State of Alaska Home

Head Start & Early Head Start Programs

About Head Start

Head Start is a federal program that promotes school readiness of children ages birth to five from low-income families by supporting the development of the whole child through comprehensive services such as health, nutrition, and parent involvement. Head Start was established in 1965, initially as summer program and one of the first programs was in Alaska. In 1981, Congress passed the Head Start Act, which expanded this program. The program was revised and reauthorized in December 2007

Head Start Program State Grants

There are 17 Head Start and Early Head Start programs serving families and children 0-5 years old in classroom and home-based settings across Alaska.  DEED provides funding to those programs through an equitable funding formula. The programs receiving these funds include:

Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association Association of Village Council Presidents Bristol Bay Native Association CCS Early Learning Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Chugachmiut Cook Inlet Native Head Start Cook Inlet Tribal Council Council of Athabascan Tribal Governance
Fairbanks Native Association Kawerak Incorporated Kenaitze Indian Tribe KID's Corps Metlakatla Indian Community ThrivAlaska RurAL CAP Tanana Chiefs Conference

Head Start Center Locator ®

Find a Head Start Program:

Head Start Collaboration Grant

DEED receives a Federal Grant to house the Alaska Head Start Collaboration Office.  The Head Start Collaboration Office facilitates partnerships between Head Start agencies and state entities who provide services to children from low-income families. 

Resources about Head Start

Alaska Head Start Association Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)

Contact Information