Head Start serves children ages birth to five and their families.
Head Start services for children promote school readiness, and include early education, health, nutrition, mental health, and services for children with special needs. Services for parents promote family engagement, and include parent leadership and social service supports.
The goals of Head Start and Early Head Start are as follows:
- To promote children’s social competence and school readiness by enhancing the social, cognitive, physical and emotional development of children
- To engage parents in their children’s learning and as the primary nurturers of their children
- To help parents in making progress toward their goals (e.g., educational, literacy and employment), and
- To involve parents in program decisions and development
A research-based program that helps prepare children for success in school and in life. Head Start is one of the most researched and evaluated early childhood programs in America. Dr. Steven Barnett of the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER) documents research studies which have shown that children enrolled in Head Start have increased achievement test scores, decreased grade repetition and special education needs, and increased graduation rates. Read more (http://nieer.org/resources/research/PreschoolLastingEffects.pdf)
