Press Release: 5/20/2025

Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Head Start’s 60th Birthday

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

5/19/2025

MEDIA CONTACT

Kim N. Le, Director of Communications

 Phone

Call Kim N. Le, Director of Communications at 617-823-4874

 Online

Email Kim N. Le, Director of Communications at Kim.Le@mass.gov

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today is celebrating the 60th birthday of Head Start programs in Massachusetts and across the country. In Massachusetts, Head Start supports over 11,000 children annually and employs approximately 4,000 early childhood professionals.

Early Head Start and Head Start programs provide free learning and development services to low-income families with children from birth to age 5, including mental health supports. Some Early Head Start programs also provide prenatal services for pregnant people.

“Happy birthday, Head Start! We are proud to lift up the importance of this program today and every day that helps break the cycle of multigenerational poverty through comprehensive early education programs that meet children’s emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.

“Head Start has been a cornerstone of opportunity for children and families across the country. Here in Massachusetts, Head Start programs play a critical role in the state’s mixed-delivery system, helping to promote equity and expand access and affordability,” said Amy Kershaw, Commissioner of the Department of Early Education and Care. “We honor the educators, staff, and families whose dedication has made Head Start a transformative force in early education and care.”

The administration and state support Head Start programs through funding from the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program, as well as Head Start State Supplemental Grants. Governor Healey’s fiscal year 2026 budget includes $18.5 million for the supplemental grants, which focus on workforce development supports and program quality. That includes staff salaries, compensation, and benefits to address recruitment and retention of staff, as well as provide direct support to programs that may include coaches, mental health consultants, and additional teaching staff to reduce staff to child ratios.

“For 60 years, Head Start has maintained an unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child — regardless of their circumstances — has a fair shot at success. The Head Start model’s whole-child, whole-family approach goes beyond the classroom addressing key factors that impact long-term success, such as access to medical, dental, vision, and mental health screenings and services, while also empowering parents as their children’s first and most important teachers,” said Michelle Haimowitz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association. “We are proud to stand with the Healey-Driscoll Administration in our shared commitment to ensuring every child advances academically, physically, emotionally, and socially.”

In celebration of this incredible milestone, Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw sat down with Department of Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega who attended a Head Start program as a child to talk about the impact Head Start had on his life. You can watch the video online.

“Early learning is crucial to success in K-12 education and college, and I’m honored to have had the chance to recognize this milestone with Commissioner Kershaw,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “I’m grateful for the opportunities Head Start gave me and continues to give thousands of students and families across Massachusetts.”