Some Short Term Effects of Project Head Start: A Preliminary Report on the Second Year of Planned Variation--1970-71.

This preliminary report evaluates the second year, 1970-71, of Head Start Planned Variation (HSPV), covering research methodology, description of the models, characteristics of the children, classrooms and sites, estimated overall effects of the Head Start experience, differences in the effects of PV and comparison classrooms, and short term effects of 11 Head Start program models. An attempt is made to answer the questions: (1) What are the short term effects of a Head Start experience on children? (2) Are there discernible differences between the effects on children of a HSPV experience and a conventional Head Start experience? (3) Do PV models differ in their effects on Head Start children? Five outcome measures were used: three measures of cognitive achievement, one of general intelligence, and one of motor control. Major findings indicated that: the Head Start experience substantially increased children's test scores on all five outcome measures; that children who had prior preschool experience gained less overall than children whose first year of preschool was in Head Start in 1970-71; and that there seemed to be no consistent differences among Mexican American, black, and white children in their Head Start gains on the five outcome measures. No differences in effects were found between the HSPV programs and the comparison Head Start programs. (GO)