Strengthening Children, Youth and Families

Head Start/Early Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start provide comprehensive, high-quality early care and education and support services to vulnerable young children from birth to kindergarten, pregnant women, and their families. Support services include access to health screenings, referrals, and follow-up support; parenting resources; and social services. CLASP promotes federal and state policies to expand access to Head Start and Early Head Start. Our analysis of state and national program data helps advocates and policymakers to make the case for maintaining and improving quality. For state fact sheets based on Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data, go to In the States.

In Focus

Write a Letter Thanking the President for His Historic Early Childhood Investment

Recently, President Obama released his 2014 budget proposal. This budget includes historic investments across several early childhood programs including increased investment in a comprehensive birth-to-five early education continuum built upon child care, home visiting, Head Start, Early Head Start, and preschool - all critical programs for children, especially the most vulnerable children.

With our partners from the Strong Start for Children - Building America's Future campaign, CLASP will be collecting thank you notes from across the country and delivering them to the White House. Please join us in thanking President Obama for making investments in young children a priority!

Mail us your hard copy letters (a drawing or hand print by a child on your letter would be great) to deliver to the White House. We must receive all letters at CLASP by Monday, April 29. Please send your letters and drawings to: Emily Firgens, CLASP, 1200 18^th ST NW, Suite 200, Washington DC, 20036. You can also email your letters to efirgens@clasp.org. We are collecting them rather than asking you to send them directly to the White House due to security protocols.

We hope you will join us in thanking President Obama for his early childhood initiative by sending CLASP your letters by May 2!

Thank you, and please contact Emily Firgens at efirgens@clasp.org or 202-906-8031 if you have any questions.