Education

Head Start's educational program is designed to meet the needs of each child, and its ethnic and cultural characteristics. Every child receives a variety of learning experiences to foster intellectual, social, physical and emotional development. In addition Head Start emphasizes language, literacy and numeracy as primary aspects of the curriculum.

Program Goals

Children of low-income families are at risk of not developing the skills their peers have on the first day of kindergarten. At Salt Lake CAP Head Start, every child receives a variety of learning experiences to foster intellectual, social, physical, and emotional development.

Achieving program goals means not only improving children’s health and nutrition, but also preparing them to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Language, literacy, and numbers are the primary aspects of the curriculum. With low teacher:student ratios, teachers are able to give more quality one-on-one teaching time to each student. Increased teacher-student attention provides children with more language learning opportunities, such as strengthening vocabulary.

In a Head Start classroom, dittos and worksheets are not used. All curriculum is age-appropriate for three- to five-year-olds. Children are allowed to explore with hands-on activities, given the ability to make choices, and guided to interact positively with their peers.

To track progress, each child is assessed three times a year. The results of the formal assessments are shared during family conferences and home visits. Getting the whole family involved and invested in their child’s education is the key to success.

Education Facts

• In a recent study funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Head Start children performed better on cognitive, language, and health measures than their comparison-group counterparts did.
• Head Start children have also been found to have higher achievement test scores, respond more favorably to grade repetitions, and graduate more often.
• Head Start children participate more fully in school and are less likely to be identified as children with serious academic problems than those not enrolled in early childhood education programs.

Information compiled from www.acf.hhs.gov.