HHS Proposes Vision for the Future of Head Start, Releases New Performance Standards
Raises the bar on quality, expands program to full school day, full school year, reduces regulatory burden by one-third
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today important steps to improve the quality of services at Head Start programs across the country. HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell unveiled the first comprehensive revision of the Head Start Performance Standards since they were originally published in 1975. Improving these performance standards, which provide the foundation for practices and policies in every Head Start program, builds upon past efforts from the administration to improve and strengthen Head Start in order to deliver on the President’s call to provide children with access to high-quality early childhood experiences. The revised standards reflect a vision for how to raise the bar on quality for all Head Start programs and build on the programs’ history of success to help more children onto a path to school success.
Head Start performance standards are the foundation for Head Start’s mission to deliver comprehensive, high-quality individualized services to support the school readiness and healthy development of children from low-income families. The proposed regulation will update standards to reflect best practices and the latest research on what works in early education to foster healthy child development and school readiness.
The proposed rule sets an expectation that all programs operate for a full school day and full school year; raises education standards to reflect current research on brain development, early learning, and effective practice; and builds teacher skills and improves classroom performance through a system of evidence-based, individualized professional development.
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Depend on the wingnuts to cry that such programs reward the lazy and reinforce a sense of entitlement.