Head Start lacked national data on the Disability Services Coordinator (DSC) workforce responsible for coordinating services for children with disabilities.

Since its inception, Head Start has prioritized services for children with disabilities. Federal law requires that at least 10 percent of enrolled children be eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Yet, little is known about the professionals who coordinate these services—DSCs—or how they work with families, educators, and community partners to support children with disabilities. The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) and the Office of Head Start (OHS) commissioned this study to fill that gap. The findings from this study provide a national picture of the DSC workforce and the services they help deliver, informing future policy, technical assistance, and program improvement.

NORC conducted the first nationally representative study of the Head Start DSC workforce.

NORC, in partnership with SRI International and consultant Amanda Schwartz, designed and implemented a rigorous, mixed-methods study to examine the roles, qualifications, and practices of DSCs in Early Head Start and Head Start programs. NORC collaborated closely with OPRE, OHS, and expert workgroups, including representatives from tribal and migrant communities, to conduct the study. NORC fielded two national surveys, one of program directors and one of DSCs, and conducted qualitative interviews with DSCs to explore their roles, responsibilities, training, and collaboration practices. The resulting data provide a detailed, nationally representative picture of how Head Start programs support children with disabilities and the professionals who lead these efforts. NORC’s expertise in early childhood education, disability policy, and large-scale data collection helped ensure high-quality, actionable findings.