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The EHSRE study was a rigorous, large-scale, random-assignment evaluation and included an implementation study, an impact study and local research projects.

The implementation study consisted of three rounds of site visits to the 17 research programs, one near the time of funding in 1996 and again in 1997 and 1999. The study gathered rich data on the implementation of these first Early Head Start programs. Programs were very dynamic -? findings are reported in two reports -? Leading the Way and Pathways to Quality. The findings were also important in understanding the findings from the impact study, as you will see shortly.

The impact study followed 3,001 children from enrollment to age 3. When the families applied to the Early Head Start program, programs accepted applications for twice as many children as could be enrolled. Half were randomly assigned to a control group and half were assigned to a program group. Control group families could not participate in Early Head Start but could receive other community services. So, both groups were the same, except that the program group received Early Head Start and the control group did not. This is important because any differences between the two groups can be attributed to Early Head Start.

The local research projects, conducted by university-based researchers partnered with Early Head Start programs, were designed to address specific outcomes and program functions that reflected the uniqueness of each Early Head Start program. The major focus for these local studies was the identification of what mediates and moderates positive child and family development within the context of the specific Early Head Start programs and local communities. These local research studies identified site-specific outcomes and examined intra-site differential impacts and their reasons for them. Local researchers also assisted in the collection of cross-site data collection for the national evaluation.