Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to describe a research partnership model being used b y the Florida Head Start Association through its Research Committee as a means of contributing to statewide efforts focused on program quality and school readiness. Florida has enacted readiness legislation that has long-tern consequences for early childhood programs and the children and families these programs serve. Head Start practitioners and researchers from across the state have been working in collaboration for the past year to ensure that Head Start programs in Florida have input to school readiness policies and practices. The paper briefly discusses legislative initiatives and concerns that these initiatives raise for Head Start programs, and then describes the statewide research partnership model used to address these concerns. The paper concludes with a discussion of ongoing work of the partnership group in relation to issues of program quality and school readiness.