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In all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, tribal lands, and migrant and seasonal communities, Head Start, Early Head Start, American Indian Alaska Native (AIAN) Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs serve more than 750,000 vulnerable children and their families each year from pregnancy to kindergarten entry.

National Head Start Profile

National Map copy
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FY21 Funding
Funded Slots Nationwide
Head Start Centers Nationwide
Funded Head Start Slots
Funded American Indian/Alaska Native Head Start Slots
Funded Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Slots
Funded Early Head Start Slots
Funded American Indian/Alaska Native Early Head Start Slots

2024 State Fact Sheets

Click on your state to download your 2024 Head Start Fact Sheet or use NHSA’s interactive map to explore Head Start locations in detail.

Facts and Impacts

Head Start works. Children make innumerable gains. These advantages appear immediately, last a lifetime, and positively impact generations.

Early Head Start Facts & Figures

Download and learn more about Early Head Start’s service delivery models, how programs support families’ comprehensive needs, and how the program promotes equity.

Across nearly 53,000 classrooms, the proven Head Start two-generation model works every day to ready children for school and for life while strengthening families.

More than 263,000 staff work in Head Start and Early Head Start, ranging from preschool and infant and toddler teachers to bus drivers and cooks, family support workers, home visitors, and program directors.

Head Start and Early Head Start are uniquely valuable to state early childhood systems:

  • Tuition-free and targeted to families least likely to be able to afford child care. Nearly 70% of enrolled families live in poverty.
  • Aligned with other systems of social support for children administered by states, including children in foster care, experiencing homelesses, and facing food insecurity.
  • Welcome the most racially and ethnically diverse population. Enrolled children across the nation are 36% Hispanic, 28% Black/African-American, 24% White, 10% biracial or multiracial.
  • Supportive of child and family needs, offering a unique two-generation approach. 80% of enrolled families received at least one family service, such as crisis support, assistance with job training, and parenting resources.
  • Federally-funded, coming alongside state investments in early care and education; $10.8 billion in federal funding goes directly to local community agencies, including nonprofits, schools, and community action programs.
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