Early Childhood Education

Oregon’s Educational Act for the 21st Century recommends early childhood education programs that:

• Apply successful educational practices and research findings on how children learn.
• Acknowledge children’s individual differences such as cultural background and learning styles.
• Encourage parent participation.
• Plan children’s transitions from preschool through third grade.
• Help families who request it obtain health care and other social services.

Pre-Kindergarten

Oregon Head Start Pre-Kindergarten, established in 1987 and modeled after the federal Head Start program, provides opportunities for parent involvement and comprehensive education, health, nutrition and mental health services to low-income three- and four-year-old children and their families.

Studies show that children who participate in quality preschool programs are:

• More likely to score higher in reading, writing and mathematics, graduate from high school, find and hold jobs or attend college.
• Less likely to be held back in school, drop out of school, need special education, demonstrate delinquent or antisocial behavior, be arrested or receive public assistance.

Children are eligible for Oregon Head Start Pre-Kindergarten if they are three or four years old and living in households with income below the poverty level. In addition to education, these programs provide hot meals and ensure immunizations, hearing and vision screening, physical and dental examinations and other services for children.

Parents participate in the program by volunteering in the classroom or in other program areas. They participate in decision-making about program services through the program’s Policy Council. Grantees provide training in child development and parenting and assist parents to achieve family goals for self-sufficiency.

Most local Head Start programs receive funding from both federal Head Start and state Oregon Pre-Kindergarten. By law, state Oregon Pre-Kindergarten implements federal Head Start Performance Standards. Consequently, local grantees may receive funding from both sources, but they offer an integrated program for all enrolled children and families. This model of integrated services is further supported by an interagency agreement between ACYF Region X Head Start and the Oregon Department of Education.

For more information about Oregon’s Pre-Kindergarten programs and current ODE staff contacts, see Pre-Kindergarten School on the ODE Web site.

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