Head Start was designed as a holistic intervention to improve economically disadvantaged, preschool-aged children's cognitive and social development by providing a comprehensive set of educational, health, nutritional, and social services, as well as opportunities for parent involvement (Zigler & Valentine, 1979). Given the current interest in ECE…

The youth mentoring program Big Brothers Big Sisters is one of the first social interventions involving youth in Ireland to be evaluated using a randomized controlled trial methodology. This article sets out the design process undertaken, describing how the research team came to adopt a concurrent embedded mixed methods design as a means of…

Data from 86 Early Childhood Education (ECE) projects in Oregon were analyzed using methods prescribed by the Value Added model for ECE evaluation. The extent to which appropriate model implementation procedures were followed is unknown. Thus, the results represent an empirical account of the model's estimates of project impact, rather than a…

This paper reviews research and evaluation results which indicate the effectiveness of Head Start. Research concerning the effects of Head Start on the academic achievement and cognitive and social functioning of children is summarized briefly, and research on the impact of medical, dental, and nutritional services made available by Head Start is…

The Perry Preschool Project assessed longitudinal effects of a 2-year program consisting of a daily 3-hour cognitively oriented nursery, a weekly 90-minute home visit, and less frequent group meetings of the pupils' parents. Subjects consisted of 3- and 4-year-old Negro disadvantaged and functionally retarded children, whose pretest scores on the…

This study evaluates the Unified Sciences and Mathematics for Elementary School (USMES) curriculum developed by the Education Development Center in Massachusetts. Effects of using USMES materials on students' economic understanding, attitudes, and problem-solving ability were explored. The research also examined the simultaneous relationship…

A report is given of a 3-year longitudinal study which has two strands, both of which are concerned with understanding better the complexities of teaching and learning science, knowing more of the processes by which individuals change, and understanding more of the research methodologies appropriate for these purposes. The first strand involves…

The design of the Phasing in Career Education Systematically (PICES) project was based on two data centered systems, sequencing and needs assessment. Four Texas independent school districts participated in the project which directly involved 986 students, 69 teachers, and 27 administrators. Some of the major activities conducted in each district…

Anecdotal reports of the protective qualities of mentoring relationships for youth are corroborated by a growing body of research. What is missing, however, is research on the processes by which mentors influence developmental outcomes. In this article, we present a conceptual model of the mentoring process along with a delineation of some of the…

An examination of the effectiveness of English-Ukrainian partial immersion programs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba looks at research already done in five areas: student achievement in English language skills, Ukrainian language skills, academic subjects other than English or Ukrainian, students' cognitive development, and students' social…

This paper presents a moderately detailed overview of research and development needs through an analysis of past, current, and planned research efforts, in conjunction with recommendations of a sociological, political, and moral nature. This approach is in line with pleas for more comprehensive theories and for assessment and programming which…

The second of three volumes, this document provides a description of the coding system, the rules and the procedures followed in interpreting and classifying 4,896 statements of desired program effects on Head Start children. The statements had been identified and rated by parents, staff and teachers in Input Workshops conducted by the Head Start…

Measuring cognitive achievement gains in project evaluation is dealt with. This guide provides those concerned with project evaluation with the basic tools for conducting technically sound, interpretable evaluation studies. Exotic designs are avoided and five basic models which appear feasible to implement in real-world settings are focused on.…

This book is a compilation of papers presented at a seminar on cognitive development in South Africa and one additional paper. The papers were intended to stimulate research and stress the need for program evaluations. Papers concerned: (1) an initiative to improve black primary school teachers' English language, thinking, and teaching skills, and…

Arguing that summaries of 562 studies from 1985 through 1994 reveal that almost no attention is paid to the cognitive effects of Head Start programs, this report criticizes Head Start as being steadily and more generously funded without evidence that it helps children's scholastic achievements. The report criticizes available studies as practicing…