Head Start

Basic Concept:

• The four main focuses of the program are: 1

  • Education- provide a preschool education to low income children

  • Health- provide immunizations, dental and medical care and nutritional help

  • Parental involvement- include parents in activity planning and incentivize parental volunteering

  • Social Services- aid in job training and housing issues for families

Eligibility Requirements: 2

• An applicant’s family income must fall below the federal poverty line

• Children in foster care, children that are homeless, and children in families receiving SSI or TANF are automatically eligible for Head Start

• 10% of Head Start enrollees must be children with disabilities

• 10% of enrollees may have incomes above the federal poverty line

• Individuals apply directly to a local Head Start program and may be placed on a waiting list if there are no openings

Program Participants: 3

• In 2019-19, Head Start programs (including Early Head Start and a smaller specialized program directed towards migrant workers) had 1,047,000 enrollees

• The vast majority of participants were ages 3 or 4 (72%), and the next largest group was two year olds (11%) (FY 2019)

• 44% of participants were White, 37% identified as Hispanic/Latino, and 30% were Black/African American

• 28% of children lived in families that primarily speak a language other than English at home

• 13% of children in Head Start have disabilities

• About 52,000 of the program's enrollees have experienced homelessness

Program Teachers: 4

• Head Start has 273,000 staff members

• 72% of the preschool teachers have a BA or higher

• Over 1 million adults volunteered in FY 2019

• 29% of teachers spoke a second language

• The average Head Start teacher with a BA only makes $33,373 per year

How Head Start Works: 5

• The US Department of Health and Human Services gives grants to public or private non-profit agencies in various localities

• FY 2018 government funding was $9.97 Billion 6

  • Federal funding covers 80% of the cost of the program while the agency must fund 20%

  • The government may provide more funds in areas that cannot afford to contribute 20%

  • Some state governments contribute money to local Head Start programs

  • Almost all Head Start agencies are based in centers but a select few are home-based

  • Head Start agencies cover the areas of education, health, parent involvement, and social services for enrolled 3-5 year old's free of charge

  • Education services—a Pre-K and preschool education—are provided by teachers on a part-time or full time basis four to five days a week

  • Health services such as immunizations, dental care, and mental health care are provided

  • Parents help plan and implement activities and can be involved in administrative decisions

  • Head Start programs connect families to necessary social services

How Early Head Start Works: 7

• Eligibility requirements and the funding set up are the same as Head Start

• Early Head Start works with pregnant women and children under the age of 3

• Roughly half of Early Head Start programs are based in enrollees’ homes 8

  • These programs involve weekly meetings between a family and a Head Start official plus twice monthly meetings with other families and children

  • Center based programs follow a traditional four or five day a week schedule

  • Among other benefits, Early Head Start programs provide health services, parent education, and access to support groups

  • Early Head Start agencies coordinate with Head Start agencies to provide a smooth transition between the two programs

Shortcomings of Head Start Programs:

• Head Start programs do not have sufficient funds to support all eligible participants 9

  • Less than ½ of eligible children are enrolled in Head Start

  • Early Head Start reaches fewer than 5% of eligible children

  • The quality of Head Start programs is sometimes called into question as teacher pay and teacher qualifications vary greatly from state to state

    • Programs in New York and Oregon spent around $10,000 per child compared to $6,700 per child in Arkansas and Oklahoma 10

    • Differences also develop as localities have flexibility in developing their own programs

    • Critics argue that some of the benefits of Head Start programs may be lost if the elementary schools enrollees attend next do not build upon their preschool growth

    • Some studies have shown the cognitive advantage of the Head Start programs fades away by third grade, and one study even found that Head Start participants did worse academically several years into school 11

Endnotes

1. Information from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

2. Information and statistics from the Office of Head Start, An Office of the Administration of Children and Families Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)

3. Statistics from the Office of Head Start, The Office of the Administration of Children and Families Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)

4. Statistics from the Office of Head Start, The Office of the Administration of Children and Families Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)

5. Information from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

6. Statistic from the Office of Head Start, The Office of the Administration of Children and Families Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)

7. Information from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

8. Statistic from the Office of Head Start “Services Snapshots.”

9. Statistics from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

10. Statistic from the Washington Post

11. Study by the Peabody Research Institute at Vanderbilt