This is the latest installment of Study Hall, an occasional series that serves as a one-stop shop for must-know information on critical topics impacting schools. For previous installments, click here.
Head Start, the federal early childhood education program, faced upheaval this year as regional offices closed, funding was delayed, and, due to a prolonged federal government shutdown, several Head Start programs shuttered temporarily, leaving thousands of children without access to early learning services.
Still, the program also had several high points this year, such as celebrating its 60th anniversary in May and being named the 2025 recipient of the Smithsonian Institution’s “One Smithsonian” award, honoring its effective use of Smithsonian’s resources to serve learners nationwide.
Sonya Hill, director of the Orange County Head Start in Florida and a Head Start alumna, said ahead of the 60th anniversary, "Head Start truly gave me my foundation, and that’s why I’ve stayed here, because I owe so much to the program, and I get to see firsthand how it’s changed lives.”
Head Start funded enrollment grew over past 60 years
What is the purpose of Head Start?
The origins of Head Start are from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 War on Poverty. It began in the summer of 1965 as an 8-week demonstration project to provide high-quality early learning programming for young children from low-income families.
That fall, Head Start expanded into a year-round, nationwide program and now serves children ages birth-5. Major milestones over the decades have included the creation of Early Head Start in 1995 for infants, toddlers and pregnant women, expanded bilingual and bicultural programs, stronger teacher qualifications, and a move to a five-year funding cycle to ensure program quality.
Early Head Start and Head Start provide not only early learning programming, but also health and nutrition services, prenatal care and family supports. Quality child care and preschool programs are often inaccessible for low-income families.
Organizers and supporters of Head Start said the program provides young children a learning foundation that can prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond. They also view Head Start as an opportunity to disrupt intergenerational poverty.
The National Head Start Association, which represents the program's families, students and staff, calls Head Start the "launchpad for future leaders and strong communities."
Who is served by Head Start?
Head Start serves nearly 800,000 infants, toddlers and preschool children a year. More than 17,000 Head Start centers operate nationwide with the support of 250,000 staff, according to NHSA.
Those eligible for Head Start include families living below the poverty line or experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care. Over the past 60 years, more than 40 million children have participated in Head Start and Early Head Start.
Services may be delivered in a center, at a family child care home, or in a home-visiting format, depending on community and family needs. Each program is designed to reflect the traditions, priorities, and cultures of its community.
Policy Councils serve as a leadership structure for every Head Start Preschool and Early Head Start program. Through these councils, parents can decide how the program spends money, what children do in their classrooms, and how partnerships with community organizations are structured.
All Head Start programs follow a national set of standards known as the Head Start Program Performance Standards. These standards — last updated in 2024 — cover outcomes-based expectations for staff education, professional development, and data-informed continuous improvement of program services.
How is Head Start funded?
Every fiscal year, Congress allocates an overall appropriation for Head Start. The Office of Head Start at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services then provides the federal funds to the entities overseeing Head Start programs, which can be local governments, nonprofits, for-profits and faith-based organizations.
Policy Councils serve as a leadership structure for every Head Start Preschool and Early Head Start program. Through these councils, parents can decide how the program spends money, what children do in their classrooms, and how the program partners with community organizations, according to NHSA.
In fiscal year 2024, the last regular appropriation issued by Congress, Head Start, which historically has had bipartisan support, was funded at $12.3 billion. In 1965, when it first began, the program was funded at $96.4 million.
According to a New America post from May, many local providers of early childhood programs blend and braid funds from local, state, and federal sources, including Head Start, to serve the children in their community.
