The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is a major source of information on Head Start programs and the children and families they serve. Since 1997, FACES has conducted studies in a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs, but has historically not included Region XI (programs operated by federally-recognized tribes), whose programs are designed to serve predominantly American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families. The American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (AI/AN FACES), the first national study of Region XI AI/AN Head Start children and families, is designed to fill this information gap. For more information on FACES, please refer to the ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT03705377.
The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is a major source of information on Head Start programs and the children and families they serve. Since 1997, FACES has conducted studies in a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs, but has historically not included Region XI (programs operated by federally-recognized tribes), whose programs are designed to serve predominantly American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families. The American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (AI/AN FACES), the first national study of Region XI AI/AN Head Start children and families, is designed to fill this information gap. The design of AI/AN FACES has been informed by members of the AI/AN FACES Workgroup which includes tribal Head Start directors, researchers with expertise working with tribal communities, Mathematica Policy Research study staff, and federal officials from the Office of Head Start, Region XI, and the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation. Building on FACES as the foundation, members of the AI/AN FACES Workgroup have shared insights and information on the kinds of information needed about children and families served by Region XI AI/AN Head Start programs (including children's development and school readiness, parent and family demographics, health, and program engagement, and teacher, classroom, and program characteristics). Members also provided input on recruitment practices and study methods that are responsive to the unique cultural and self-governing contexts of tribal Head Start programs. Data collection with Region XI children, families, classrooms, and programs took place in the Fall of 2015 and the Spring of 2016. Twenty-one Region XI Head Start programs participated. Procedures for tribal review and approval in each of those 21 communities were followed. Information about this study has been shared broadly with tribal Head Start programs and tribal leaders via Office of Head Start (OHS) tribal consultations, nationally-broadcast webinars, National Indian Head Start Directors' Association Board of Directors (NIHSDA) annual conferences, the 2016 Administration for Children and Families (ACF) National Research Conference on Early Childhood, and the Secretary's Tribal Advisory Council (STAC) December 2014 and 2016 meetings.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
1,194
Mathematica Policy Research
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
English proficiency
Children's English language proficiency was assessed during week-long site visits using Preschool Language Assessment Survey (preLAS 2000): Simon Says and Art Show. See Duncan and DeAvila for more information on the scores and technical properties. Duncan, S.E., and E. DeAvila. Preschool Language Assessment Survey 2000 Examiner's Manual: English Forms C and D. Monterey, CA: CTB/McGraw-Hill, 1998.
Time frame: 1 year
Language-English receptive vocabulary
Indicators of language were assessed during week-long site visits using Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Fourth Edition (PPVT-4). See Dunn and Dunn 2006 for more information on the scores and technical properties. Dunn, L. M., \& Dunn, D. M. Peabody Picture and Vocabulary Test, Fourth Edition. Examiner's Manual and Norms Booklet. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service, 2006.
Time frame: 1 year
Language-Expressive vocabulary
Indicators of language were assessed during week-long site visits using Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test-Fourth Edition (EOWPVT-4). See Martin and Brownell 2011 for more information on the scores and technical properties. EOWPVT-4: Martin, N., and R. Brownell. "Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test-4th Edition." Novato, CA: Academic Therapy Publications, 2011.
Time frame: 1 year
Literacy-Letter word knowledge/early writing
Indicators of literacy were assessed during week-long site visits using Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement-Third Edition (Spelling, Letter-Word Identification). Please see Woodcock et al. 2001 for more information on the scores and technical properties. Woodcock, R. W., McGrew, K. S. \& Mather, N. (2001). Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement, Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing, 2001.
Time frame: 1 year
Literacy-Letter sounds knowledge
Indicators of literacy were assessed during week-long site visits using ECLS-B Letter Sounds. Please see Snow et al. 2007 for more information on the scores and technical properties. Snow, K., L. Thalji, A. Derecho, S. Wheeless, J. Lennon, S. Kinsey, J. Rogers, M. Raspa, and J. Park. "Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), Preschool Year Data File User's Manual (2005-06)." NCES 2008-024. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2007.
Time frame: 1 year
Mathematics
Indicators of mathematics were assessed during week-long site visits using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) preschool mathematics assessment of children's understanding of relative size, ordinal numbers, and pattern matching; number recognition; and the children's ability to count, recognize shapes, add, and solve word problems. Please see Snow et al. 2007 for more information on the scores and technical properties. Snow, K., L. Thalji, A. Derecho, S. Wheeless, J. Lennon, S. Kinsey, J. Rogers, M. Raspa, and J. Park. "Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), Preschool Year Data File User's Manual (2005-06)." NCES 2008-024. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2007.
Time frame: 1 year
Mathematics
Indicators of mathematics were assessed during week-long site visits using the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement-Third Edition (Applied Problems Test). Please see Woodcock et al. 2001 for more information on the scores and technical properties. Woodcock, R. W., McGrew, K. S. \& Mather, N. (2001). Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement, Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing, 2001.
Time frame: 1 year
Children's physical health
Indicators of physical well-being were assessed by weighing (using kilograms) and measuring children's height (using centimeters), and using these measurements to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI).
Time frame: 1 year
General health status
Indicators of physical well-being were assessed by parent report to a survey item on if child's health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor.
Time frame: 1 year
Executive function
Indicators of executive function were assessed by a pencil-tapping task that requires the child do the opposite of what the assessor says (that is, tap one time when the assessor taps two times and tap two times when the assessor taps one time). Pencil Tapping provides an objective assessment of children's self-regulation, particularly inhibitory control and working memory. See Blair 2002 for example for more information on the task. Blair, C. "School Readiness: Integrating Cognition and Emotion in a Neurobiological Conceptualization of Children's Functioning at School Entry." American Psychologist, vol. 57, 2002, pp. 111-127.
Time frame: 1 year
Social-emotional development
Indicators of social-emotional development were assessed using teacher report of several items on children's positive and problem behaviors. Please see the AI/AN FACES 2015 User's Manual (Malone et al. 2018) for more information on the scores and technical information. Malone, L., A. Kopack Klein, S. Bernstein, B. Carlson, S. Albanese, A. Bloomenthal, J. Baker, M. Cavanaugh, M. Reid, K. Feeney, R. Sutton-Heisey, M. Hepburn, A. Kelly, and G. Lim. "American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2015 (AI/AN FACES 2015) User's Manual." Report submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2018.
Time frame: 1 year
Social-emotional development-cognitive/social behaviors
Indicators of social-emotional development were assessed using assessor report children's cognitive/social behaviors during the assessment time, using the Leiter-R Examiner Ratings. The Leiter-R comprises eight subscales that examine children's approach to the assessments, their engagement with the materials, and their ability to attend to and regulate their physical and emotional responses during the assessment tasks. Please see Roid and Miller 1997 for more information on the scores and technical properties. Roid, G.H., and L.J. Miller. Leiter International Performance Scale Revised, Examiner Rating Scale (Leiter-R). Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc., 1997.
Time frame: 1 year
Social-emotional development - Approaches to learning
Indicators of social-emotional development were assessed using teacher report of approaches to learning using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Class of 1998 (ECLS-K). The items assess a child's motivation, attention, organization, persistence, and independence in learning. Please see U.S. Department of Education 2002 for more information on the scores and technical properties. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. "Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K), Psychometric Report for Kindergarten through First Grade." NCES 2002-05. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2002.
Time frame: 1 year
Classroom quality-teacher child interactions
Indicators of classroom quality were assessed using the the PreK Classroom Assessment Scoring System. The Pre-K CLASS assesses the qualities of interactions between teachers and students in classrooms and measures aspects of interactions related to children's early academic achievement and social competencies. Please see Pianta et al. 2008 for more information on the scores and technical properties. Pianta, Robert, K. LaParo, and B. Hamre. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre-K Manual. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia, 2008.
Time frame: One-day observation in March-May 2016
Classroom quality-global classroom environment
Indicators of classroom quality were assessed using a shortened form of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), a global rating of classroom quality based on structural features of the classroom (Harms et al. 2005). The items in the short form represent the strongest 21 items identified by researchers in a large-scale study (Clifford et al. 2005). Please see Harms et al. 2005 and Clifford et al. 2005 for more information on the scores and measure technical properties. Harms, T., R.M. Clifford, and D. Cryer. Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale: Revised Edition. New York: Teachers College Press, 2005. Clifford, Richard, Oscar Barbarin, Florence Chang, Diane M. Early, Donna Bryant, Carollee Howes, Margaret Burchinal, and Robert Pianta. "What Is Pre-Kindergarten? Characteristics of Public Pre-Kindergarten Programs." Applied Developmental Science, vol. 9, no. 3, 2005, pp. 126-143.
Time frame: One-day observation in March-May 2016
Classroom quality-Native cultural and language experiences
Indicators of Native culture and language were assessed using Included a cultural items checklist on the presence and use of items such as cultural and Native language books or Native musical instruments, and a set questions on whether storytelling occurred, whether a tribal language was used, and whether any other activities exposed children to tribal culture during the observation.
Time frame: One-day observation in March-May 2016
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