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Office of Head Start

Head Start History

In January 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared war on poverty. It launched a comprehensive child development program that would help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children.

Professional Development Resources from Other Organizations

It takes a village to raise a child. Likewise, it takes the collective efforts of many to develop resources and support those who teach and advocate for children. Below are links to federal offices, national organizations, and research institutions where you will find more resources regarding professional development.

Designation Renewal System

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as required by Congress, established the Designation Renewal System (DRS) to determine whether Head Start agencies deliver high-quality and comprehensive services to the families they serve.

Head Start Service Location Datasets

Developers can use this page to create and download datasets of Head Start centers. Input a city, state, ZIP code, or grant number. Also select which type of Head Start center you wish to include in your dataset.

Reviewer Resources

If you are an existing reviewer and need assistance with the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES) or review support, please see below for guidance.

Download Plug-ins and System Requirements

Some of the files on HeadStart.gov (e.g., PDFs or Microsoft Word documents) require a viewer or "plug-in" to open or view. These plug-ins are very common, so you likely already have them on your computer, but if not, you may need to install a particular one to view some of the files on this site.

School Readiness

School readiness is foundational across early childhood systems and programs. It means children are ready for school, families are ready to support their children's learning, and schools are ready for children.