San Antonio’s Head Start program, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, serves more than 7,000 children ages three to five and an additional 3,000 infants and toddlers through Early Head Start across Bexar County. Originally launched in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, Head Start provides free early childhood education and care to low-income families.
Despite facing a proposed $750 million federal budget cut earlier this year, funding for the program was ultimately preserved. In San Antonio, six federal grantees—including Family Service, which operates 23 sites—administer the program locally. Eligibility includes families receiving SNAP benefits, those living below the federal poverty line, children in foster care, and those with disabilities.
Local leaders stress that Head Start is more than childcare; it offers a research-based curriculum led by degreed educators, and they warn that future funding cuts could jeopardize both early learning access and the development of a strong local workforce.
Read the full article here: Head Start was Born 60 Years Ago