The Birth of Head Start: Preschool Education Policies in the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations

One of the most popular and enduring legacies of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs, Project Head Start continues to support young children of low-income familiesclose to one million annuallyby providing a range of developmental and educational services. Policy makers proposing to reform and update Head Start often invoke its origins to justify their position, but until now no comprehensive political history of the program has existed. Maris A. Vinovskis here provides inThe Birth of Head Startan in-depth look at the nation's largest and best knownyet politically challengedearly education program. He sets the record straight on the program's intended aims, documenting key decisions made during its formative years. While previous accounts of Head Start have neglected the contributions of important participants such as federal education officials and members of Congress, Vinovskis's history is the first to consider the relationship between politics and policy making and how this interaction has shaped the program. This thorough and incisive book will be essential for policy makers and legislators interested in prekindergarten education and will inform future discussions on early intervention services for disadvantaged children. "Vinovskis is recognized as the premier historian of children's programs. His renowned scholarship makes everything he writes must-reading for anyone involved in early childhood issues.The Birth of Head Startis a tremendous contribution to the preservation of the history of our nation's innovative Head Start program."Edward Zigler, cofounder of Head Start

Maris A. Vinovskis is the Bentley Professor of History at the University of Michigan, where he is also a member of the faculty of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the Institute for Social Research. He has written and edited numerous books, including History and Educational Policymaking and Learning from the Past: What History Teaches Us about School Reform.