Providing educational, emotional,
and social support for children and families in every Tennessee county.

Head Start is built upon the understanding that child and family development takes place in a community, and that effective programs build upon and link families with commun ity resources. For this reason, Head Start is designed to link with schools, social service agencies, health services, childcare services -- but especially with parents. Parent invovlvment is part of the comprehensive Head Start approach that makes Head Start Parents true partners in the education of theri children. Head Start Policy Councils are at least 51% parents, and the shared governance structure with Boards requires that parents are not viewed as mererely "advisory" councils or "parent-teacher" organizations. If conflics occur, impasse resolution procedures settle the issues. Head Start directors, recognizing that Policy Councils are vital to a programs' continuing success, sit down with parents to learn their concerns and address their priorities.

Federal studies show that:

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Parents of Head Start children report extremely high levels of satisfaction with Head Start, consistent with findings from the 1999 American Customer Satisfaction Index in which Head Start parents gave the program the highest rating of any government program.

Parents report increases in education attainment and employment during their time in Head Start, and also report a decline in the number receiving welfare assistance.

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