Head Start managers shift focus to literacy

President Bush is pushing a plan to dramatically refocus Head Start, the federally funded preschool program for poor children, on literacy. The move is a high-stakes gamble that teaching the more than 900,000 children under age 5 in Head Start the rudiments of reading will eventually boost literacy rates among older schoolchildren as well.

In connection with the effort, the Head Start bureau at the Administration for Children and Families, the federal agency charged with overseeing the 38-year-old program, has refocused on literacy, adjusting accordingly the technical assistance it offers the nation's nearly 1,600 Head Start programs.

With Congress set to reauthorize the Head Start program this year, other changes may be in store, such as a new set of literacy-focused performance standards, and tougher education requirements for Head Start teachers. In the July issue of Government Executive, Shawn Zeller reports on how the changes have sparked a mixture of fear and anticipation among Head Start directors and early childhood researchers. To read the full story, click here.