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Head Start began in 1965 as an eight-week summer demonstration program. The idea was ambitious for its time: children growing up in families with limited incomes needed more than classroom instruction alone. They could benefit from early learning, health services, nutrition support, and strong partnerships with their parents and communities.
That comprehensive approach still defines Head Start today.
Head Start was launched in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty. It brought together experts in early childhood development, health, education, social services, and community action.
Rather than treating school readiness as only an academic issue, the program was designed around the idea that children's learning is connected to their health, family stability, relationships, and access to services.
The first Head Start programs were intended as a short summer effort, but demand was strong and the program continued.
During the years that followed, Head Start expanded from short-term summer services into programs operating for longer periods of the year.
The program also evolved as communities learned more about early childhood development and as federal law and policy changed. Head Start increasingly emphasized:
Local programs continued to have flexibility in how they delivered services, but they operated under federal Head Start requirements.
Head Start eventually received a permanent statutory foundation through federal law. Over time, Congress amended and reauthorized the Head Start Act to update program expectations, accountability, eligibility, school-readiness goals, and quality standards.
The most recent major reauthorization was the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007.
Families do not need to understand the legislation to apply for services, but the law helps explain why Head Start is different from a typical preschool. It is designed as a comprehensive child and family development program rather than only a classroom program.
A major milestone came in the 1990s with the creation of Early Head Start.
The first Early Head Start grants were awarded in 1995. Early Head Start was created to serve infants and toddlers under age 3 and their families. Some Early Head Start programs also serve expectant families.
This expanded the Head Start model into the earliest years of development, when relationships, health, language, and early learning experiences can have a major influence on later development.
Today, families may encounter several types of programs, including:
Availability varies by community.
Head Start programs have changed considerably since the original eight-week demonstration project.
Many now provide full-day or full-year services, while others use part-day, school-year, home-based, family child care, or locally designed options. The exact model depends on the funded program and the needs of the community.
Programs are required to study community needs and use that information in planning services. This is one reason Head Start may look different from one community to another even though programs operate under federal standards.
One of Head Start's most enduring ideas is that parents are children's first and most important teachers.
Modern Head Start standards continue to emphasize family engagement. Programs work with parents around children's learning and development while also helping families identify goals and connect with community resources when appropriate.
Parent involvement may include:
The details vary by program, but family partnership remains a core part of the Head Start approach.
Head Start's comprehensive approach also continues through health and family support services.
Depending on a child's needs and the local program, families may receive help with areas such as:
Head Start programs do not replace a child's doctor, dentist, therapist, or other health professional. Instead, they can help families understand requirements, identify needs, and connect with appropriate care.
Head Start has now served children and families for more than six decades. The program has grown from one summer experiment into a nationwide network of locally operated programs.
Its central idea has remained surprisingly consistent: helping young children prepare for school works best when early learning is combined with attention to health, family relationships, and family well-being.
For families today, the most important thing to remember is that Head Start is administered locally. Enrollment, program schedules, available options, and application procedures can differ from one program to another.
If you are interested in services, contact a local Head Start or Early Head Start program to ask about eligibility, openings, and how to apply.
Head Start began in 1965 as an eight-week summer demonstration program.
The first Early Head Start grants were awarded in 1995.
Head Start is federally funded and governed by federal law and program standards, but services are delivered by local grant recipients and community organizations.
No. Head Start originally focused on preschool-age children. Early Head Start later expanded the model to infants, toddlers under age 3, and in some programs expectant families.
No. They follow federal requirements, but program design, schedules, service options, and community partnerships can vary locally.