Edward Zigler

Why the United States has failed to establish a comprehensive high-quality child care program is the question at the center of this book. Edward Zigler has been intimately involved in this issue since the 1970's, and here he presents a firsthand history of the policy making and politics surrounding this important debate.

Drawing on research from the social sciences and studies on the brain to answer questions and exploring what they mean for social policy and child and family development, this book offers recommendations for child care and development based on current brain research and its implications. Topics include the benefits of family leave, child care, home visitation programs, child abuse, and nutrition.

Offers pros and cons to current early education debates, including targeted or universal, type of teacher preparation, when and where services should be provided, what focus of instruction should be implemented, and what measures can ensure accountability.

Contains a history of the Head Start Program from the 1960's to the 1990's.

This important text analyzes the relationship between child development research and the design and implementation of social policy concerning children and families. The editors have compiled contributions from leading experts in the fields of developmental psychology, psychiatry, public health, business, political science, and education. By so doing, they present a multidisciplinary account of the controversies and challenges that have emerged in the field of child development and social policy, and an analysis of recent changes in our national ethos toward children and families. --Goodreads

Chronicles the history of Head Start since its origin during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, discussing how the social program has been affected over the decades by changing politics, media interest, science, ideology, and public mood, assessing its effectiveness, and considering its future.

Decades of research point to the need for a universal preschool education program in the U.S. to help give our nation's children a sound cognitive and social foundation on which to build future educational and life successes. In addition to enhanced school readiness and improved academic performance, participation in high quality preschool programs has been linked with reductions in grade retentions and school drop out rates, and cost savings associated with a diminished need for remedial educational services and justice services. This book brings together nationally renowned experts from the fields of psychology, education, economics and political science to present a compelling case for expanded access to preschool services. They describe the social, educational, and economic benefits for the nation as a whole that may result from the implementation of a universal preschool program in America, and provide guiding principles upon which such a system can best be founded.