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Head Start? One theory is that Blacks are served with less competent Head Start programs that whites. While most programs are up to standards, slightly over 11% of Head Start programs inspected in 1993 were found to be out of compliance with 50 or more of 222 items reviewed, while another 18% needed improvement in 26-50 areas (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1993). Another theory is that the environment the Head Start children are surrounded with influences their drop in development. The large majorities of African American Head Start graduates come from broken, single-parent homes, poorer communities, and attend deficient public schools. Consequently, it is likely that the harsh realities and environment of these children cause the loss of gains from Head Start schools. Looking at all the complication and faults of Head Start, perhaps the more pertinent question that needs to be asked is: How do we go about solving these deficiencies? The program of Head Start is obsolete if the desired effects deteriorate with most of its subjects. One solution is to rebuild the structure within. It is odd how Head Start resembles social work quite dramatically in its application and goals, yet there are few social workers that operate in Head Start programs. Because Head Start programs pay little for administrative positions and advocate parent interaction and employment, professional social workers are rarely in the picture. As a result, family service workers, who hold the job of program coordinators with no real training, head many of the Head Start centers. Adding trained social workers to Head Start staffs, however, would be of great benefit to the program. By creating higher pay and encouraging the employment of service workers, the experience and schooling of social workers could help enhance overall programs and development for the children. For example, social workers would understand the importance of creating an authoritative, rather than authoritarian, environment. Parents who live in poverty tend to use authoritarian, controlling, child-rearing practices to raise their children. The stress in their lives cause them to use techniques of physical punishment instead of communication to teach and raise their offspring. However, these practices produce negative outcomes. Children of authoritarian parents tend to become aggressive and lack independence and initiative because they were never taught to understand why their actions were wrong and how to think on their own. Since family members are the ones to administer Head Start programs, the children would experience authoritarian care at both school and home. This reality would only further the decrease in the success of Head Start as well as social and cognitive development. Children of authoritarian care tend to become socially inept and dependent. Assigning trained social workers, however, would strengthen the type of care and environment in Head Start programs. They would bring on a more authoritative-type guardianship. Children of authoritarian care tend to be more satisfied, self- reliant, self-controlled, and are not afraid to explore new territories. As a result, they would have better chances at succeeding with school, friends, and life, in general.

Another internal solution to solving Head Start problems is to minimize the staff to student ratio. An average of one teacher is assigned for every twenty students. By decreasing the ratio, children would get more academic and personal attention to socially and mentally develop. A decrease in the group of students will result in an increase in the quality of care and development. Smaller classrooms allow more individual contact and interaction between children and adults. Smaller teacher to student ratios will also enhance another important developmental factor: attachment. In a class of twenty students it is hard to form personal attachments with elders. In addition, many Head Start children come from families that can not provide them with close attention and care. As a result, many impoverished children are not able to make critical attachments with their caregivers. Secure attachments lead to social abilities, friendships, independence, and self-confidence. They serve as an internal working model for future relationships. Consequently, children who grow up with a negative, detached internal working model become socially isolated and deficient. Therefore, a reduction in number between Head Start students and teachers would allow the children to properly form attachments to enhance future development. In addition to these internal revisions, external solutions and policies need to be carried out to improve Head Start. A major factor in the decrease of cognitive and social advance in Head Start is the environment that the children come into after the program has terminated. Year after year, they are faced with a dangerous, prominent environment that overshadows the one or two years that they spent in Head Start. Consequently, although Head Start is a good concept, it is not enough to really change these underprivileged children s lives. The government needs to provide continual, not periodic guidance for them. Centers for children of all ages need to be created in order for the effects of Head Start to last. A few years for a few hours a day can not make the difference. In addition, much of the children s cognitive and mental education is limited by their early age. According to Piaget, children during early childhood are only at a preoperational stage. They have cognitive limitations that do not allow them do perform abilities such as taking a perspective of another and reason about cause and effect. Therefore, much of what they learn does not stay. However, during middle childhood at about the age of seven, children enter the concrete operational stage. Their cognitive abilities are enhanced and they are now able to grasp concepts such as conservation, the