Program alliances of centers

5. Head Start/Early Head Start

Key features:

·        Federal program for low-income children. Parents pay no fees.

·        Centers are independently operated by non-profit contractors, but adhere to a uniform set of programs which include many ‘social services’ elements as well as educational curricula.

·        Nationally: Head Start primarily serves 3- and 4-year-olds: only 8% (9.7% in Maine, 2002) of enrolled children are under 3, i.e. in Early Head Start.

·        Average cost per child is $7,092 (2003). Funding: federal grant plus 20% local match, which may be ‘soft’ – e.g., rent, transportation. Maine FY 2003: $26,990,760 funding; 3,970 children served. Ken / Som local funding includes $3.7 million for SKCDC and $4.1 million for KVCAP (FY 2002 – update?) Maine provides an extra $3 million to expand capacity to income-ineligible families.

·        4% of children with home-based providers (known in Maine as ‘Home Start’)

·        Volunteer-to-paid staff ratio of almost 7:1

·        Special needs children are 25% of enrolment

·        In Maine: 4,000+ children enrolled, but 8,000+ eligible children not enrolled through lack of funding. (2002 Maine Head Start Annual report)

·        Over 50% of lead teachers have a degree in ECE

·        Early Head Start is usually home-based. Head Start is usually center based.

 

Program Options

Preschool (3-4 years)

Early Head Start (<3)

Center Based Part Day

58%

0%

Center Based Full Day

24%

17%

Home Based

2%

71%

Center Based Partners

5%

4%

Family CC/Home Start partners

3%

4%

Public School pre-K partners

8%

4%

Total funded enrolled

3,689

332

 

Key insight: Again, it appears that children under 3 are best suited to family care and children over 3 years to centers – based on staffing ratios.

 

Sources:

http://www.state.me.us/dhs/maineheadstart2002.pdf