The Hatch team is very pleased to post our Early Head Start ARRA solution! My colleague, Dr. Dale McManis (dmcmanis@hatchearlychildhood.com)and I have made great effort to align our solution with current research from birth to 3 year old children. Our sources for this alignment were Zero to Three, ITERS and other early childhood researchers. You will find them listed on page 9 of this document.

In addition, you will find a crosswalk matching the different development milestones with the action of the caregiver. Last but not least, we have reviewed our product line and aligned our products with each milestone from birth to three. Early Head Start programs will find an appendix with other research articles for your use. As noted on the cover, EHS programs have our permission to duplicate any or all of this document for your use.

Excellent customer service is one of Hatch’s goals. It begins with providing sound research based support for our very busy Early Head Start programs. Please write a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Download the Early Head Start ARRA Hatch Solution here!

ACF Defines Head Start Quality Improvement-Log No. ACF-PI-HS-09-06     04/02/09 

The US Dept. of Health & Human Services and US Dept. of Education are providing additional guidance to the early childhood field to support wise planning and purchasing decisions using ARRA Stimulus funding.

On April 2, US Dept. of HHS provided Head Start Grantees and Delegate Agencies’ guidance as to Program Instruction. In the areas of Quality Improvement, this document states,

"Any proposed use of quality improvement funding must be consistent with the provisions of Section 640 (a)(5) of the Head Start Act. (These provisions are different from those that were in effect the last time grantees received quality improvement increases. Please read them carefully before submitting your application.) (iv) Ensuring that Head Start programs have qualified staff that promote the language skills and literacy growth of children that provide children with a variety of skills that have been identified, through scientifically based reading research, as predictive of later reading achievement."

Please remember Sec. 641A. Standards; Monitoring of Head Start Agencies [42 U.S.C. 9836A]

1. Standards
   1. (B) Scientifically based and developmentally appropriate education performance standards related to school readiness based on the Head Start Outcomes Framework to ensure that children participating in the program, at a minimum, develop and demonstrate
      1. language knowledge
      2. literacy knowledge and skills (phonological awareness; print & alphabet knowledge)
      3. mathematics knowledge and skills
      4. science knowledge and skills
      5. cognitive abilities related to academic achievement and child development
      6. approaches to learning
      7. social and emotional development
      8. abilities in creative arts
      9. physical development
      10. limited English Proficient children

US Dept of Ed. issued the Early Reading First grant announcement in February reflecting much of the findings in the National Early Literacy Panel. This announcement mirrors in many ways the Head Start Act passed in fall of 2007. It is my hope that the Early Childhood field will not ignore this joined effort to provide clear guidance for instruction for these very young children.