Head Start and State Preschool

Los Angeles Urban League Head Start & State Preschool which was developed to ensure that minority children benefit from the same level of education and social skills and training as students in private preschools.

Early Childhood Learning is critical in a growing child’s success. Head start programs enhance children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development and the Urban League offers assistance for parents to move towards self sufficiency and support for parents in their efforts to fulfill their parental roles.

Perhaps the most important component of the program is involving the parents in the child’s development process. Head Start educates parents in all stages of child development and the responsibilities of healthy parenting.

With a staff of over 210 people, the League’s Head Start programs consist of 30 educational sites, a central food preparation facility and an administrative office to service the student’s and parent’s needs.

Head Start is a federal program designed to help children from three to age five, who come from low income families. The goal of Head Start is to help children become ready for kindergarten, and to provide other necessities of life like health care and food support. Past President Lyndon Johnson approved Head Starts in 1965 as part of the War on Poverty. The Urban League is instrumental in continuing that fight.

Research tells us a great deal about the skills and knowledge children need to be successful in school. Among preschoolers, vocabulary, letter knowledge, and phonetic awareness, in addition to social and emotional factors, have a significant impact on later success in school. For example, reading scores in the 10th grade can be predicted with surprising accuracy based on a child's knowledge of the alphabet in kindergarten. We must ensure that children are equipped with the basic skills necessary so that they begin school ready to learn.

The Urban League is on top of that mission to ensure that your child’s success begins in a comfortable, clean, and fun learning environment.

We know that children who are not afforded the opportunity of private school lessons enter school behind children from more privileged families in academic skills. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires that states be held accountable for ensuring that all children are proficient in reading and math. Given what we know about the positive effects of high quality preschool programs in conjunction with states being held accountable for student performance, we are taking a more prominent role in coordinating and providing a high quality preschool experience before children enter kindergarten.

Head Start is a comprehensive program providing activities that aim to promote social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as health services, for children in lower income families. Children benefit most from programs that foster normal development and help remedy problems. Parents are the primary educators of their children and must be directly involved in this program. The well-being of children is linked to the well-being of the entire family. Partnerships with other agencies and organizations in the community such as the Urban League are essential to meeting family needs.

The Urban League Head Start State Preschool program includes several main services:

Education and Special Education Services - Early childhood education services are delivered through several program options such as half-day preschool, extended day, full day and year round. Each class is staffed by a teacher, teacher aide and parent volunteers. Each class is developmentally and culturally appropriate for your child’s needs. And parent education activities are provided to help parents support their children’s development and education.

Health Services - The program also includes medical, dental, nutrition, and mental health services which include immunizations, medical, and dental screening with required follow-up treatment. Children receive about one-third of their daily nutritional requirements each day they attend school. Parents receive health information and materials as well. And the mental health component is supported by psychologists and Social Workers to provide crisis intervention and follow-up, parenting classes, child observations with feedback to teachers and parents, short-term counseling and other preventive mental health services if needed.

Parent Involvement/Community Partnerships - Parent involvement is the key to a child’s Head Start. Parents are requested to be involved in various ways including volunteering in the classroom, participating in activities and workshops we have planned, participating as decision-makers on the Parent Center Committee or Parent Policy Council, and as staff.

Social Services - Head Start’s social service staff assist parents to meet their needs through education, advocacy, and referral. Staff help parents assess family needs, develop strategies, access resources, and solve problems.