Talking Points
Let us review the features of the Early Head Start Program—to
be sure everyone understands some of the basics about the
program. The program began in 1995 and has now grown to over
700 programs serving more than 62,000 children and is now
at about 10% of the Head Start budget.
Early Head Start programs are all Head Start programs, but
ones that serve pregnant women and their husbands or partners
and families with children from birth through age 3.
As such, all Early Head Start programs are required to follow
the high standards set by the Head Start Program Performance
Standards. The Performance Standards reflect the best thinking
from many fields about what is important to include in a high
quality early childhood development program.
While all programs follow the Performance Standards, every
program tailors its approach to the community it serves. Services
provided usually fall into one of three program approaches—home-based,
center-based, or mixed-approach (combining both home-based
and center-based). In some of these programs, the same families
receive both services; in other mixed-approach programs, they
receive one or the other.
[If there is an Early Head Start program in your community,
provide a few facts about the local program.]
|