STUDY OF HEAD START PARTICIPANTS.

SEC. 120. STUDY OF HEAD START PARTICIPANTS. (a) Longitudinal Study Required.—The Head Start Act is amended by inserting after section 651 (42 U.S.C. 9846) the following: “SEC. 651A. LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF HEAD START PARTICIPANTS. “(a) In General.—The Secretary shall conduct, through grants or contracts made or entered into with persons that have the qualifications specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b), a longitudinal study of the effects that the participation in Head Start programs has on the development of participants and their families and the manner in which such effects are achieved. “(b) Advisory Panel.—In carrying out the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish an advisory panel to provide advice and guidance to the Secretary, and to the individuals who carry out such study, concerning the design and execution of such study. Such panel shall be composed of— “(1) individuals who have— “(A) expertise in the current operation of Head Start programs; “(B) professional backgrounds in child development and related fields; and “(C) experience in the evaluation of Head Start programs or comparable programs; and “(2) individuals who have expertise in designing and executing large-scale longitudinal studies. “(c) Children and Families To Be Studied.—The study required by subsection (a) shall follow the progress of children and their families— “(1) who have attended Head Start programs (including Parent-Child Centers) that are in compliance with Head Start Performance Objectives; “(2) who represent specific subpopulations, including children from dysfunctional families; and 104 STAT. 1236 “(3) who have attended Head Start programs that represent the various program options and that are located in both urban and rural areas. “(d) Subcontracting.—Persons selected to conduct the study required by subsection (a) may subcontract elements of the study to other persons with the approval of the Secretary. Such study may be carried out through a series of several small studies focused on specific program options and subpopulations. “(e) Focus.—The study required under subsection (a) shall consider the degree to which social, physical, and academic development, including grade retention, motivation to achieve, special education placement, health (including long- and short-term health), secondary school graduation, delinquency, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, literacy, college attendance, employment, and welfare participation of children and the parenting skills, employment, literacy, education level, motivation to achieve, and welfare participation of parents are affected by— “(1) the program options selected by the Head Start program; “(2) the number and configuration of hours, days, and years the child participates in Head Start; “(3) the Head Start program quality, including training and experience of Head Start teachers and teacher aides, staff to child ratios, and group size; “(4) the level of parental involvement in the Head Start program; “(5) the supportive services provided to children and their parents through the Head Start program; “(6) the Head Start curriculum; “(7) the characteristics of a subsequent schooling of the child and family characteristics and behaviors that affect social, physical, health (including long- and short-term health), and academic development as such children move through the primary grades; and “(8) other factors identified by the advisory panel, including the variables that sustain gains as such children move through the primary grades. “(f) Comparision.—To the maximum extent feasible, the study required under subsection (a) shall provide for comparisons with appropriate groups composed of individuals who do not participate in Head Start programs. “(g) Coordination.—The study required under subsection (a) shall be coordinated with the National Longitudinal Study conducted under chapter 1 that is administered by the Department of Education. “(h) Interim Report.—Not later than January 1, 1994, the Secretary shall prepare and submit, to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, an interim report concerning the design and progress of the study conducted under this section, including interim results of such study.”. (b) Authorization of Appropriations.—Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) is amended— (1) by inserting “(a)” after “Sec. 639.”, (2) by inserting “(other than section 651A)” after “subchapter”, and (3) by adding at the end the following: 104 STAT. 1237 “(b) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 651A, such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 1991 through 1996”.