Head Start: The Inside Story Of America's Most Successful Educational Experiment [Paperback]

Edward Zigler (Author), Susan Muenchow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 1994 | ISBN-10: 0465028853 | ISBN-13: 978-0465028856

Zigler, who has been a consultant to every administration since he helped found Head Start in the sixties, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the program’s rocky course, from its beginnings as “Project Rush-Rush” to today.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Yale psychology professor Zigler (Child Care Choices) was one of the creators of Head Start, perhaps the only War on Poverty program to still claim support from both ends of the political spectrum; Muenchow, executive director of the Florida Children's Forum, has written extensively about Head Start and other early childhood programs. Their informative, enjoyable and moving history provides a look at the politics of policymaking, and it highlights various theories of early childhood education that helped shape Head Start even in the midst of fiscal and political constraints. Zigler describes his occasionally traumatic political education as the first director of the Office of Child Development under President Nixon; Muenchow contributes interviews and findings from Head Start field research. Presidents from Johnson to Bush make appearances, as do Sargent Shriver, Walter Mondale, Daniel P. Moynihan, Marian Wright Edelman and Cap Weinberger. Educators, public policy students, children's rights advocates and parents will appreciate this clear and important book.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

As one of its earliest champions, Zigler has been intimately involved with Head Start throughout its 27-year history. Aided by Muenchow, executive director of Florida Children's Forum, he details the national politics of this educational program from Lyndon Johnson to George Bush. He dispassionately acknowledges the many critics and challenges the program faced, such as the much-quoted Coleman report ( Equality of Educational Opportunity , U.S. Office of Education, 1966) and the Nixon administration's attempt to eliminate it altogether. Why, then, would Head Start ultimately become the nation's most successful educational and social experiment? Zigler credits its success to its comprehensive health and family support services, its "two-generational assault on poverty." Asserting that Head Start should now be recognized as a full partner in Welfare Reform, he proposes an expanded program for the future. As child care still remains a massive problem in the United States, the report and its recommendations deserve serious consideration by all segments of society. Extensive notes on original source material are included. For all education and social sciences collections.
- Arla Lindgren, St. John's Univ., Queens, N.Y.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (April 20, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465028853
• ISBN-13: 978-0465028856
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Start by Heading Out to Get this Book, November 7, 2004

By 

M. Swinney "Marc My Words" (Flower Mound, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Head Start: The Inside Story Of America's Most Successful Educational Experiment (Paperback)

Edward Zigler and Susan Muenchow's "Head Start," should be required reading for professionals in quality Early Childhood Development programs, policy-makers, public school educators and administrators, and civic minded citizens of all walks of life. The book is a wonderful telling of the grassroots movement of Head Start and how it gained public support at the highest levels of the government. The beautiful thing about the book is it is a first-hand account told from one of the program designers, Ed Zigler who has interacted with each administration and congress since 1965 in shepherding the program to its crucial and critical place serving society today.

The only critique of the book is the writing style can sometimes come across as slightly dry so it's more of a study instead of a page turner. But the reading effort is worth the study, since the book tells why Head Start has become a model for public education in its comprehensive family-centered approach to the education of children and parents. The last 40-odd pages are alone worth the price of the book. In chapter 10, "Head Start: The Next Generation," Zigler gives a prescient telling of where Head Start stands today and levels prescriptive recommendations towards where Head Start should go from here.

These are words from one of the founders and should be heeded as smart public policy, because so much Zigler has touched in the program has turned to gold, enriched the quality of life of low-income children and by such benefiting society at large. Do not miss reading this book. It should be required reading to work in a Head Start program across the nation.

--MMW

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding history and authorship, January 4, 2007

By 

Mary Webb "Mary Sheys" (Manchester, NH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Head Start: The Inside Story Of America's Most Successful Educational Experiment (Paperback)

This book is a first-hand account of the history of Head Start. It's concise, fair, balanced, well-voiced and full of information. Also, it opened my eyes to the truly revolutionary nature of Head Start. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in public policy, education, civil rights, the 60's, etc.