PARENTS' EVALUATION OF THE HEAD START PROGRAM IN THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ADMINISTERED TO A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE COMPOSED OF PARENTS OF 50 CHILDREN (TWO PUPILS RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM EACH OF 25 HEAD START CLASSES). COMPILED FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE, STATISTICS ARE REPORTED CONCERNING (1) REASONS FOR ENROLLMENT OF CHILDREN, (2) DEGREE OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT, (3) PARENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE HELP GIVEN THEIR CHILD AND FAMILY, AND (4) PARENTS' SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PROGRAM. BASED ON THE REPORTED STATISTICS, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT (1) MANY PARENTS DID NOT SEEK TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM, (2) PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN CENTER ACTIVITIES TENDED TO BE MINIMAL AND MODERATE, AND (3) PARENTS' EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM WAS VERY POSITIVE. ALTHOUGH IT IS APPARENT THAT THE HEAD START CENTERS HAVE ESTABLISHED GOOD RAPPORT WITH THE PARENTS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY SUGGEST THE NEED FOR MORE THOROUGH AND EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES OF INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND OF SECURING PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE