Research by Author & Topic

Publications by Olivia Golden on Head Start and Elementary Education

This chapter was part of an online effort by the Center for American Progress Action Fund and New Democracy Project to offer expert advice to the new administration as part of its Change for America book project (http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2008/changeforamerica/additionalcontributions.html). Washington’s new leadership, its authors say, should build on the Administration for Children and Families’ assets and focus on the interrelated goals of promoting family economic security and promoting healthy child and youth development. These twin goals can best be achieved through new strate­gic investments, capacity building and innovative partnerships, coordination across offices and departments, and collaboration with states and the private sector.

Olivia Golden, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute and a former assistant secretary for children and families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, explains, in a New Orleans Times-Picayune commentary, how cost-effective programs like Early Head Start and Head Start can help heal the trauma suffered by babies, toddlers and older children affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers were doing badly in New Orleans before Katrina and are vulnerable to emotional and developmental damage afterwards. To heal the damage and narrow the gap in school readiness, these youngsters need high quality early childhood programs that blend health, mental health, and learning, along with support for parents. An ambitious plan to bring back families with young children and give them what they need should be a cornerstone of New Orleans' redevelopment, building on the proven model and national infrastructure offered by Head Start/Early Head Start and drawing in additional local partners and federal funding.

The long road to recovery after Hurricane Katrina requires clear thinking about child development and neighborhood revitalization. Fortunately, say two Urban Institute experts, the building blocks of an effective policy response already exist.

This testimony was presented before the Senate Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development. Senior Fellow and Director of the Assessing the New Federalism project, Olivia Golden, discusses the Head Start program, federal monitoring, and the Government Accountability Office's recent report on a comprehensive approach to identifying and addressing risks. Golden offers perspective on effective strategies for building the strongest possible federal oversight role to support high-quality, fiscally accountable, programmatically successful, and well-managed Head Start programs..