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A Head Start classroom should be much more than a place where children wait for kindergarten.
Young children learn through play, relationships, conversation, movement, exploration, routines, and intentionally planned experiences.
Head Start programs use curricula and teaching practices designed to support children's development and school readiness, but there is no single national classroom schedule or curriculum used by every Head Start center.
That means classrooms can look different while still working toward similar developmental goals.
Depending on the program, a preschool Head Start day may include:
Programs may operate part day, full day, school year, or other approved schedules.
Parents sometimes worry that children are "just playing."
In high-quality early childhood settings, play can support many skills at once.
For example, children building a pretend restaurant may practice:
Teachers can extend the learning by adding new materials, asking questions, introducing vocabulary, or helping children solve conflicts.
Head Start programs must use an appropriate curriculum and implement educational practices that support children's development.
A curriculum helps teachers plan learning experiences across areas such as:
Programs choose curricula locally rather than using one required national Head Start curriculum.
When touring a program, ask what curriculum it uses and how teachers adapt activities for individual children.
Head Start uses the Early Learning Outcomes Framework, often called the ELOF, as an important guide for understanding children's development from birth to age 5.
The framework organizes learning into broad developmental areas.
For preschool-age children, families may see teachers supporting skills such as:
The framework is not a checklist that every child must master at exactly the same time.
Children develop at different rates.
Head Start programs use ongoing child assessment to understand children's strengths and progress.
This does not mean preschoolers should spend their days taking tests.
Teachers may learn about children through:
Programs use this information to plan teaching and identify areas where a child may need additional support.
Families see children in settings teachers do not.
Head Start emphasizes family engagement and recognizes parents as children's primary teachers and nurturers.
Teachers may ask families about:
Families should also receive information about children's progress.
A strong program should make communication a two-way process rather than only contacting parents when there is a problem.
Children bring their family culture, language, experiences, and identity into the classroom.
Teachers should build relationships with families and use information about children's backgrounds to support learning.
Families can ask:
Preparing for school includes learning how to:
Teachers should help children practice these skills rather than expecting preschoolers to already have them.
A useful classroom tour is about more than checking how many toys are on the shelf.
Notice the relationships.
Look for teachers who:
Notice whether children appear engaged and comfortable asking adults for help.
When visiting a Head Start center, consider asking:
Head Start programs operate in cities, rural communities, Tribal communities, migrant and seasonal communities, schools, nonprofit organizations, and other settings.
The building, schedule, curriculum, and classroom materials can differ.
The important question is whether the program provides a safe, supportive, developmentally appropriate environment that meets Head Start requirements and responds to the children and families it serves.
No. Programs select curricula that must meet Head Start requirements.
Head Start supports the whole child. Early literacy and math matter, but so do physical development, social-emotional skills, health, relationships, and approaches to learning.
Programs use screening and ongoing assessment, but preschool assessment should not look like a long series of elementary-style exams.
Family engagement is a core part of Head Start. Opportunities vary by program, so ask your local center how families can participate.