In Washington, D.C. there’s no shortage of tinkerers who write about what they think Head Start was, is, and should be without ever fully experiencing an actual Head Start program. That is why I have been so excited over the past year to be involved in discussions about strengthening the culture of data and continuous improvement in Head Start. Those engaging and passionate discussions included a group of organizations who respect the importance of practitioner perspectives in advancing policy and practice.
“Moneyball for Head Start: Using Data, Evidence, and Evaluation to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families” was written by Sara Mead and Ashley LiBetti Mitchel of Bellwether Education Partners and was crafted in partnership with Results for America, the Volcker Alliance, and the National Head Start Association with valuable input from both Head Start program leaders and policy experts. Not only does the paper recognize the extraordinary contributions Head Start programs have made to the lives of children and families over the past fifty years, but it also looks forward to how local programs can pursue stronger outcomes by using data to understand strengths, while identifying and intervening in potential areas for improvement. While federal energy has been building around the collection and use of data for years, “Moneyball for Head Start” specifically submits a set of recommendations for the roles the federal Office of Head Start, researchers, philanthropists, advocates, and programs can play in achieving a strong and effective culture of data in every Head Start program.