The Office of Head Start (OHS) is committed to programming that reflects culturally responsive, strength-based practices for ALL children birth to five and their families.
Quality programming in Head Start and other early childhood programs incorporates knowledge of and respect for families’ cultures and implementation of best practices including quality learning environments, intentional teaching, and family engagement strategies. When these program pieces are in place, they best support the development and learning of young children.
However, these program pieces are not always in place for ALL children. Evidence has been growing about the educational disparities facing African American boys. Many have not benefited from what is known about the connection between culturally responsive programming and child development. There have been reports on their disproportionately high suspension and expulsion rates from preschool. Educators and policy makers have made negative comments about the school readiness of young African American boys.
Awareness also has been growing about the societal context in which African American males live. News media and government reports have documented the gap between the realities of their daily lives and the American dream. The facts are stunning: in comparison to White Americans, African American males are more likely to live in poverty, live with only one parent, dropout of high school, and be unemployed (My Brothers Keeper Task Force, 2015). Taken together, these facts attest to the persistent challenges African American males face, starting at an early age.
At the OHS NCCLR, we believed that the CRSB Framework could be used to improve the early educational experiences of young African American boys, and thus, our project was launched.
How Was This Resource Developed?
Supporting the School Readiness and Success of Young African American Boys Project began in 2013, when we at the OHS NCCLR reviewed current research and brainstormed what kind of support we could offer to the early childhood community. In the spring of 2014, we brought together an Expert Work Group on Young African American Boys consisting of noted academicians, researchers, policy makers, representatives from other OHS National Centers and staff and families from Head Start and other early childhood programs. The group shared their expertise and experiences, identified relevant research, and recommended promising practices from the field.
Drawing from this initial meeting as well as from follow-up interviews with experts and reports from well-known organizations, including the National Black Child Development Institute (2013), we began to frame the project. We defined a process of reflection that could culminate in personal, instructional, and institutional change. Our goal was to help Head Start programs that serve children, birth to five, and other early education programs promote culturally responsive, strength-based learning environments for young African American boys. In these environments, all children are able to acquire the skills, behaviors, and knowledge to be successful in school and in life.
In the course of the project, materials were developed and professional development was conducted. In total, there were 51 trainings with over 1,300 participants from Head Start and other early learning programs. The trainings included:
- 8 at national conferences
- 20 at Regional meetings, including a series of webinars for Head Start staff and Training/Technical Assistance specialists
- 17 pilot trainings targeting Head Start and child care staff working in an urban setting
- 6 pilot focus groups targeting parents
Administrators, directors, teachers, mental health specialists, family engagement specialists, other program staff, and parents participated in sessions. At the conferences, sessions lasted for a half or full day. The pilot trainings had a similar make-up of participants and were conducted over the course of several months, allowing for a more in-depth, sustained learning experience. All sessions were facilitated by experienced early childhood educators, skilled at leading discussions that can elicit strong feelings or different views. Some of the audiences were racially mixed; some were only African American.
This resource evolved and was informed by feedback from project participants. It is best thought of as a work-in-progress. The project materials and activities have been modified for this resource. It is important to note that this is not an early childhood curriculum, nor a training guide.
Rather, this resource is for you, the reader, who seeks an opportunity to reflect on your work and your program’s policies. Questions and reflective activities are posed that can prompt self-assessment.
Who Are the Intended Users of This Resource?
Many audiences can use this resource. Whether you are a program manager, a classroom teacher or home visitor, family advocate or another specialist, you can take this opportunity to think about how you can best support young African American boys in early learning settings. This resource offers each professional an opportunity to be self reflective. Parents, too, can use this resource for self-reflection. Throughout, there are statements from project participants about how their perspectives have changed or their practices have improved. As you read, you may find that your ideas resonate with theirs.
Early childhood programs can use this resource as a jumping off point — to take a look at the challenges they face and the approaches they might use to support the school readiness and success of young African American boys. The resource may spark dialogue with staff, parents, and communities. It can be used in different ways by different programs, depending on their unique situation and the populations of children and families they serve. In order to go deeper into some topics in a group setting, programs may benefit from session leaders who are skilled facilitators either among their staff or from outside their program.