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Head Start recompetition: when one door closes, another one opens

In a recent story in The Blade, board members of the  Economic Opportunity Planning Association (EOPA) questioned how the agency is preparing to reapply for a $13 million grant to continue running its Toledo Head Start agency. Due to the Head Start Recompetition Process, EOPA was recently notified by the federal government it will have…

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Head Start: getting kids ‘school ready’ by design

The School Readiness Act of 2007 offered improvements to ensure that school readiness is a top priority for all the children they serve.  In general terms, the Office of Head Start has defined school readiness to mean: Children are ready for school Families are ready to support their children’s learning Schools are ready for children As programs work to…

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Head Start Staff: The Heart of Family Partnerships

In a recent blog post, Parent Involvement is Key to Children’s Success, we talked about how closely linked a child’s later success in life is tied to parent involvement in their educational process. Equally important is the role of Head Start staff in promoting and sustaining supportive family partnerships. These partnerships, characterized by mutual respect…

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27 million windows has opened many doors

Imagine 27 million lives forever changed by Head Start. Since 1965, more than 27 million Americans have participated in the Head Start program and benefited through “The Window of Opportunity,” offering success in school and life. With more children in need of services now, than at any time before, National Head Start Association (NHSA) has…

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Give your child a Head Start – the earlier, the better

You may have noticed that many of my blogs are brought about from valuable discussions and comments in our Head Start/Early Head Start LinkedIn group. Members of our group, comprised mostly of Head Start managers and officers, educators, youth advocates and others in the social services industry were asked, “What is a big concern you’re…

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New guidelines for Head Start will encourage competition

Head Start made the news this week as President Obama announced new guidelines for programs receiving the grants. Head Start programs will now be required to meet certain standards, or benchmarks, in order to qualify for renewal of their grants. The feds will be taking money from programs that aren’t working and putting the money…

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Head Start families face many issues

Families are faced with many challenges today: The decline of the economy, unemployment, inflation, and the high divorce rate are probably among the most serious. Families with children in the Head Start program face even more challenges. They are typically low-income, and many are single-parent families. The program has also seen an increase in the…

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The Head Start Program: Its History and Purpose

Did you know that the Head Start program has been around for nearly 50 years? The program was triggered by President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” speech, delivered in 1964 to bring awareness to the plight of families living in poverty. He and Sargent Shriver put together a panel of experts, including psychologists and pediatricians,…

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Welcome to The Gravely Group Head Start Blog

We are very excited about our new blog and hope to have productive and insightful dialogue about trends, issues, and available resources to enhance and strengthen Head Start agencies. You can also join conversations with the TGG Head Start Group on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gravely-group. Please feel free to post any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding program governance,…

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