HEAD-START CHILDREN FINISHING FIRST-GRADE - PRELIMINARY DATA ON SCHOOL IDENTIFICATION OF CHILDREN AT RISK FOR SPECIAL-EDUCATION

Although Head Start has a mandate to serve children with disabilities as at least 10% of its population, few systematic data are available o n identification of children in various disability categories in the y ears immediately following their preschool experience. In the study re ported here, two cohorts of 4,161 children across 30 sites were follow ed through first grade as part of a larger study on transition assista nce. At-risk status was assessed at the beginning of kindergarten by d eveloping research diagnostic criteria (RDC) for four major special ed ucation categories using clinical cut-off points on language, achievem ent, and social skills measures and indicators of speech or mental hea lth problems on parent interviews. The school identification of study participants in each RDC was determined by a search of school archival records in the spring of first grade. Only 26% of the children meetin g RDC in the four major categories were identified by the schools, and little concordance was observed among categories. Findings are discus sed in relation to disability categories, with particular reference to assumptions about underidentification of children with emotional or b ehavioral disorders.