EARLY HEAD START
WHAT IS EARLY HEAD START AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Early Head Start (EHS) is a federally funded program that serves pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and their caregivers in families with low incomes.1 Families are eligible to participate in EHS if their incomes are at or below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
EHS promotes healthy social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development in young children, helps parents develop positive parenting skills and move toward self-sufficiency goals, and brings together community partners and resources to provide families with comprehensive services and support.2
WHAT PROGRESS HAVE STATES MADE SINCE THE 2020 ROADMAP TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EARLY HEAD START?
The Number of Infants and Toddlers with Access to EHS has Marginally Increased
Between 2019 and 2022, the number of funded infant and toddler slots increased by 1.3%, from 174,699 to 190,564 nationwide. At the state level, funded slots for infants and toddlers increased in 42 states. Rhode Island maintained the same level of funded slots, whereas Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming saw a decline.
Access to EHS increased in 45 states, with an average increase of 3.28 percentage points. In all but nine states, this modest increase was due to the number of funded slots remaining steady, but the number of eligible children decreasing.
For Fiscal Year 2023, the federal government increased Head Start allocations by $596 million, $100 million of which were dedicated to expanding access to Head Start, EHS, and EHS-Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP). The impact of these new funds is not reflected in the numbers provided below because the most recent available data on funded slots are from 2022.
4 More States Are Providing Funding Support for EHS
The number of states providing direct state funding for EHS slightly increased since the 2020 Roadmap, from nine states in 2020 to 13 states in 2024. Alaska, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Washington all began appropriating state funding for EHS in 2021.
For more information on state progress to increase access to Early Head Start, check out the 2024 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap.
Moving Forward: States May Consider Innovative Solutions to Support EHS
Federal funding for EHS has decreased significantly since the $2 billion in federal relief funds allocated for Head Start programs, including EHS, were liquidated in September 2023. At the same time, new requirements are emerging that could place additional financial pressure on these programs if not adequately funded. A new federal rule released in August 2024 requires that EHS programs improve wages, benefits, and wellness supports for staff in the coming years. Implementation of these changes will require substantial funding. States may consider allocating additional state funds to ensure these requirements are met while continuing to serve eligible children.
States may also consider developing innovative strategies to strengthen EHS or becoming EHS-CCP grantees to leverage child care subsidy funds. Recent innovative efforts have included removing the income eligibility requirement for child care subsidies for both children enrolled in EHS and for EHS staff, and access to early learning grants for EHS. These approaches may help programs blend and braid funding streams, offering greater flexibility in meeting program needs.
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center. (2024, May 20). Early Head Start programs. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/article/early-head-start-programs
- Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, Office of Head Start. (2024, May 20). About the Early Head Start program. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/article/about-early-head-start-program
