Study of Disability Services Coordinators in Head Start 2022 (DSC Study), United States

The 2022 Study of Disability Services Coordinators (DSCs) in Head Start was the first nationally representative study of the Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) DSC workforce, their roles, and the activities they support. NORC at the University of Chicago, along with their partners at SRI International and consultant Amanda Schwartz, conducted the study under contract from the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The study was developed in close collaboration with the Office of Head Start (OHS), with OHS staff and EHS and HS staff providing review and feedback on the constructs of interest and the developing study measures. The study explored who fulfills the roles and responsibilities of a DSC in HS and EHS programs and how they work with program staff, local education agencies, service providers, and families to support children with disabilities and suspected delays in their programs. Data from this study sought to inform ACF and OHS about how programs were implementing the DSC efforts and topics for technical and training assistance. Further, programs can examine how their current practices compared to national and regional approaches to disability services.