Will the Head Start Program Improve Within the Next Two Years?

In the current economy and with other concerns such as unstable jobs, global warming and a host of other problems, I would probably do my best to home-school my child from Pre-Kindergarten through elementary school. When they reach high school, I believe they should definitely attend a local public school. Children need to be out in the world to a point so they will learn how to live with other people. Also, many children , especially in the higher education levels often act out against their personal way of life by harming their family members and peers.

Head Start is a very good program that gets young children (3-5 years) ready for kindergarten and on through elementary grades. Head Start is funded by the Federal Government, and some states fund their own Pre-K programs. Head Start was first launched in 1965. At that time, only a few states had such early programs for children. Today, up to 46 states plus the District of Columbia provide funding for preschool.

Seventy-seven percent of the state-funded programs met or did better than the 1:10 teacher-child ratio for four-year-olds required by Head Start. The Head Start programs serve 20 or less children per classroom. Fifty-five percent of the states required a bachelor's degree for teachers. Head Start has not required a bachelor's degree. However, Congress is currently considering this requirement.

Early Head Start is a variant of the Head Start program which accepts children from birth to three years old. It is the program that serves mothers and their babies up to age 3. In recent years, Head Start and Early Head Start have received funding and will be eligible to receive grants worth $2.1 billion under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). We are happy to see the Obama administration request for the additional funding.

These programs, including Head Start, also offer such amenities as nutritious meals, vision and hearing tests, immunization, mental health services referrals and physical health services referrals.

The State-Funded Pre-K schools enroll children from families who are struggling in this economy and for other reasons. Head Start, on the other hand, enrolls the children from the poorest of the poor families

I have given some comparison between the Pre-K State-funded schools and the Head Start and Early Head Start schools. Although we have hope and promises from the Federal Government for the Head Start Schools, we do not have the money in hand as yet. These things should be happening soon, so we need to keep abreast of what happens.

Considering the way things stand at this time, I would try to enroll my child (if I had a young child) in the Pre-K State-funded schools if I could afford them. It seems the Head Start Program is not as well staffed, and are not sure they will be able to afford to improve. Also, you can only be enrolled in Head Start if your family income is at a certain level. In other words, if you make too much money, your children cannot enroll in Head Start. I might take a class for home-schooling Pre-K children, and do the early teaching myself. I believe that is how I did it, and my children are far from Pre-k now. They did well in the early grades, even though I was working. I always took time to read to them, tell them stories and play number and word games as well.

Sources:

http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/state-funded-pre-k.htm
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/early-ed-watch/2009/head-start-and state-pre-k-competition
Personal knowledge