Q: What is Head Start?
A: A federal initiative launched in 1965, this early childhood program has served 19.3 million children from primarily low-income families with an emphasis on under-served and minority populations. Head Start offers a range of comprehensive services to improve the education, health and social well-being of children living in poverty. From immunizations, to medical, dental and nutritional services, Head Start is designed to enhance healthy childhood development by fostering school readiness, promoting literacy, encouraging appropriate social skills and encouraging parental involvement. Children spend time in a stimulating environment at a community- or home-based setting focused on intellectual growth and social interaction. Parental involvement is strongly encouraged. Last year, more than 800,000 Head Start parents volunteered at their local facility. In 1995, the program was expanded to include pregnant mothers and children under age 3. Early Head Start offers language, cognitive, physical, and social-emotional childhood development services to infants and toddlers, including home-based visits. A recently published study found that such structured early childhood development services reap benefits when disadvantaged children reach adolescence. The study tracked low-income children who were enrolled in a Chicago Head Start program and attributed lower drop-out and crime rates for those who participated in the program.
Q: How do local projects receive federal Head Start funding?
A: The Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services awards federal grants to public, non-profit, and for-profit organizations to administer the Head Start programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories. Early Head Start grants are allotted a 5-year project period and participants also may include school systems, universities, colleges, and other public and private entities. Local projects generally must put up 20 percent in matching funds. For fiscal year 2001, Iowa’s Head Start programs will receive $47.6 million in federal funding. Last year, Head Start in Iowa served 7,235 children age 5 and under. The Department of Health and Human Services in May released $3 million in federal dollars to fund programs in Fort Dodge, Leon, Davenport, Hiawatha, and Evansdale. Currently 20 grantees are operating a Head Start program in Iowa. Parental, volunteer and community support of these programs are critical to their overall success and effectiveness for each child served. Iowans seeking volunteer or job opportunities at their nearest facility and families seeking eligibility information should visit the Head Start Bureau’s home page at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb.