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Children at Risk: Effects of a Four-Year Head Start Transition Program on Special Education Identification

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Abstract

Children in Head Start are at risk for school learning or behavioral problems. While Head Start has decreased special education placement, there has been little systematic data until recently on identification of children in disability categories following preschool. In this study, two cohorts of 6,162 children across 30 sites were followed through third grade. Approximately half of these children were provided transition assistance from kindergarten through third grade. This included school transition and curricular modifications, parent involvement activities, health screening or referrals, and family social services, all similar to those received in Head Start. They were compared to a similar group of Head Start children who did not receive such services beyond the Head Start experience. Special education eligibility was determined from school records in the spring of third grade. Only 0.89% of children in the transition group were identified in the mental retardation category compared to 1.26% in the non-transition group. In the category of emotional disturbance, these same figures were 1.21% and 1.65% respectively. Both differences were statistically significant, but an opposite effect was found in the category of speech or language impairment. Findings are discussed in relation to differences in disability categories and implications for early identification.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Glenwood Children's Resource Center and Center for Development and Learning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

    Sandra Cluett Redden (Psychologist)

  2. UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Los Angeles, CA

    Steven R. Forness (Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Inpatient School Principal)

  3. Civitan International Research Center, Birmingham, AL

    Sharon L. Ramey (Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, Pediatrics, Sociology, Nursing, Maternal and Child Health, and Neurobiology and Co-director)

  4. Civitan International Research Center, Birmingham, AL

    Craig T. Ramey (Professor of Psychology, Pediatrics, Sociology, Maternal and Child Health, Nursing, and Neurobiology and Co-director)

  5. Information Systems and Data Analysis Department, Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

    Carl M. Brezausek (Director)

  6. University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

    Kenneth A. Kavale (Professor of Special Education)

Authors
  1. Sandra Cluett Redden
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  2. Steven R. Forness
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  3. Sharon L. Ramey
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  4. Craig T. Ramey
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  5. Carl M. Brezausek
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  6. Kenneth A. Kavale
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Redden, S.C., Forness, S.R., Ramey, S.L. et al. Children at Risk: Effects of a Four-Year Head Start Transition Program on Special Education Identification. Journal of Child and Family Studies 10, 255–270 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016659710619

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