Head Start Program

Site: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/grant/headstartgrants/hsgrants.htm

Purposes

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs that serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-focused programs with the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.

All Head Start programs must adhere to Program Performance Standards, which constitute the expectations and requirements that Head Start grantees must meet. These standards ensure that the Head Start goals and objectives are implemented successfully, that the Head Start philosophy continues to thrive, and that all grantee and delegate agencies maintain the highest possible quality in the provision of services.

How Funds May Be Used

The Head Start program has a long tradition of delivering comprehensive and high quality services designed to foster healthy development in low-income children. Head Start grantee and delegate agencies provide a range of individualized services in the areas of education and early childhood development; medical, dental, and mental health; nutrition; and parent involvement. In addition, Head Start services are responsive and appropriate to each child's and family's developmental, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage and experience.

Eligibility

Grants for the operation of Head Start and Early Head Start programs may be awarded to public or private, for profit or nonprofit organizations, or to public school systems. A currently funded grantee will continue to serve as the Head Start agency in the community until the grantee organization decides it no longer wants to be a sponsoring agency, or unless the Head Start Bureau terminates the grant for cause. If a grantee gives up or loses funding, Head Start funds will be awarded to another eligible organization in the same community through a competitive process.

In years when additional funds are available for expanding Head Start and Early Head Start services, these funds may go to existing agencies to increase their enrollment of children. Alternatively, these funds may be awarded to new grantees through a competitive process, particularly in a geographic area that requires more services.

Sponsoring Bureau: Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Head Start Bureau

Head Start Bureau website: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/

Additional Head Start Information: http://www.headstartinfo.org/

Head Start Bureau budget FY 2004: $6,774,848,000

Number of Head Start and Early Head Start grantees and delegates: 2690

Contact information: Head Start Information and Publication Center, Inc., 1-866-763-6481

Head Start Contact: Jean Simpson, 202-205-8421

Head Start Bureau budget FY 2005 (projected): $6,943,580