Overview of Head Start

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Head Start is the national commitment to give every vulnerable child an opportunity to succeed. Head Start is a federally-funded program that helps parents and caregivers navigate every aspect of parenthood—from pregnancy through school entry—based on the latest research on child health, safety, nutrition, behavior, and more. Head Start gives parents the tools to succeed as their child’s first and most important teacher and make progress toward their goals for themselves and their families.

The term “Head Start'' encompasses several program types, each uniquely meeting the needs of children and families nationwide.

Head Start programs serve children ages three to five.

Early Head Start programs serve children from birth to age three, as well as pregnant women.

Migrant-Seasonal Head Start programs serve children birth to five from families doing migrant farm work or seasonal agricultural labor.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) programs are run by sovereign AIAN entities, serving AIAN children and families with an emphasis on their unique cultural heritage.

Head Start has a federal-to-local funding model, meaning the dollars flow directly from the Office of Head Start in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the individual organizations that operate Head Start. Grants are awarded on a five-year cycle. This allows each Head Start grant recipient to design the local program to meet the needs of their specific community, within the quality and safety guidelines set out by the two main regulatory documents that govern Head Start: the Head Start Act and the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

Head Start programs may be community-based nonprofits, Community Action agencies, school districts, government agencies, and other types of organizations.

Head Start serves children and families through a variety of service types. The vast majority of children are served in center-based care, but about 10% are served in a home-based or family child care setting.

Head Start programs are assigned a designated service area. In a rural area, this service area may span several large counties. In the inner city, it may span a single neighborhood of a few blocks. The program can serve any eligible children and families within their service area, and will have set selection criteria to prioritize families when demand for slots exceeds supply. The program is also allowed to select their center locations and can relocate within their service area based on community needs, availability of properties, and other relevant criteria.

Eligibility

• There are four main categories of eligibility for Head Start:

• A family’s income is equal to or below the federal poverty line;

• The family is eligible for public assistance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);

• The family is experiencing homelessness according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; or

• The child is in foster care.

Vocabulary Check-In

Individual organizations that operate Head Start may refer to themselves as either a grantee, a grant recipient, or a program.

While there are some technical differences between these words, for your purposes at a community college, any of the above is fine to use. It’s just important to be clear when you’re using the word “program” to clarify whether you’re referring to the Head Start program as a whole, or a specific organization that you’re working with.

Programs may also, under certain circumstances, enroll children who would benefit from services but do not qualify under these criteria, as well as those whose income is between 100% and 130% of the federal poverty line.

Finally, programs must ensure that at least 10% of the children they serve have a diagnosed disability, meaning they are eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Space Needs

Head Start facilities must meet state, tribal, or local licensing requirements, even if exempted by the licensing entity. When state, tribal, or local requirements vary from Head Start requirements, the most stringent provision takes precedence.

A center-based program must have at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child (exclusive of bathrooms, halls, kitchen, staff rooms, and storage places) and at least 75 square feet of usable outdoor play space per child.

The number of children allowed per classroom and the number of staff needed depends on the age of the children. Generally, for Head Start classrooms, you can have up to 20 children with two staff. (If the majority of children are three years old, only 17 are allowed.) For Early Head Start classrooms, you can have up to eight children with two staff.

Head Start, Child Care, and Public Pre-K

Head Start is just one possible funding source available outside of private-pay, and each program is slightly different.

Head Start is a federally-funded program with a comprehensive approach to early learning; they do more than just provide education services, but also support physical and mental health and family well-being. Head Start slots are specifically reserved for the most vulnerable children and families and the program is free to all families who participate. Head Start serves pregnant women and children from birth through school entry.

Child care is state-regulated, and services vary from focusing only on child development to a more comprehensive approach like Head Start. Child care services can be provided for infants up through school age, typically age 12. Child care is not a free service; families either pay privately or use a state subsidy. Some child care programs may have scholarship funds for eligible families.

Public pre-K is run at the state or local level (usually a major metro area) and is not available in all states. Some states model their public pre-K program off of Head Start, but others focus only on kindergarten readiness and academic learning. Some public pre-K programs are means-tested, while others are available to anyone who is interested, often called “universal” pre-K.

Staff Structure

While each Head Start program is unique, staffing roles usually follow a similar pattern:

• Program Leadership: The top leader of a Head Start program is usually called the executive director or Head Start or Early Head Start director. This role may also be called the chief executive officer (CEO) or president though. If the program is part of a larger organization like a Community Action Agency or a school district, there may be a higher level of leadership for the entire organization.

• Site Leadership: Programs that have multiple sites, or centers, likely have a site leader at each. These roles are usually called site leader or center director.

• Content Area Managers: Because Head Start programs offer so many services in addition to education, there is usually at least one manager for each of these content areas. (In smaller programs, one person may manage multiple content areas) Content area manager roles include:

  • Education/Child Development Manager

  • Family Engagement Manager

  • Health Manager

  • Mental Health Manager

  • Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) Manager

  • Disabilities Manager

  • Facilities Manager

  • Nutrition Manager

  • Transportation Manager

• Direct Service Staff: There are several roles that interact directly with children and families, often summarized as direct service staff. In addition to teachers and assistant teachers, the largest group of these staff are those who work with families. They are often called family service workers, family advocates, or family support specialists.