Welcome

The Head Start and Early Head Start Programs are federally funded programs that offer free, comprehensive services to low-income children and their families. The Head Start Program serves preschool children, while the Early Head Start Program serves pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. The mission of the Head Start and Early Head Start Programs are to promote school preparation by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools seeks to promote school readiness by enhancing children’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development through a curriculum and learning environment that are developmentally appropriate, respectful of each child’s ethnic and cultural background, and supports children's individual growth. Ten percent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ enrollment is geared to serving children with special needs.

Family engagement is a key component of the Head Start and Early Head Start Programs. We, at Miami-Dade County Public Schools, understand the important role of a parent, as their child’s first teacher. We focus on engaging families in their child’s education and building relationships with parents that support:

• family well-being and positive parent-child relationships;
• families as learners and lifelong educators;
• family engagement in transitions;
  
• family connections to peers and community; and
• families as advocates and leaders.