This fact sheet is based on the 2011 Program Information Report (PIR) data, which all Head Start programs are required to complete on an annual basis. It provides statistical charts and tables on 2011 Head Start programs, participants, families, and staff.

Head Start programs provide poor children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services. Each year, programs are required to submit a Program Information Report (PIR) to the Office of Head Start on participating children, pregnant women, and families, as well as the staff serving the Head Start population. In 2013, the…

Since 1965, the Head Start program has served low-income 3- and 4-year-old children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services. Programs provide services focused on the "whole child," including early education addressing cognitive, developmental, and socio-emotional needs; medical and dental screenings and…

Across the U.S., large numbers of young children are affected by one or more risk factors that have been linked to academic failure and poor health. High quality early care and education can play a critical role in promoting young children's early learning and success in life, while also supporting families' economic security. Young…

Since 1965, the Head Start program has served low-income 3- and 4-year-old children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services. Programs provide services focused on the "whole child," including early education addressing cognitive, developmental, and socio-emotional needs; medical and dental screenings and…

This is the ninth brief in a series of Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) analyses of Head Start Program Information Report data. This brief provides information on Early Head Start programs, staff, and participants; including young children, pregnant women, and their families. It updates a similar brief that CLASP published analyzing data…

A growing number of state leaders believe that it is essential to expand high-quality early learning and development opportunities for all young children before they reach kindergarten. A key component of this strategy is providing access to voluntary, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, especially for low-income children. Over the last few…

This paper examines how Head Start and state pre-kindergarten programs can work together to better serve young children and their families. It focuses on two of the several models of early childhood education, acknowledging that these programs are just one piece of a fully integrated system of early care and education for children from birth until…

This paper summarizes evidence about the participation of young children of immigrants in early care and education programs as well as relevant demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of immigrant families that likely influence children's participation in early learning programs. It then discusses policy recommendations for state and local…

This is the eighth brief in a series of Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) analyses of Head Start Program Information Report data. All Head Start programs are required to complete the Program Information Report (PIR) on an annual basis. Based on information reported through the PIR, this policy brief describes the characteristics of Head…

As Congress prepares to make important decisions about the future of Head Start, Program Information Report (PIR) data provide important contextual information about Early Head Start programs and the children and families they serve. In 2004, Early Head Start served a diverse group of infants, toddlers, and pregnant women, most of whom were from…

Over the past 40 years, the Head Start program has delivered early education and support services to 23 million low-income preschool children and their families. In addition to early education, Head Start programs must provide children and families with access to a range of comprehensive services, including parenting resources, health screenings…

This brief is based on the 61-page report of the same name. This paper, commissioned by the Brookings Institution, studies the emergence of the mixed delivery model, in which pre-kindergarten is delivered in community-based settings and schools. It describes findings of a state survey CLASP conducted to understand the policy choices,…

This paper summarizes the research on the importance of teacher education and salary levels, provides a snapshot of Head Start and Early Head Start staff credentials and related issues, describes recent legislative history and changes on teacher qualifications, and assesses whether states and higher education systems are ready to address a major…

This analysis provides a preliminary estimate of the necessary level of funding needed to raise the degree qualifications to meet the requirements in the Head Start reauthorization legislation currently proposed in the House and Senate. While each bill is designed to improve the quality of Head Start programs by requiring an increase in the number…