State Advisory Council (SAC)on
Early Childhood Education & Care
Massachusetts Head Start Services
Board of Early Education and Care
February 9, 2010
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Overview of MA
Head Start & Early Head Start
Programs & Services
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Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Background/Purpose
Head Start is an early education and comprehensive child
development program that serves low-income children from
birth to age 5 and their families, as well as families pre-birth.
It is administered by the Office of Head Start (OHS),
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
The goal of Head Start is to increase the school readiness of
young children from low-income families and prepare them for
later learning. It is also a two-generational program that
promotes family engagement, and provides family support and
social services to prenatal families and families of all enrolled
children.
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Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Examples of Head Start Prevention, Promotion and Early
Intervention
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Screening - Cognitive, developmental, behavioral, sensory (vision
& hearing); determining children’s oral health status; referring
children for services if needed
Individualized learning & formative assessment; preschool
programs use the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework
Monitoring children’s health status including their nutritional
status; requiring dental examinations; linking children to medical
and dental homes
Soliciting parental information, observations, and concerns
about their child's mental health and responding to the identified
behavioral and mental health concerns of an individual child or
group of children
Promoting family engagement, family literacy & other
activities to support parents as their child’s first educator
Providing family support services to help families achieve and
maintain self-sufficiency
Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Geographic Representation across MA
Programs provided services to:
15,623 children, 116 pregnant women, & 14,754
families in over 380 communities in
Massachusetts.
Western
7%
Boston
7%
Greater Springfield
7%
Cape and Islands
7%
Greater
Boston
22%
Greater
Worcester
15%
Southeast
21%
Northeast
17%
Transportation Services
provided to 5,356 students
(34.45% of participants)
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2009 Head Start Program Information Report
Head Start
Federal Funds in Massachusetts (FY2009)
Funding Source
(OHS Federal and/or State Funds)
Allocation FY 2009
HS Base-Federal funds (ACF/OHS)
total
$98,955,882
EHS Base-Federal funds
(ACF/OHS) total
$9,553,600
HS COLA Federal funds total
$3,022,693
EHS COLA Federal funds total
$292,341
HS Training
$979,012
EHS Training
$237,687
Total Federal Funding HS & EHS
$113,041,215
ACF/OHS -FY09 Data
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The annual COLA is based on Consumer Price Index (CPI). From FY2002-2008 programs experienced a real cut of 13%
when adjusted for inflation and for the first time since 1955 the CPI is currently projected to decrease.
Head Start Funds
ARRA Federal Funds in MA (one-time only)
Funding Source
(OHS Federal / State Funds)
Allocation
Comment
FY 10 HS/ARRA Expansion
Federal funds
$1,042,222
ARRA grant will end 2011
HS Quality/ARRA COLA Federal
funds total
$6,320,202
1 Time Award 2009 only will not
carry 2010 (ARRA grant)
$632,981
1 Time Award 2009 only will not
carry 2010 (ARRA grant)
EHS Quality/ARRA COLA Federal
funds total
FY 10 EHS Expansion Federal
funds
$4,111,186
Total MA ARRA Federal funding
$12,106,591
ARRA grant will end 2011
MA EHS Expansion - ARRA Award Recipients*
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*Community Teamwork, Inc., Lowell
*Lynn Economic Opportunity, Inc. Lynn
*Quincy Community Action Program, Inc., Quincy *Triumph, Inc., Taunton
*Somerville Mental Health Association, Somerville *South Shore Community Action Council, Inc.
*Associates for Human Services, Taunton
Plymouth
*Community Action, Inc. Haverhill
*Community Action Franklin, Hampshire and No Quabbin Regions, Inc. Greenfield
*South Shore Day Care Services, Inc., Weymouth
ACF/OHS –FY09 & 10 Data
Head Start Funds
MA State Supplemental Funds
Funding Source
Allocation
FY 2009
Description
HS State
Supplemental
$8 Million
Provides state supplemental salary grants
for federally funded Head Start agencies to
support their programs.
Funds are also used by agencies toward
meeting matching requirements for
federal Head Start funds.
