The Federal Office of Head Start (OHS)—part of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—contracts with us to provide expert knowledge and technical assistance to Head Start early childhood programs.

Head Start programs provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school.  In addition, Head Start programs work with families to help them understand and meet their children's health, nutritional, dental, and social emotional needs.  Head Start federally funded programs are operated through grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies. 

We support Head Start programs in two ways:  a) Through the use of Grantee Performance Support (GPS) Specialists - who work directly with individual programs and, b) Through the use of State-Based training staff who work with groups of programs within a state while also working closely with other members of the state's early childhood community.

The GPSS program works with the OHS Regional Office in Boston to plan and deliver individualized services to programs throughout New England.  Our specialists:

• Offer onsite training and technical assistance to support individual Head Start and Early Head Start programs continuous program improvement and development.
• Help program directors and managers use data to improve planning, program, and administrative systems that enhance services for children and families.

In addition, the New Hampshire/Vermont Consortium of State-based Training Offices:

• Collaborate with other state and local Head Start programs, the Head Start State Association, and other state leaders to coordinate services
• Provide training and technical assistance for groups of Head Start, Early Head Start, and other early childhood education programs based on national, regional, state, and local priorities, issues, and data
• Sponsor and/or coordinate state training events to address staff professional development needs
• Support the development of state-level public/private partnerships, including work with higher education institutions to ensure a coordinated and effective system for early childhood education.

Through our partnership with ACF, we've supported and strengthened over 100 community-based Head Start programs serving more than 30,000 children across New England.

Organizational Resilience:
If you are an early childhood educator and want to learn more about how to increase your organizational resilience please click here 

Areas of Expertise:

• Technical Assistance - New England
• Training and Technical Assistance - New Hampshire and Vermont