Upjohn Author ORCID Identifier
Series
Upjohn Institute working paper ; 26-425
DOI
10.17848/wp26-425
Issue Date
January 2026
Abstract
The Head Start program, launched in 1965 and targeted to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, remains the largest early childhood care and education (ECE) program in the United States and the only one deployed at the federal level. As such, the Head Start literature spans several decades and now allows for synthesis of findings from different contexts, time periods, and research designs. This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the rigorous evidence measuring Head Start’s effects on children, their families, and society. The focus is on how (1) the contrast between program and counterfactual conditions, (2) takeup of the program among eligible populations, and (3) treatment–effect heterogeneity inform interpretation and applicability of key findings. The paper presents implications of the evidence for the modern-day Head Start program and an adjacent, policy-relevant research agenda.
Subject Areas
EDUCATION; Early childhood; Childcare / Child care; Preschool and early education; LABOR MARKET ISSUES
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Included in
Early Childhood Education Commons, Economic Policy Commons, Education Economics Commons, Education Policy Commons, Labor Economics Commons
Citation
Gibbs, Chloe R. 2026. "Early Learning Across Decades: Advances in Measuring Head Start Effectiveness." Upjohn Institute Working Paper 26-425. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. https://doi.org/10.17848/wp26-425