In their most recent budgets, state lawmakers have directly committed over $355 million in state funding collectively to expand Head Start and Early Head Start to more than 22,000 children ages birth to five, filling critical services gaps for at-risk children and families.
States are facing a crisis of at-risk young children and families. There is a ready-built solution to supporting at-risk children and families that has been embraced by D.C. and 14 states: local Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Whether they commit to $3 million or $25 million each year, 14 states and D.C. are directly investing state funds in Head Start and Early Head Start to improve outcomes for at-risk children and families. Here are five state examples that illustrate how a little extra funding for Head Start can go a long way in improving equity and opportunity for at-risk children and families.