Why Head Start Program Healthy Snacks for Kids Are Important One of the best ways to get extra nutrients in your daily diet and learn healthy skills that will prevent overeating at mealtimes and obesity is snacking. Studies show that as many as 97 percent of all Americans snack, with snacking accounting for an average of 24 percent of their daily intake of calories. It seems that snacking is here to stay, so the best way to prevent children from building unhealthy habits is to build positive attitudes about the foods that they choose to snack on each day. How Head Start Can Help The Head Start program is a...

The House Budget Committee’s View on Early Learning Programs With so many American families depending on early learning programs like the Head Start programs, it is important to stay on top of reports, such as the one from the House Budget Committee, has to say about these important social services. The report focused on a wide group of social service and educational programs and specifically addressed the Head Start and Child Care and Development Fund programs, two services that low-income families rely on heavily, especially in the current economic climate. Here is a brief overview on what the House Budget Committee Report had to say about Head Start Programs and...

The Importance Child Nutrition Plays in Head Start Programs When most people think about Head Start Programs, they think about early childhood learning and education for low-income families. And while it’s true that Head Start is an educational community service that millions have counted on since the program was first launched, the nutritional services of Head Start are just as important. It is the cooperative effort between education and quality nutrition that makes the Head Start Program so successful in the communities where it is needed most. Head Start administrators work together with staff and participating families to identify the nutritional requirements of each child. This helps the program and...

Smart Food Purchasing for Head Start Program Administrators Administrators who run local Head Start Programs understand what it means to have the numbers work against you. In the 2013 Sequestration that came as a result of the Congressional budget showdown, administrators were forced to reduce Head Start budgets by more than five percent. While that may not sound like a lot to those on the outside, between food purchasing for Head Start, administrative costs, office supplies, janitorial supplies and all of the programs offered within the program, that five percent amounted to a lot. Administrators Worked Smarter, Not Harder In the face of the budget cuts, some of the local...

7 Ways to Reduce Administrative Supply Costs in Head Start The costs of running a Head Start Program aren’t always visible for those on the outside looking in, but having the ability to lower supply costs can be a big help for administrators who need to find new ways to work within the Head Start Program budget. Being able to reduce administrative costs can really help when it comes to reducing the overall annual budget. Most administrative and janitorial supply costs are relatively fixed, rarely varying from month-to-month as much as food or manufacturing supplies and costs might be. That makes it even easier to lower supply costs without having...

Why the Right Supply Chain Matters for Head Start Programs As budget cuts, inflation and increases in the number of families who depend on local Head Start Programs continue to rise, administrators continue to look for new ways to cut costs and reduce supply waste in order to keep doors open and services available to the children who need them. Millions of dollars are wasted on inefficient supply purchasing of office and janitorial supplies at early education programs each year. When administrators are able to better manage Head Start purchases they will effectively reduce annual costs and be able to invest those savings into other vital parts of the program...

Resolve to Spend Less on Office Supplies in the New Year! Just about every business or organization across the United States is looking for new ways to reduce spending in response to budget cuts and the fiscal uncertainty seen in today’s economy. This is especially true for Head Start preschool and Early Head Start programs nationwide who are still struggling to recover from the Head Start budget cuts that came as a result of the 2013 sequestration. Sequestration cut more than $86 billion nationwide from just about every federally-funded program, from the military to housing and even including Project Head Start, which provides education, nutrition and healthcare to young children...

The 4 Primary Benefits of the Head Start Early Learning Program Sometimes it is difficult to make others understand the importance of providing free educational opportunities at Head Start preschool programs across the country. Other times, it seems as if everyone understands and that we are just preaching to the choir. However, it is still important to make sure that all people see the benefits of providing an early learning program to low-income families, so if we just focus on the four primary benefits as outlined on the National Head Start Program website, which has been compiled from years and years of research, perhaps we can open some eyes. EDUCATION...

How to Overcome Sequester Budget Cuts at Head Start Schools In March 2013, early education programs such as Head Start schools were hit with a mighty blow from the sequester budget cuts. While most Americans would probably ask, “What is sequester cuts?”, the were likely affected by them without even knowing. The Head Start budget, like budgets for other federally funded programs, such as defense, housing and other special education programs, was reduced by over 5-percent. Unfortunately, many Head Start schools were forced to reduce program availability to low-income families, cut staff or, in some cases, shut their doors completely. Fortunately there are some ways for Head Start schools to...

  New Congressional Budget Deal to Help the National Head Start Association After years of having to deal with budget cuts and other issues surrounding reductions in funds for early childhood learning, the National Head Start Association finally got some good news this week with regard to the budget deal that was reached by lawmakers. Advocates of the Head Start Program are hailing this deal as a very encouraging sign that Washington has made a strong commitment to early childhood learning programs. Basic Facts About the Budget Deal According to the information that has been released, the new budget deal with restore funds that were originally cut from Head Start...