Activity 3-3: What Is a Quality Head Start Program?

Purpose: Participants will define the characteristics of a quality Head Start program. They will identify individual strategies to use in building a quality program.

Materials:
Handout 18: What Is Quality?
Handout 19: Examples of Quality Strategies in Service Delivery Areas
Handout 20: Strategies for Achieving Quality
Markers and index cards

Introduce Activity
1. Begin this activity by explaining that each Head Start program uses the performance standards as criteria for how to provide quality service. State that although every Head Start program is different,programs that strive to provide service excellence share several characteristics. Explain that participants will now identify the major characteristics of quality programs that are represented in the performance standards.

Explain Quality Characteristics
2. Distribute index cards to participants. Ask them to list on index cards six major characteristics that describe quality service. Tell participants to think about the question What is quality? as they write their lists. Review their lists, comparing characteristics they identified with the items described in the Background Information.

• Customer focus (children and families)

• Team approach

• Effective leaders

• Empowered staff

• Continuous improvement

• Strong community partnerships

State that each Head Start program has its own criteria or standards for quality, based on the performance standards, that explain what staff do and how they do it. Give specific, concrete examples of quality by explaining to participants that quality service strategies lead to ongoing improvements.

Some examples of providing quality service are:

• Recruit qualified staff, consultants, and volunteers who reflect the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage of the children and families in the program. Having staff and volunteers who are knowledgeable about the community helps programs establish strong connections with families and address their diverse needs.
  
  
• Seek out opportunities for personal growth and professional development. Taking active steps to develop new skills and competencies helps staff and parents improve their personal and team performance.
  
  
• Select and install computerized record-keeping systems that save time and resources. These systems help manage family information while improving the quality and integrity of family and program data. This strategy saves time and reduces frustration for all staff and parents.
  
  
• Develop strategies to provide comprehensive and integrated services for children and families. When planning services,program areas must collaborate and work as a team. They must also communicate and partner with parents. Because many families interact with several program areas when accessing services, the integration and coordination of these services promotes smoother transitions for families and stronger relationships with families.
  

Encourage participants to expand their quality lists as they think of new ideas. Distribute Handout 18: What Is Quality? and discuss.

Distribute and discuss Handout 19: Examples of Quality Strategies in Service Delivery Areas, which shows examples of how to achieve quality service.

Complete Worksheet
3. Distribute Handout 20: Strategies for Achieving Quality. Instruct participants to complete the handout by listing the action steps and benefits to the program for each strategy.

Discuss Worksheet
4. Discuss worksheet strategies. Conclude the discussion and ask:

• Which action steps may be the most successful?

• Which action steps may be the most challenging to use? Why?

Summarize
5.To conclude this activity, emphasize that a quality program does not happen by accident; it requires hard work. Quality service requires careful planning and listening to parents and people in the community. It also involves working as a team, evaluating work performance, and continually looking for ways to improve the services provided.

Explain that everyone contributes to a quality program. Achieving excellence begins with individual responsibilities and the Head Start Program Performance Standards. The performance standards are the guiding steps to quality. Programs use them to determine how to continuously improve the services they provide.

Activity 3-4 | Activity 3-2 | Module 3 | Index

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