Who is eligible for Head Start services?

Children between the ages of three and five from families that meet the Federal poverty guidelines are eligible for Head Start services.  In FY 1996, 1,440 grantees operated the program on the local level.  Programs throughout the country establish priorities for enrolling children based on community needs and available funds

The FY 1997 appropriation for Head Start is $3.577 billion, which is an increase of $374 million over FY 1996 levels.  Anticipated enrollment for FY 1997 is approximately 800,000 children, an increase of 48,000 children over the FY 1996 levels.   Ten percent of the enrollment opportunities in each program may be filled by children that exceed the low-income guidelines. There is also a requirement that ten percent of enrollments should be offered to children with disabilities.

The 1994 Head Start Reauthorization Act established Early Head Start which serves low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers.  Presently there are 142 Early Head Start grantees serving over 10,000 children and families.  Early Head Start programs are operated under grants awarded by the federal government. For more details, visit the Early Head Start fact sheet or the Head Start Bureau Home Page.

How can an organization start a Head Start program or become an Early Head Start grantee?

Head Start grantees must be either public or private nonprofit organizations or public school systems.  If there is a current grantee in a community, that grantee will continue to serve in that capacity until they decide they no longer want to be a sponsoring agency , or unless Head Start funds going to the agency are terminated for cause. If a grantee gives up or loses funding, Head Start funds will remain in the community of that agency and will be awarded to another eligible organization through a competitive process.

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

The ten Administration for Children and Families Regional Offices and the Head Start Bureau's American Indian and Migrant Programs Branches award grants for Head Start programs.  Visit the ACYF Home Page for the list of these offices and their addresses and phone numbers. Click on the Community index to find a listing of the Head Start grantees and their addresses.  Click on the Library index to find a directory including the listing of regional staff and their addresses and phone numbers.

Early Head Start is administered at the federal level.  Sponsoring organizations include Head Start grantees, universities, school systems, community mental health centers, medical centers, city and county governmental agencies, Indian tribes, Community Action Agencies, child care providers, and other nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded competitively.

Can volunteers assist at Head Start centers?

Yes, volunteers are critical to the success of Head Start.  The participation of volunteers has been an effective way of mobilizing community resources to strengthen Head Start Services.  In Fiscal Year 1996, approximately 1,239,000 individuals volunteered to work at Head Start centers. Local Head Start programs are required to develop high-quality volunteer programs as part of their overall planning activities.  As Head Start enrollment expands, the need for volunteers increases.

Volunteers can be professionals and nonprofessionals, parents, local residents, and members of the larger community, board members and those who serve on policy and advisory groups, those who work in classrooms, offices, or kitchens, and those who provide necessary health education, medical and dental examinations, and other health services.

Head Start volunteers can assist with classroom activities, transportation, upkeep and renovation of centers, playground supervision, parent education, and other similar tasks.  The participation of volunteers in classroom activities has ensured lower adult-child ratios, has met the need for bilingual adults for non-English speaking children and parents, and has offered support to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Nonprofessional volunteers can also help to arrange needed health services, can provide care of siblings while a health examination is conducted, can assist with certain health screenings, and can teach children good health practices. Head Start volunteers may choose to give a few hours of time, or may volunteer every week.

Many organizations and individuals have worked with Head Start, such as Kiwanis Clubs, local health professionals, corporations, senior citizens, and students.  Community organizations also assist Head Start by donating goods and services to help local programs.

Local Head Start programs have coordinators of volunteer services to recruit and train volunteers to fill their responsibilities.  One goal of volunteer training and experience is to enable parents and other low-income community volunteers to gain the skills and experience needed to qualify for employment.

To locate the Head Start program in your area, contact the Regional Office closest to you.  Refer to the ACYF Home Page for this list. You may also click on the Grantee Index for a listing of grantees and their addresses. Grantees in your area may have Head Start programs in more than one location

What are the education requirements for people interested in working with children at a Head Start or Early Head Start center?

These requirements are explained in the Head Start Program Performance Standards, 45 CFR Part 1304.  These standards were printed as a Final Rule in the Federal Register on November 5, 1996.  Head Start requires all classroom teachers to obtain credentials that demonstrate their competence to work with children.

The recommended credential for Head Start teachers is the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.  They also may obtain an equivalent credential.  The CDA is a credential that can be earned by person interested in working with young children.  A Child Development Associate is an individual that has successfully completed a CDA assessment and has been awarded the CDA credential. The assessment involves providing documentation of training and experience in the early childhood care profession. This individual can meet the specific needs of children and work with parents and other adults to nurture children's physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth.

Early Head Start staff and Head Start staff working as teachers with infants and toddlers must obtain a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential for Infant and Toddler Caregivers, or an equivalent credential. They must have this or the equivalent credential by January 1, 1999.

The Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition operates the CDA National Credentialing Program.  For further information, you may contact the Council at 2460 16th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009-3575.  Phone: 202-265-9090 or toll-free at 800-424-4310.

Where can I obtain additional statistics about Head Start?

Head Start statistics are available as  fact sheets on the Head Start Bureau Web site.  The fact sheets offer the following information for Fiscal Year 1996 , Fiscal Year 1997 or Fiscal Year 1998 appropriations and actual expenditures for the Head Start budget; enrollment numbers categorized by the age of enrolled children; the racial/ethnic composition of enrolled children; the number of grantees, classrooms and centers; the average cost per child; the number of staff and volunteers working for Head Start; and other pertinent facts about the program.