title: Challenges in needs assessment: the Head Start needs assessment national analysis.
abstract: Needs assessment (NA) is conducted to identify discrepancies that guide the development and improvement of services. In this article we focus on methodological issues in a secondary analysis of a multi-site, national needs assessment. Understanding challenges in such a context is important for needs assessors. The Head Start needs assessment project is a good illustration of the problems that can be encountered. Lessons learned will be useful for advancing NA practice in the future.
authors.affiliation: University of North Dakota, 231 Centennial Dr. Stop 7189, Grand Forks, ND 58202-7189, United States. sonya.hung@email.und.edu
authors.forename: Hsin-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Altschuld
mesh_terms: D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004493:Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011203:Poverty; D012107:Research Design; D014481:United States