Head start teaching center: Describing the initiation of a new approach to head start staff development

Abstract

This paper provides a description of the program and formative evaluation of the New England Head Start Teaching Center, one of fourteen funded nationally to study alternative approaches to Head Start staff development. Head Start Teaching Centers are a national demonstration project created to provide participatory training in all Head Start component areas within the context of an exemplary Head Start program. Each Teaching Center employs an independent evaluation project. The New England Teaching Center is designed to provide intensive training during a 3- to 5-day period of residence at the Teaching Center. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Head Start Teaching Center model and its implementation in the New England region. Additionally, formative evaluation data regarding the process of developing and initiating the New England Teaching Center are presented and discussed.