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.]