Special Programs

Early Head Start (EHS) has a triple mission. It promotes healthy prenatal outcomes, enhances the development of infants and toddlers, and promotes healthy family functioning.

Head Start is designed to foster healthy development in low-income children. Program grantees and delegate agencies deliver a range of services, responsive and appropriate to each child's and each family's heritage and experience, that encompass all aspects of a child's development and learning.

The Migrant and Seasonal Program Branch provides consistent and high quality services in support of healthy child development across the nation.

Region XI, American Indian-Alaska Native Program Branch Region XI, American Indian-Alaska Native Program Branch (Region XI, AI-ANPB) provides American Indian and Alaska Native children and families nationally with comprehensive health, educational, nutritional, socialization and other developmental services promoting school readiness. These services are directed primarily toward economically disadvantaged preschool children (ages 3 to 5) and infants and toddlers (birth through age 3).

Program Services Areas:

Disabilities: Fully including children with disabilities is a required element of the Head Start program. This initiative is beneficial to all involved: children with and without disabilities, parents of children with and without disabilities, and staff members.

Education: Ensuring children enrolled in Head Start begin school ready to learn is a program goal. Activities are directed toward skill and knowledge domains and domain elements. Indicators of each child's progress are incorporated in the program's annual self-assessment.

Family and Community Partnerships: recognize the vital contributions made by parents and community members. Both groups are involved in the operation, governance and evaluation of the program.

Health: Wellness is recognized as a significant contributor to each child's ability to thrive and develop. Accordingly, health screenings evaluate the child's overall health status and regular health check-ups and good practices in oral health, hygiene, nutrition, personal care and safety are incorporated in the program.

Program Management and Operation: focus on delivering high-quality child development services to children from low-income families.

Program Services Resources:

Early Head Start National Resource Center: (EHS NRC) provides state-of-the-art information, materials and technical assistance and enhances the work of the Infant/Family Network.

Head Start Family Information System: (HSFIS) enables data related to established program objectives, progress and accomplishments, appropriate decisions and use of resources to be transferred easily.

Head Start Fiscal Assistant: (HSFA) Head Start Fiscal Assistant is a very large database of all the statutes, regulations, and policies related to fiscal management of Head Start grants. Using this online tool, users can quickly locate, sort through, and appropriately interpret and apply large amounts of information related to Head Start grants administration and management.

Head start Information and Publication Center: (HSIPC) is the federal information clearinghouse that supports the Head Start community and other organizations working in the interest of children and families. It provides information products and services; conference and meeting support; publication distribution; and marketing and outreach efforts. The center maintains the two web sites, the National Head Start Library Collections and the Head Start Bureau's archives.

National Facilities Assistance Desk: (HSNRC) provides guidance for constructing and/or renovating a facility to meet Head Start program needs and standards.

National Transportation Center for School Children: (NTCSC) offers help to individual Head Start agencies and other educational programs on issues affecting their transportation systems.

Program Information Report: (PIR), part of the grantees annual report, is the source of the data used for reports to Congress and forms the basis of responses to public and congressional inquiries about the operation of the program.

National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Resource Center: (NRC) Services and information are provided to grantees and staff at regional and local levels. Additional functions include: developing the Head Start Bulletin, editorial services in the production of policy manuals and training materials, supporting the work of the Child Development Institute and program and networking activities of the State Collaboration Offices.