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Relevant Sections Related to the Advisory Committee
on Head Start Research and Evaluation
Sec. 649 Research, Demonstrations, and Evaluation
(g) National Head Start Impact Research
Legislative Authority: Head Start Act,
as amended.
U.S. Code Citation: 42 USC 9801 et seq.
ACF Regulations: 45 CFR 1301 et seq.
Legislative History:
The "Head Start Act" is Title VI, Subtitle A, Chapter
8, Subchapter B of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981,
PL 97-35 (8/13/81). Minor amendments to this Act were made by the
"Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals With Disabilities
Amendments of 1993," PL 103-218 (3/9/94). This Act was most recently
reauthorized, through fiscal year 2003, by the Coats Human Services
Amendments of 1998, PL 105-285 (10/27/98)
Note: This compilation was prepared by HHS staff who
have striven to ensure it is complete and accurate. However, this
is not an official compilation and may not be completely free of
error.
(g) NATIONAL HEAD START IMPACT RESEARCH-
(1) EXPERT PANEL-
(A) IN GENERAL-The Secretary shall appoint an independent
panel consisting of experts in program evaluation and research,
education, and early childhood programs-
(i) to review, and make recommendations on, the
design and plan for the research (whether conducted as a single
assessment or as a series of assessments) described in paragraph
(2), within 1 year after the date of enactment of the Coats
Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1998;
(ii) to maintain and advise the Secretary regarding
the progress of the research; and
(iii) to comment, if the panel so desires, on
the interim and final research reports submitted under paragraph
(7).
(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES-The members of the panel shall
not receive compensation for the performance of services for the
panel, but shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem
in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code,
while away from their homes or regular places of business in the
performance of services for the panel. Notwithstanding section
1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary may accept
the voluntary and uncompensated services of members of the panel.
(2) GENERAL AUTHORITY-
After reviewing the recommendations of the expert
panel, the Secretary shall make a grant to, or enter into a contract
or cooperative agreement with an organization to conduct independent
research that provides a national analysis of the impact of Head
Start programs. The Secretary shall ensure that the organization
shall have expertise in program evaluation, and research, education,
and early childhood programs.
(3) DESIGNS AND TECHNIQUES-
The Secretary shall ensure that the research uses
rigorous methodological designs and techniques (based on the recommendations
of the expert panel), including longitudinal designs, control
groups, nationally recognized standardized measures, and random
selection and assignment, as appropriate. The Secretary may provide
that the research shall be conducted as a single comprehensive
assessment or as a group of coordinated assessments designed to
provide, when taken together, a national analysis of the impact
of Head Start programs.
(4) PROGRAMS-
The Secretary shall ensure that the research focuses
primarily on Head Start programs that operate in the 50 States,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia and
that do not specifically target special populations.
(5) ANALYSIS-
The Secretary shall ensure that the organization
conducting the research-
(A)(i) determines if, overall, the Head Start
programs have impacts consistent with their primary goal of
increasing the social competence of children, by increasing
the everyday effectiveness of the children in dealing with their
present environments and future responsibilities, and increasing
their school readiness;
(ii) considers whether the Head Start programs-
(I) enhance the growth and development of children
in cognitive, emotional, and physical health areas;
(II) strengthen families as the primary nurturers
of their children; and
(III) ensure that children attain school readiness;
and
(iii) examines-
(I) the impact of the Head Start programs on
increasing access of children to such services as educational,
health, and nutritional services, and linking children and
families to needed community services; and
(II) how receipt of services described in subclause
(I) enriches the lives of children and families participating
in Head Start programs;
(B) examines the impact of Head Start programs
on participants on the date the participants leave Head Start
programs, at the end of kindergarten and at the end of first
grade (whether in public or private school), by examining a
variety of factors, including educational achievement, referrals
for special education or remedial course work, and absenteeism;
(C) makes use of random selection from the population
of all Head Start programs described in paragraph (4) in selecting
programs for inclusion in the research; and
(D) includes comparisons of individuals who participate
in Head Start programs with control groups (including comparison
groups) composed of-
(i) individuals who participate in other early
childhood programs (such as public or private preschool programs
and day care); and
(ii) individuals who do not participate in any
other early childhood program.
(6) CONSIDERATION OF SOURCES OF VARIATION-
In designing the research, the Secretary shall,
to the extent practicable, consider addressing possible sources
of variation in impact of Head Start programs, including variations
in impact related to such factors as-
(A) Head Start program operations;
(B) Head Start program quality;
(C) the length of time a child attends a Head
Start program;
(D) the age of the child on entering the Head
Start program;
(E) the type of organization (such as a local
educational agency or a community action agency) providing services
for the Head Start program;
(F) the number of hours and days of program operation
of the Head Start program (such as whether the program is a
full-working-day, full calendar year program, a part-day program,
or a part-year program); and
(G) other characteristics and features of the
Head Start program (such as geographic location, location in
an urban or a rural service area, or participant characteristics),
as appropriate.
(7) REPORTS-
(A) SUBMISSION OF INTERIM REPORTS-The organization
shall prepare and submit to the Secretary two interim reports
on the research. The first interim report shall describe the
design of the research, and the rationale for the design, including
a description of how potential sources of variation in impact
of Head Start programs have been considered in designing the
research. The second interim report shall describe the status
of the research and preliminary findings of the research, as
appropriate.
(B) SUBMISSION OF FINAL REPORT-The organization
shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a final report containing
the findings of the research.
(C) TRANSMITTAL OF REPORTS TO CONGRESS-
(i) IN GENERAL-The Secretary shall transmit,
to the committees described in clause (ii), the first interim
report by September 30, 1999, the second interim report by
September 30, 2001, and the final report by September 30,
2003.
(ii) COMMITTEES-The committees referred to in
clause (i) are the Committee on Education and the Workforce
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor
and Human Resources of the Senate.
(8) DEFINITION-
In this subsection, the term 'impact', used with respect
to a Head Start program, means a difference in an outcome for a
participant in the program that would not have occurred without
the participation in the program.
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