State-funded prekindergarten (preK) programs are increasingly common across the country. This study estimated the effects of eight state-funded preK programs

The benefits of Head Start are under increased scrutiny as Congress debates its reauthorization. How effective is Head Start, and how can it be improved? We provide a current overview and critical evaluation of Head Start research and discuss implications of this research with an eye toward informing debate. There has been a good deal of controversy over whether Head Start produces lasting benefits, dating back to its early years. Our review finds mixed, but generally positive, evidence regarding Head Start's long-term benefits. Although studies typically find that increases in IQ fade out over time, many other studies also find decreases in grade retention and special education placements. Sustained increases in school achievement are sometimes found, but in other cases flawed research methods produce results that mimic fade-out. In recent years, the federal government has funded large-scale evaluations of Head Start and Early Head Start. Results from the Early Head Start evaluation are particularly informative, as study participants were randomly assigned to either the Early Head Start group or a control group. Early Head Start demonstrated modest improvements in children's development and parent beliefs and behavior. The ongoing National Head Start Impact Study, which is also using random assignment, should yield additional insight into Head Start's effectiveness. We conclude with suggestions for future research.

This study was conducted to further extend scaffolding research to low-income dyads because living in poverty may serve as a risk factor for experiencing difficulties in social and cognitive development during childhood. Scaffolding was examined in the context of mother-toddler dyads’ ( N = 56) performance of a routine feeding task that was difficult for 2-year-olds to complete independently. Both verbal and nonverbal behaviours were microanalytically coded in order to characterise the successive scaffolding strategies by mothers, and their children’s responses. Also, scaffolding data were compared to data on joint attention and dyadic reciprocity obtained from a free-play task. Results show that mothers’ use of constructive verbal strategies during the feeding task was positively associated with joint attention and mother-initiated dyadic reciprocity, both of which may be viewed as indices of maternal sensitivity. Thus, the provision of verbal assistance may be one mark of maternal sensitivity during scaffolding in low-income dyads.

The landscape of financing early childhood education in the U.S. is complex. Programs run the gamut from tuition-supported private centers to public programs supported by federal, state, or local funds. Different funding streams are poorly coordinated. The federal government funds several major targeted programs that are available only to specific subgroups of children. States have also tended to offer targeted programs, though in recent years several states have committed to serving all children at age 4. Types of finance models used in state preschool initiatives are examined in detail, and future opportunities to build a more cohesive system are explored.

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