In 2022, NORC surveyed 1,293 program directors and 1,180 DSCs from Early Head Start and Head Start programs nationwide, revealing a workforce that is highly educated—nearly half hold master’s degrees—and deeply committed to inclusion and supporting children with disabilities and their families. However, an overwhelming 93.9 percent of program directors reported difficulty finding classroom aides for children with disabilities, while 76.1 percent found it difficult or very difficult to recruit qualified DSCs.

The study also highlighted funding priorities, with 57.6 percent of program directors identifying hiring more staff to meet the needs of children found ineligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as their top spending priority if additional resources were available.

“This study fills a critical gap in national data about the Disability Services Coordinator workforce in Early Head Start and Head Start programs,” said NORC research scientist Rachel Van Vleet. “The data help the Office of Head Start and OPRE know more about DSCs—who they are, what they do, and how they support children with disabilities and their families.”

Head Start programs are federally required to ensure at least 10 percent of enrollment slots are occupied by children with disabilities. The study found that most programs meet this requirement and are actively working to provide inclusive, high-quality services, despite facing workforce shortages and resource limitations.

“DSCs are deeply committed to this work and believe in the benefits and rights for children with disabilities,” Van Vleet said. “Despite this, they face a lot of systemic challenges, including capacity limitations, limited funding, and staffing shortages.”

Beyond staffing challenges and resource constraints, DSCs identified other barriers to effective service delivery including:

• Gaps in teacher knowledge and skills related to supporting children with disabilities
• Partnership difficulties with external early intervention service providers
• Varying levels of family acceptance of disability services, with some families reluctant to have their children labeled or receive services

While the study did identify areas where additional support could enhance service delivery—such as staffing capacity and external partnerships—it also underscored the resilience and innovation of programs and DSCs in meeting children’s needs.

This research represents the first systematic national examination of the DSC workforce and fills a critical knowledge gap for policymakers and program administrators. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining large-scale national surveys with in-depth interviews and navigating complex approval processes with tribal governments and school districts across the country.

The findings have significant implications for policy development, training programs, and technical assistance efforts aimed at improving service delivery and inclusion for children with disabilities in Head Start programs. The data are archived at the University of Michigan’s Child and Family Data Archive for future research.

“This research helps us understand how these Head Start programs are identifying and supporting children with disabilities, and will ultimately inform policy, training, and technical assistance to improve service delivery and inclusion for children with disabilities in Head Start,” Van Vleet said.