An evaluation of the effectiveness of the national Head Start Bureau early literacy mentor-coach initiative on teacher literacy practices and children's literacy learning outcomes

In a one year period starting June of 2002 through 2003, the Head Start Bureau developed a national staff development initiative. The national staff development initiative was provided as mentor-coach initiative aimed at supporting teacher instructional practices. The goal of the initiative was to improve the quality of teachers serving each and every Head Start classroom. Since this was a federally sponsored initiative that involved substantial finances and resources, the goal of this study was to investigate the extent to which this initiative was effective in impacting teacher literacy practices and children's literacy outcomes. Three major research questions were investigated in this study: (1) Do children's literacy performance assessment scores between the control group and the experimental group serve as an indicator for the effectiveness of the mentor-coach initiative? (2) Do teacher's classroom literacy practices between the control group and the experimental group serve as an indicator for the effectiveness of the mentor-coach initiative? (3) Do children's growth in the literacy performance assessment based on the comparison of the fall 2003 to winter 2004 and fall 2004 to winter 2005 assessment data between the control and experimental group serve as an indicator for the effectiveness of the mentor-coach initiative?; Classroom observations were used and children's literacy scores were obtained from the various Head Start programs that participated in the study. Forty-four classrooms participated in the study. Two statistical techniques were used, independent t tests and Multivariate Analysis of Variance. The findings of the study revealed that the mentor coach initiative had an impact on children's literacy learning outcomes. Children in the experimental group performed significantly better in the two language components (listening and speaking; and reading and writing) than children in the control group. Results showed that teachers in the experimental group performed significantly better in the classrooms observation literacy practices. Non significant results were obtained for two literacy practices: literacy environment and literacy activities rating scale.; Non significant results were attributed to the fact that the mentor-coach initiative was continuing in the Head Start programs and teachers that participated in the control group had experienced the mentor-coach initiative in some way. The significant MANOVA results revealed that children in both years performed significantly different with the listening and speaking component having higher means in both years than writing. Children's performance in the control group dropped in the second year while those of the experimental group increased. Non significant MANOVA results revealed no significant performance differences depending on group children belonged in. Children in the two groups did not perform significantly differently across the two year periods.