Education Experiment Has Fared Well Funds To End For Preschool Head Start Followup

Dozens of North Idaho Head Start graduates have been getting a boost even after they complete the preschool program, thanks to a federal research project.

The project, which has pumped $800,000 in federal funds into Idaho each year since 1992, ends this year. But sponsors say it’s been successful enough that they’re going to search for private grants to continue the services.

The project has given a group of children and families in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Bonner County schools Head Start-like services - training for parents and teachers, in-classroom assistance, referrals to community services, newsletters and more - up through the third grade.

Kids in three southeastern Idaho districts also are getting the extended services, while children in three Boise-area districts are the control group - they are evaluated, but don’t get any services.

“Children that have had early intervention programs, when they enter third grade start to fall away,” said Carol Nelson, a University of Idaho professor and evaluation director for the research project. “Hopefully by giving them Head Start-like programs, we can prevent that fade-out.”

Head Start is a federally funded preschool program for disadvantaged youngsters and their families. Due to money problems, it serves only about one in five eligible children in Idaho.

The research project is nationwide, but most of the 32 states participating included only one or two school districts. Idaho is the only state that, through its grant application, set up a statewide project.

“As we’ve gotten into this project, the schools have gotten more and more enthused about it,” said state Rep. Doug Jones, R-Filer, chairman of the project’s volunteer governing board. Becky Ford, curriculum director for the Post Falls School District, agrees. She’s worked with the program both as an elementary school principal in Post Falls, and as an administrator.

“There’s absolutely not a doubt in my mind that it’s highly successful,” Ford said.

Marilyn Sword, the project’s director, said, “There’s a lot of emphasis as to what the families can do to help their child’s education at home.”

Added Nelson, “That’s one of the strengths of the Head Start program - the parent as a partner.”

The research project runs through the end of this school year, when the second group of children in the project completes the third grade. Then statisticians will analyze the results from across the nation, giving a final report next year.

Preliminary results in Idaho are encouraging, Jones said.

“We’ve seen enough from the project that we think this ought to be continued,” he said. “So we’re poking around, looking for grants.”

Post Falls Superintendent of Schools Richard Harris said, “As far as the value of Head Start, I am certainly a believer in the program. It helps those kids get that extra added little support and push that they need to get up with where the other youngsters are.”

, DataTimes