Office of Educational Services & Support

Head Start

• Head Start Services
• SD Head Start Programs
• Website Links
• 2009 Head Start Fact Sheets
  • Family Data
  • Health/Medical Data
• Sample Head Start/LEA Agreements
  • Sample 1
  • Sample 2
  Coordination/Transition Plan Documents
  • Power Point
  • Guidance
  • Transition Plan Framework
• Head Start State Collaboration Office Needs Assessment 2008-09 Survey Results

Head Start is a comprehensive program that provides educational, nutritional, health and social services to preschool aged (3-5) children from low income families. Early Head Start provides a comprehensive program serving expectant parents and their infants and toddlers (Birth to 3) year round. The program strengthens relationships within the family by encouraging parent involvement in all aspects of a child's development and in the Head Start program itself. It is a federally funded community based program requiring a local funding match. In South Dakota areas of the state are offered Head Start services through 16 Head Start and 9 Early Head Start programs. 10% of the enrollment must include children with disabilities or special needs. An agreement exists between Head Start and public schools to collaborate in providing services to special needs children and their families. Head Start is required to develop transition plans in collaboration with public schools.

The Head Start / State Collaboration Office, established in 1990, is the state's central point of contact between South Dakota Head Start programs and State agencies. Its purpose is to disseminate information about Head Start, assist in development of multi-agency and public/private partnerships between Head Start and the State, assist with interagency agreements for services and transitions from early childhood into the public schools, collaborate with other agency initiatives, and help build early childhood systems and access to comprehensive services for all low-income children.