Funds also support expansion of enrollment
services for314 children
Financial
Subsidies
(Voucher and
Contracts)
$ 28,598,492
Total
$36,598,492
ACF/OHS -FY09 Data
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3,503 slots are supported through voucher
and contracted slots (Used wrap around rate)
Head Start
42 Programs in Total MA PIR Count
Program Type
Grantees
Federal
Funded
Enrollment
Preschool
29
11,859
Early Head Start
12
846
Migrant/Seasonal
1
73
Agency Types Represented:
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Community Action Agency (CAA): 25 programs
School System (public/private): 2 programs
Private/Public Non-Profit (non CAA, church): 15 programs
FY 2009 Program Information Report
Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Number of Children Enrolled in EHS/HS Programs (by Age)1
EARLY HEAD START
10
1Does
not include Migrant/Seasonal children
2009 Head Start Program Information Report
HEAD START
Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
FY 10 MA Funded Enrollment
Including ARRA Expansion (Until 9-30-11)
Program Type
Current
Enrollment
ARRA
Enrollment
Head Start
11,788*
151
Early Head Start
MA Total
Migrant/Seasonal
Total MA Funding**
865
586
12,653
737
73
58
$116,800,000
*Includes 272 State-funded enrollment slots
** Does not include Migrant/Seasonal Funding
Region I, Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, January 2010
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Head Start
EEC Financial Assistance (FY2009)
Children enrolled in Head Start & Early Head Start
Type of
Assistance
Head Start
Early Head Start
HS and EHS
Total
Voucher Slots
1360
218
1578
Contract Slots
1663
262
1925
Total slots
3022
480
3,503
Child Care Partner Enrollment: 520
Children (3.34% of total
participants)
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Data from :EEC Financial Assistance Data-Base – October 09 and 2009 PIR
Head Start & Early Head Start
Enrollment in FY2009
Federal Funds Administered by ACF
(directly allocated to local programs –
not including enrollment of migrant
children)
Total Funded Enrollment: 12,705
State Child Care Subsidized
HS funded slots: 11,859
EHS funded slots: 846
Total: 3,503 (voucher &
contract slots)
Actual Enrollment: 15,662 (total
participants)
Total children enrolled in slots: 15,546
Pregnant women enrolled slots (home based):
116
FY 10 ARRA HS Expansion Funds: Slots:151
FY 10 ARRA EHS Funds: 586 Slots
Total: 737*
*(ends 2011)
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State Funds Administered
by EEC
HS State Supplemental Funds
Expands enrollment services to
314 children
TOTAL: 3717
Data from PIR FY 2009, EEC Data Based Management Oct. 09, OHS
Regional Office, and EEC Supplemental Grant 09
Head Start
There are over 239 Head Start sites and 707 classes operating in MA
Program Type
# of Children
% of Children
Center-based Full Day (5
days per week)
4,194
32.40%
Center-based Part Day (5
days per week)
6,980
53.92%
113
1.62%
Center-based Full Day (4
days per week)
0
0%
Center-based Part Day (4
days per week)
1,005
7.76%
66
6.57%
Combination Option
Program
67
0.52%
Locally Designed Option
(meet needs of local
community i.e. shelters)
97
0.75%
Home-based Program
386
2.98%
Family Child Care Option
145
1.12%
Of these, the number in
double sessions
Of these, the number in
double sessions
Total
PIR FY 2009 data & ACF/OHS data 2009
PIR 09
12,874
Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Family Services Provided
13,536 families (92%
of all families)
received at least one
service
Head Start also served
1,000 Homeless
Families
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2009 Head Start Program Information Report
Number of Families
Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Improving School Readiness & Promoting Long-Term
Success: The Head Start Roadmap to Excellence
Revise Head Start Program Performance Standards to:
 Incorporate the latest evidence on teacher-child interactions
and predictors of school success
 Emphasize foundational literacy, math, and science skills,
and promote children’s healthy social emotional and physical
development
 Incorporate new research showing that family engagement in
children’s learning is crucial to achieving positive educational
outcomes for children
 Incorporate best practices on family engagement including an
increased emphasis on family literacy
 Implement the Classroom Assessment Scoring System
(CLASS) to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning activities
in the classroom
 Further strengthen Early Head Start Quality Standards
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Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act 2007, 42-USC
Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Improving School Readiness & Promoting Long-Term
Success: The Head Start Roadmap to Excellence
Disseminate current research and best practices through National
Centers of Early Childhood Excellence:
 Early Head Start National Resource Center
 Center on Quality Teaching and Learning
 Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness
 Center on Program Management, Design, and Fiscal Operations
 Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement
 Center on Health, Nutrition, Dental, and Mental Health
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Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Improving School Readiness & Promoting Long-Term
Success: The Head Start Roadmap to Excellence
Increase Accountability:
 Re-compete Head Start grants that are not providing quality
comprehensive services to provide a strong incentive for programs
to strive for the highest quality ratings
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Enhance the monitoring process to improve how quality is
measured including new assessments of teacher-child interactions
Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act 2007, 42-USC
Head Start - Investing in the Future of Massachusetts
Improving School Readiness & Promoting Long-Term
Success: The Head Start Roadmap to Excellence
Strengthen Collaboration with Early Childhood Entities at the Local,
State, and Federal Levels:
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Promote interoperability between the Head Start data system(s) and
those of state preschool and K–3 systems
Promote continuity of services and effective transition of Head Start
children into the public schools
Collaborate with institutions of Higher Education to promote
professional development through education and credentialing programs
for early childhood providers in states
Encourage the inclusion of Head Start Program Performance
Standards in state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems and
support the participation of Head Start programs in QRIS
Bring together key early childhood decision-makers, including
representatives of Head Start, to plan the development of state early
childhood systems
Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act 2007, 42-USC