What is a Head Start program?

The Head Start program is a federally funded initiative in the United States that provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. Established in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty, the program's primary goal is to foster stable family environments and promote long-term educational success for children from birth to age five.

Head Start services are designed to be responsive to each child's and family's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage. The program emphasizes the role of parents as their child's first and most important teacher. Head Start helps build relationships with families that support positive parent-child interactions, family well-being, and connections to peers and community.

Head Start programs deliver a range of services, which can include:

1. Early Learning: Teachers provide activities that support children's cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development.
2. Health: Children receive health screenings, nutritional services, and oral health and mental health support.
3. Family Well-Being: Parents and families can access parenting support, education, and social services.
4. Services for Children with Disabilities: Head Start ensures that children with disabilities receive the support they need.

In addition to the traditional Head Start program, which primarily serves preschool-aged children, the Early Head Start program was established to serve pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. This expansion recognizes the need for early intervention and continuous support starting at a very young age to prepare children for success in school and life.

Head Start programs are administered by the Office of Head Start (OHS), within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Local agencies, including public and private non-profit organizations, and school systems operate Head Start programs in communities across the country.

Overall, Head Start is more than just a preschool program; it is a comprehensive child development program that has made a significant impact on millions of children and families in the United States, helping to level the playing field for children from low-income families.