We Know:
The first five years of life are a time of enormous growth of linguistic,
conceptual, social, emotional, and motor competence.
We Know:
For every dollar spent on early education, $4-9 dollars will be saved on future
intervention programs.
We Know:
Head Start graduates are less likely to drop out of high school, be retained in
grade, be in special education programs, be in the juvenile correction system or
be a teen pregnancy statistic.
We Know:
It costs $50,000 - $65,000 a year to keep a child in the juvenile justice system.
We Know:
Idaho Head Start currently serves only 25% of the eligible low-income children
(this includes the recent TANF supplement to the program), and that the average
income for Head Start families is between $6,000 and $9,000 per year.
We Know:
Idaho citizens regard "local control" as the best business practice. We also
know that Head Start is a good example of that business practice. Head Start
funding is passed directly from the Federal Bureau to the local program and is
administered by fewer than 150 federal employees nationwide.
We Know:
"Comprehensive services" are necessary for children at risk so that they may
enter school ready to learn. Living in poverty and limited health resources are
key risk factors faced by Head Start families.
We Know:
Head Start serves 72 communities in Idaho.
We Know:
Head Start provides an enhanced early childhood curriculum that focuses on
school readiness skills, and we know Head Start is a very effective,
comprehensive early childhood program that collaborates with state and local
agencies, civic and faith groups, business, and elected officials to assure that
families are provided; safe places to live, food and clothing, adequate
transportation, job skills, parenting classes, high school completion programs,
health care and education, and opportunities to participate as functional
members of the community, and that these components of Head Start are delivered
at a cost of less than $6,000 per family.
We Know:
Head Start provides an integration program for children with disabilities. (10%
of the Head Start enrollment opportunities must be made available to children
with disabilities.)
We Know:
Head Start has a home visit program to support parents and guardians in their
role as their child's first teacher.
