Arkansas Head Start State Collaboration Office

The purpose of the project is to create a visible presence at the state level, which can assist in the development of significant, multi-agency and public private partnerships between Head Start and the state. The Head Start State Collaboration Office (HSSCO) methods by which they coordinate and lead efforts for diverse entities to work together include:

• Communication: Convene stakeholder groups for information sharing and planning.  Be a conduit of information between the regional office and the state and local early childhood system.
• Access: Facilitate Head Start agencies’ access to, and utilization of, appropriate entities so Head Start children and families can secure needed services and critical partnerships are formalized.
• Systems: Support policy, planning, and implementation of cross agency state systems for early childhood that include and serve the Head Start community.

Head Start-State Collaboration Projects play an important role in helping the Administration and the Governors make progress toward goals, which improve the lives of young children.  Collaboration  Projects assist with these and other relevant state initiatives and bring the support and perspective of Head Start to the development of early childhood systems.  All fifty states were   funded as of 1997.

Collaboration grantees build and strengthen linkages among Head Start, child care, education and health care systems in order to build an effective child development and early childhood system. Head Start-State Collaboration grantees are encouraged to consult broadly with the early childhood community, and in particular with the State Head Start Association, as they carry out these projects.

The Head Start - State Collaboration Office funding in Arkansas flows to the Department of Human Services- Division of Child Care/Early Childhood Education and then to the Arkansas Head Start Association.  The Arkansas Head Start-State Collaboration Project began in 1996. The Arkansas Head Start Association has the responsibility for implementing the collaboration project in Arkansas.

Head Start State Collaboration Office Priority Areas:

The Head Start Act requires the HSSCO to conduct a needs assessment of the Head Start/EHS grantees in the areas of coordination, collaboration alignment of services, and alignment of curricula and assessment.  The Head Start Act also requires the HSSCO to use the results of the needs assessment to develop a strategic plan outlining how the office will assist and support Head Start/EHS grantees in meeting the requirements of the Head Start Act.  The needs assessment and strategic plan must be updated annually.  The HSSCO will continue to Work on all priority areas as required by the funding agency, the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.

There are twelve federal priorities for the HSSCO.  These priority areas include: Health Care Welfare/Child Welfare Child Care Family Literacy Education (School Readiness Partnership Dev.) School Transitions & Alignment with K-12 Professional Development Community Services Services for Children with Disabilities Services to Homeless Children Services to Military Families Early Childhood Systems Development

The Head Start State Collaboration Office conducts a program needs assessment with all Early Head Start/Head Start programs every five years. The Needs Assessment is updated each year. In 2019, Family Engagement and racial equity was added to the needs assessment in order to serve programs in an equitable manner.