Head Start
Early Head Start
Arkansas Better Chance for School Success
   
 

Head Start

The federally funded Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that serves qualifying pre-school children and their families.  Head Start is a child-focused program and has the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.

Head Start began nationally with a task force recommendation in 1965 for the development of a federally sponsored pre-school program to meet the needs of disadvantaged children.  The program delivers a range of services, responsive and appropriate to each child’s and each family’s heritage and experience, that encompass all aspects of a child’s development and learning.

BRAD Head Start began in 1965 under the direction of program director, Virginia Atkison, as a summer program and has expanded to offer a full-day, full-year program for 342 children and their families.

 
   
    Early Head Start
   

In 1994, Congress established a new program for low-income families with infants, toddlers, and pregnant women which was and is now called Early Head Start.  In creating this program, Congress acted upon evidence from research and practice which illustrates that early intervention through high quality programs enhances children’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development; enables parents to be better caregivers and teachers to their children; and helps parents meet their own goals, including economic independence.

BRAD received funding for Early Head Start is 1999.  Families are selected to receive Early Head Start services using the federal poverty guidelines and the agency’s criteria for enrollment.

BRAD Early Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that serves children from birth to 3, pregnant women, and their families.  It is a child-focused program and has the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.
   
    Arkansas Better Chance
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BRAD Head Start/Early Head Start is funded to serve 87 children and families through the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance program.  These children are served in Randolph and Clay Counties.  Forty-nine children are served in the Arkansas Better Chance for School Success classrooms and 48 children are served in the Arkansas Better Chance Infant/Toddler classrooms.

Arkansas Better Chance uses the COPA Data System to file and track children and family information.  The curriculum and assessment used in the Arkansas Better Chance for School Success classroom is the Work Sampling System.  All Arkansas Better Chance staff are also trained on the Arkansas Early Childhood Frameworks.
     
   

This site and its contents are ©2006-2008 Black River Area Development Corporation. All rights reserved. Questions and comments concerning this site should be directed to lcasey@bradheadstart.com

This is an Equal Opportunity Program.  Discrimination is prohibited by Federal law.  Complaints of discrimination may be filed with the USDA Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C.  20250.

Black River Area Development Corporation (BRAD) is an equal opportunity employer.  Black River Area Development Corporation is also a government contractor subject to Federal laws regarding Affirmative Action.

 
   

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 Last modified 08/21/2008 04:48 PM