What is Head Start and Early Head Start and what do they offer?
Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which serve children from birth to age five and their families. The programs are child-focused and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families. Both programs provide a range of individualized services in the areas of education, medical, dental and mental health, nutrition and social service to children and their families. Parent involvement is encouraged and support is offered for children with disabilities. Ten percent of the programs’ total enrollment opportunities are made available to children with disabilities. Drake University Head Start, including Early Head Start, is the largest Head Start grantee in the state of Iowa and one of only a few university-based Head Start programs in the nation. Drake University Head Start serves children from birth to age three through the Early Head Start program and children ages three and four and their families thro
