The Head Start Redi Program: Initial Impact On Teachers and Children

Introduction

This paper describes the design, implementation and initial outcomes of the classroom-based REDI (Research-Based, Developmentally-Informed) preschool enrichment program when implemented in Head Start. The goal of REDI was to enrich Head Start programs with specific evidence-based curriculum components targeting children’s language, emergent literacy and social-emotional development.  The program also utilized professional development activities designed to improve the quality of teacher’s language use, emotional support, and positive behavioral management strategies in the classroom.

 Methods

44 Head Start classrooms were randomly assigned to intervention or “usual practice” control conditions.  All 4-year-old children in these classrooms were invited to participate in the study, and 86% did so, providing a sample of 356 children (17% Hispanic, 25% African American, 42% European American; 54% girls).  These children were pre-tested at the start of their prekindergarten year, and again at the end of the year.  Measures included direct child assessments, teacher ratings, parent ratings, and classroom observations.  In addition, teachers were observed at the start and end of the year.

 Results

At the end of the year, observer ratings documented statistically significant and moderate to large improvements in teacher language use (d = .62-.72) and positive classroom management practices, including positive emotional climate (d = .42) and positive discipline (d = .66) in REDI compared to “usual practice” classrooms.

 At the end of the prekindergarten year, positive intervention effects were also evident on child outcomes in areas of both cognitive and social-emotional school readiness.  In language and emergent literacy skills, children in REDI classrooms out-performed children in “usual practice” classrooms in areas of vocabulary acquisition (d = .15), phonological sensitivity (d = .35-.39), and print awareness (d = .16, p < .10).  In the area of social-emotional school readiness, significant intervention effects were evident on improved emotion knowledge and social problem-solving skills (d = .21 to .35), decreased aggression (d = .28), and improved learning engagement based on observer ratings (d = .29).

 Conclusions

We conclude that evidence-based preschool programming has considerable potential to enhance the impact of Head Start and improve the school readiness of vulnerable and disadvantaged children at the end of the prekindergarten year.  However, reaching that potential may require a significant, strategic investment in curriculum enrichment and professional development support.