One of the most popular and enduring legacies of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs, Project Head Start continues to support young children of low-income families - close to one million annually - by providing a range of developmental and educational services. Policy makers proposing to reform and update Head Start often invoke its origins to justify their position, but until now no comprehensive political history of the program has existed.Maris A. Vinovskis here provides in "The Birth of Head Start" an in-depth look at the nation's largest and best-known - yet politically challenged - early education program. He sets the record straight on the program's intended aims, documenting key decisions made during its formative years. While previous accounts of Head Start have neglected the contributions of important participants such as federal education officials and members of Congress, Vinovskis' history is the first to consider the relationship between politics and policy making and how this interaction has shaped the program. This thorough and incisive book will be essential for policy makers and legislators interested in prekindergarten education and will inform future discussions on early intervention services for disadvantaged children.

About the Author
Maris A. Vinovskis is the Bentley Professor of History at the University of Michigan, where he is also a member of the faculty of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the Institute for Social Research. He has written and edited numerous books, including History and Educational Policymaking and Learning from the Past: What History Teaches Us about School Reform.

Reviews
"Vinovskis is recognized as the premier historian of children's programs. His renowned scholarship makes everything he writes must-reading for anyone involved in early childhood issues. The Birth of Head Start is a tremendous contribution to the preservation of the history of our nation's innovative Head Start program." - Edward Zigler, confounder of Head Start"



Book Information
ISBN 9780226856728
Author Maris A. Vinovskis
Format Paperback
Page Count 219
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 340g
Dimensions(mm) 23mm * 15mm * 1mm