WHITLOWE R. GREEN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Doctoral Defense Announcement
ABSTRACT
An Examination of the Impact of the Federal Head Start Program on
Disciplinary Behaviors in Early Elementary School Years
(November 2015)
Michelle Lockwood-Snodgrass, BBA Lamar
University; M.Ed., Prairie View A&M University
Chair of Advisory Committee: Patricia Hoffman-Miller, Ph.D.
It is an unforgiving truth that a growing number of children in the United States exhibit
disruptive, or externalizing behavior (also referred to as antisocial, challenging, defiant,
noncompliant, aggressive, and acting-out behavior), beyond the occasional minor incidents
typical of most children during the normal course of their development. Such behavior is one of
the most pressing issues in schools today (Bullock, Reilly, & Donahue, 1983; Evans & Evans,
1985; Hranitz & Eddowes, 2013). Problematic behaviors exhibited by young children continues
to be a topic of concern for all educators.
This research focused on the impact that a Federal Head Start program operating in a
Southeast Texas school district had on student behavior during the student’s early elementary
school years. The Federal Head Start program is defined as “a comprehensive program to meet
the emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs” designed for “preschool
children of low-income families” aged up to five years, as a strategic measure “to help break the
cycle of poverty” (Office of the Head Start, 2014).
This study compared the rates and significance of school discipline referrals of early
elementary students attending the Head Start program, and students who did not attend the Head
Start program. This comparative analysis helped to measure the Head Start program’s impact on
subsequent behavioral problems of students as they transitioned from Head Start to
Kindergarten, First, Second, and Third Grades.
The following research questions guided the study:
1. Is there a statistically significant difference in the numbers of disciplinary referrals
between those who participated in Head Start and those who did not participate?
2. Is there a statistically significant difference in the severity of referrals between those
who participated in Head Start and those who did not participate?
3. Are differences in the number of disciplinary referrals moderated by gender?
4. Are differences in the severity of disciplinary referrals moderated by gender?
5. How does the relationship
between the number of disciplinary referrals and
participation in Head Start change over time?
6. How does the relationship
between the severity of disciplinary referrals and
participation in Head Start change over time?
7. Is the longitudinal relationship between Head Start participation and numbers of
referrals moderated by gender?
8. Is the longitudinal relationship between Head Start participation and severity of
referrals moderated by gender?
The researcher used a quantitative research design to identify if there were differences in
the numbers and severity of disciplinary referrals received between those who participated in the
Head Start program and those who did not.
The statistical analyses showed that it is possible to conclude that there was a significant
difference in both the number of disciplinary referrals and the severity of disciplinary referrals
between the students who attended Head Start and those who did not attend Head Start. It was
found that the students who attended Head Start, who received disciplinary referrals, received
significantly fewer disciplinary referrals and those referrals had a significantly reduced severity.
The results also indicated that attendance, or no attendance in the Head Start program, may not
be enough to predict whether students will have greater disciplinary problems as they enter and
progress through elementary school. Additional research is needed in which more of the
demographic variables of the students are investigated in order to determine the moderating
effect of those variables on actual disciplinary behavioral differences between students who
attend Head Start and students who did not attend Head Start.
References
Bullock, L., Rielly, T., & Donahue, C. (1983), School violence and what teachers can do about
it. Contemporary Education, 55(1), 40-43.
Office of the Head Start (2014). History of Head Start. Administration for children & families,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Date: November 11, 2015
Time:
1:00pm
Department: Educational Leadership and Counseling
Location/Room:
DELCO 220
Dissertation Chair:
Patricia Hoffman-Miller, PhD
Dissertation Committee Members:
Douglas Hermond, Ph.D.
Lisa Thompson, Ph.D.
Samuel S. Sampson, Ph.D.
Bennie Graves, Ph.D.
Revised: May 14, 2012