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Author	Topic: Head Start's sad and costly secret -- what Washington doesn't want you to know	Post a Reply Back to Topics

teacher_tim Champion Author Maryland Posts:15,715 Points:744,525 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 1:16:07 PM Ignore teacher_tim Report Abuse "Head Start is an $8 billion per year federal preschool program, designed to improve the kindergarten readiness of low-income children. Since its inception in1965, taxpayers have spent more than $180 billion on the program. But HHS’ latest Head Start Impact Study found taxpayers aren’t getting a good return on this “investment.” According to the congressionally-mandated report, Head Start has little to no impact on cognitive, social-emotional, health, or parenting practices of its participants. In fact, on a few measures, access to the program actually produced negative effects.Head Start doesn’t need more money. It needs to be put on the chopping block. The HHS’ scientifically-rigorous study tracked 5,000 children who were randomly assigned to either a group receiving Head Start services or a group that did not participate in Head Start. It followed their progression from ages three or four through the end of third grade. The third-grade evaluation is a continuation to HHS’ first-grade study, which followed children through the end of first grade. The first-grade evaluation found that any benefits the children may have accrued while in the Head Start program had dissipated by the time they reached first grade. The study also revealed that Head Start failed to improve the literacy, math and language skills of the four year-old cohort and had a negative impact on the teacher-assessed math ability of the three-year-old cohort. Based on this track record, HHS and Head Start devotees should not have been surprised to learn that the results of the third-grade evaluation were even worse. If the impacts of Head Start had all but disappeared by first grade, how could they suddenly reappear by the end of third grade?" Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/14/head-start-sad-and-costly-secret-what-washington-doesnt-want-to-know/?intcmp=obnetwork#ixzz2ILtnZuYb So we ADDED another $100 million into the bloated Sandy Relief Bill for this program! Can you say "Duh"

teacher_tim

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Maryland

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Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 1:16:07 PM

Ignore teacher_tim Report Abuse

"Head Start is an $8 billion per year federal preschool program, designed to improve the kindergarten readiness of low-income children. Since its inception in1965, taxpayers have spent more than $180 billion on the program.

But HHS’ latest Head Start Impact Study found taxpayers aren’t getting a good return on this “investment.” According to the congressionally-mandated report, Head Start has little to no impact on cognitive, social-emotional, health, or parenting practices of its participants. In fact, on a few measures, access to the program actually produced negative effects.Head Start doesn’t need more money. It needs to be put on the chopping block.

The HHS’ scientifically-rigorous study tracked 5,000 children who were randomly assigned to either a group receiving Head Start services or a group that did not participate in Head Start. It followed their progression from ages three or four through the end of third grade. The third-grade evaluation is a continuation to HHS’ first-grade study, which followed children through the end of first grade.

The first-grade evaluation found that any benefits the children may have accrued while in the Head Start program had dissipated by the time they reached first grade.

The study also revealed that Head Start failed to improve the literacy, math and language skills of the four year-old cohort and had a negative impact on the teacher-assessed math ability of the three-year-old cohort.

Based on this track record, HHS and Head Start devotees should not have been surprised to learn that the results of the third-grade evaluation were even worse. If the impacts of Head Start had all but disappeared by first grade, how could they suddenly reappear by the end of third grade?"

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/14/head-start-sad-and-costly-secret-what-washington-doesnt-want-to-know/?intcmp=obnetwork#ixzz2ILtnZuYb

So we ADDED another $100 million into the bloated Sandy Relief Bill for this program! Can you say "Duh"

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teacher_tim Champion Author Maryland Posts:15,715 Points:744,525 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jan 23, 2013 1:16:32 PM Ignore teacher_tim Report Abuse gocatgo, All schools offer free breakfast and lunch to those students whose parents aren't able to afford food for their children. The Head Start Program purported to do much more than just provide food. These reports show that it has failed in that mission or even hindered learning. Food for preschool and school-aged children can be provided MUCH more cheaply than this boondoggle.
gocatgo Champion Author South Carolina Posts:15,642 Points:2,528,605 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 11:52:33 AM Ignore gocatgo Report Abuse As a teen that missed some meals in school maybe it would have made a difference if I had head start. Who knows. Being hungry is not a good way to go through the school day after breakfast, that I know is a fact. I promised myself a long time ago my son would never go though what I did and he didn't. That said if there is waste in any program, do something about it. That does not mean we should turn our backs on those that need help. nstrd, "failure" try telling that to a child that would have gone hungry. We have money to enhance record profits of corporations and subsidize wealthy European and Asian armies then we have money to feed hungry American children. Charity begins at home.
nstrdnvstr Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:36,846 Points:3,983,980 Joined:May 2001	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 10:36:31 AM Ignore nstrdnvstr Report Abuse It is past time to end this program that was started by LBJ, it's an expensive failure.
jdhelm Champion Author Iowa Posts:11,848 Points:1,197,915 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 9:52:17 PM Ignore jdhelm Report Abuse i'm surprised at the potus-bho, you'd think he'd have uncle joe rectify this, right?
teacher_tim Champion Author Maryland Posts:15,715 Points:744,525 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 3:11:24 PM Ignore teacher_tim Report Abuse Hey, I just post them as I find them. $180 BILLION dollars... Wow!
flyboyUT Champion Author Utah Posts:22,835 Points:1,010,660 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 1:28:35 PM Ignore flyboyUT Report Abuse TTim - dont let the guy from 'San Bernardino' see your posting stuff like this. He will jump all over you and accuse you of really bad things.