This October, as we celebrate Head Start Awareness Month, let’s take a moment to honor not only the program’s remarkable contributions to children and families but also its transformative impact on the entire childcare system. Since its launch in 1965, Head Start has shaped the lives of over 38 million children, profoundly influencing their health, emotional, social, and cognitive development.
Head Start’s impact extends far beyond the children it directly serves. It has set a nationwide standard for quality in early childhood education, becoming a guiding force for improvements across the entire childcare system. This month, I wanted to reflect on some of the broader changes that Head Start has brought to our childcare system.
As you read, consider reflecting on how some of these lessons may apply to your program, system, or community.
Head Start: Leading the Way in Quality
In 2011, the Office of Head Start launched an initiative to understand the level of quality within programs, adopting the Classroom Assessment Scoring System® (CLASS®) as its measure of educational quality, recognizing the pivotal role of educator-child interactions in fostering positive outcomes across all developmental domains. Effective interactions, as measured by CLASS, have been proven to lead to strong outcomes for children in math, literacy, cognitive skills, social-emotional skills, and school readiness. Head Start's use of CLASS® has directly influenced states and districts across the country, encouraging them to adopt interactions as a key measure of quality.
Head Start: Centering on the Needs of All Communities
Because of Head Start’s commitment to serving under-resourced families and communities, many state childcare systems now require programs participating in their Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to accept subsidies, ensuring more children from under-resourced communities have access to high-quality childcare.
In 2024, Head Start updated its Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) resources to ensure that programs reach the families who need them most. These tools help program directors design inclusive, equitable intake and recruitment processes, and we expect that states will increasingly adopt similar approaches.
Head Start: Supporting Educators at the Heart of Quality Care
As of 2024, new regulations aim to raise Head Start teacher salaries, making them more comparable to public school wages. While this is a significant step toward recognizing the impact that early childhood educators play, it also brings challenges. For many centers, these changes come without an increase in funding, adding pressure on programs to reallocate already stretched budgets.
We understand that this can feel like a daunting task. We also believe that supporting educators goes beyond wages—it’s about equipping them with the tools and training. By focusing on meaningful, effective interactions, educators can feel more empowered, knowing they are making a profound difference in the lives of their students.
From its start in 1965 to its widespread impact throughout the United States and several territories, Head Start has had an amazing impact on children, families, and communities. We are honored to celebrate with everyone who has benefited from this amazing success story!
