Screening and Child Assessment"
Samuel J. Meisels
University of Michigan

BREAK – 3:30 p.m.

PANEL "Assessment: Birth to Five" Jacqueline Jones Graduate School of Education
Harvard University

Larry Schweinhart
High/Scope Educational
Research Foundation

Edward de Avila
Linguametrics

DINNER BREAK – 5:30 p.m.

DIALOGUES WITH EXPERTS – 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
An opportunity to meet today's plenary presenters and to ask questions

Tuesday
9:00 a.m.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PLENARY SESSION
"The Importance of Social and Emotional Attachment"

Tammy Mann
Zero to Three – Early Head Start
National Resource Center

Ron Lally
WestEd – Far West Lab

BREAK – 10:30 a.m.

"Establishing Environments in Which Children Can Succeed and Develop Positive Behaviors"

Mary Louise Hemmeter University of Kentucky

Phil Strain
University of Colorado at Denver

LUNCH – 12:30 p.m.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Affinity Groups
Facilitated discussion among education leaders from different communities on interpreting and implementing the ideas, research, and effective practices offered in plenary presentations

BREAK – 3:30 p.m.

Leadership Team Planning
Work sessions for local teams of managers to develop a vision and action plans for program improvement using the Implementation Planner

DINNER BREAK – 5:30 p.m.

DIALOGUES WITH EXPERTS – 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
An opportunity to meet today's plenary presenters and to ask questions

Wednesday
9:00 a.m.

MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PLENARY SESSION VIDEO

"Discoveries of Infancy: Cognitive Development and Learning"
Veronica Rodriguez
WestEd – Far West Lab

"Mathematics for Young Children"
Kathy Richardson
Mathematical Perspectives
Doug Clements
State University of New York at Buffalo

BREAK – 10:30 a.m.

"Science in the Early Childhood Years"

Carolyn Edwards
University of Nebraska

Karen Lind
University of Louisville

LUNCH – 12:30 p.m.

INTERACTIVE AFTERNOON
Performing Arts Stage
2:00 - 3:30
Hilton Washington
International Ballroom

2:00 - 5:30

• Poster Sessions
• Resources
• Children's Art Gallery
• Video Theaters

ICE CREAM BREAK – 3:30 p.m.

4:00 - 5:30

• Showcasing Practices in Head
  Start and Early Head Start
• Dialogues with Experts

CLOSING – 5:30 p.m.

Open evening for exploring Washington, D.C.

Thursday
9:00 a.m.

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

PLENARY SESSION PANEL
"Language Development, Including English Language Learners"

Jerlean Daniel
University of Pittsburgh

Patton O. Tabors
Graduate School of Education
Harvard University

Kathy Escamilla
University of Colorado at Boulder

BREAK – 10:30 a.m.

PANEL

"Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners and Preserving Native Languages"

Nila Rinehart
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida, Alaska

Graciela Italiano-Thomas
Centro de la Familia de Utah

Maryann Cornish
Higher Horizons Head Start

LUNCH – 12:30 p.m.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Affinity Groups
Facilitated discussion among education leaders from different communities on interpreting and implementing the ideas, research, and effective practices offered in plenary presentations

BREAK – 3:30 p.m.

Leadership Team Planning
Work sessions for local teams of managers to develop a vision and action
plans for program improvement using the Implementation Planner

DINNER BREAK – 5:30 p.m.

DIALOGUES WITH EXPERTS – 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
An opportunity to meet today's and tomorrow's plenary presenters and to ask
questions

Friday
9:00 a.m.

LITERACY

PLENARY SESSION

"Fostering Early Literacy in Classrooms and Homes"

Dorothy Strickland
Rutgers University

Susan B. Neuman
Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement
University of Michigan

BREAK – 10:30 a.m.

"Approaches to Effective Family Literacy"

Sharon Darling
National Center for Family Literacy

Gerie Cruz
Former Head Start Parent

CLOSING LUNCHEON – 1:00 p.m.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND RECOGNITION OF PARTICIPANTS

"Educational Leaders in Head Start and Early Head Start: A Privilege and Responsibility"

Maurice Sykes
Early Childhood Leadership Institute
University of the
District of Columbia

ADJOURN – 4:00 p.m.