Head Start Programs

Head Start is the U.S. federal government’s oldest and central program for preschool-age children and their families living in poverty. The program, authorized by the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, has been in existence since 1965. The program is federally funded, with direct grants to communities. It is managed by the Office of Head Start, which is part of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Head Start programs exist in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and six territories.

During the 2013–2014 school year, approximately 1,076,000 children and families were enrolled at a cost of almost $8.6 billion. In 2013–2014, Early Head Start, with services for children birth to age 3 years, served 106,726 of these children and families, approximately 3.5% of the eligible population. Early Head Start programs exist under the Head Start umbrella of programs. Auspice (i.e., the entity that administers the local programs) varies and includes schools, human services organizations, community action programs, hospitals, tribal councils, and others. Altogether, local services are delivered by about 1,700 public and private nonprofit and for-profit agencies. In addition, Head Start offers migrant and seasonal programs for children (aged 6 months to 5 years) of migrant and seasonal farm workers and programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives, which have centers on reservations as well as in urban communities. Head Start also has a mandate to identify and provide services to homeless children. In addition, all programs are required to provide services to children with disabilities, who must constitute 10% of the total enrollment.

Eligibility for Head Start is mostly income based, although each local program includes other eligibility criteria (e.g., disabilities and/or special services needed by family members). For example, some programs may prioritize serving teen parents in response to community needs. For the most part, families must earn less than 100% of the federal poverty level or qualify for eligibility by receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds or Supplemental Security funds or homelessness. Head Start programs, with an emphasis on supporting both children and parents, take multiple forms, including (a) a center-based option, which includes center-based child care and a minimum of two home visits per year; (b) a family child care option; (c) a home-based option, which includes weekly 90-minute home visits and twice-monthly socialization group experiences; (d) a combination option, which includes a set proportion of center-based child care and home visits outlined in the performance standards (explained later in this entry); or (e) a locally designed model, which requires federal approval. This flexibility to conform to community needs while still adhering to the federal regulations is a hallmark of the Head Start program. In 2014, 96% of children in preschool Head Start were in the center-based option. For Early Head Start, the percentages look very different: 46% were in the center-based option, [Page 736]44% in the home-based option, 2% were in the family child care option, 5% targeted pregnant women, and 3% were in the “other” category, receiving either a locally designed option or a combination of center-based and home visiting.

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