Commemorating 60 Years of Head Start’s Lasting Impact on Millions of Children and Families

FAIRIFELD, Conn. (May 15, 2025) – With this Sunday, May 18, marking the 60th anniversary of Head Start programming in America, Betsy Zorio, Save the Children’s Vice President of U.S. Programs, issued the following statement:

“For 60 years, Head Start has been a critical lifeline for hardworking families across America, providing quality early education and care to children who otherwise would not get that chance. During that time, the federally-funded preschool program has supported nearly 40 million children during the most critical stages of their development, from birth to age 5. And for many low-income families, Head Start is often the only source of child care, early education, health services and nutritious meals where they live, especially in rural areas.

This year has been an uncertain one for the 60-year-old program, but nothing is more certain than the need for Head Start in low-income and rural communities across this country. The program is grounded in decades of research and shows that early investment in children leads to lifelong benefits. Children who participate in Head Start are more likely to graduate high school, go to college and obtain higher lifetime earnings, and less likely to live in poverty and rely on public assistance.

Save the Children, which leads Head Start and Early Head Start programming in rural communities across six states, is proud to be a part of the Head Start family. Every day, we witness firsthand how these programs transform lives – offering hope, stability, and opportunity to families with the greatest need. With its proven two-generational approach, Head Start helps both children and their parents succeed – laying the foundation for lifelong learning for kids, while providing supports for caregivers to achieve their career goals. In the 2021-2022 school year alone, 80,000 adults received job training and education services through Head Start, and over 20% of Head Start staff are former parents. In addition, the program creates essential jobs for residents in low-income and rural communities, employing approximately 260,000 staff who are supporting children and families each day.

As we commemorate 60 years of Head Start, it is important to recognize the profound, positive impact the program has had on millions of children and families’ lives, and the communities it uplifts. And in this critical moment for children, we must ensure Head Start not only endures but continues to grow – so it can help families thrive for decades to come. Congress must protect and preserve Head Start – not only for the children who rely on it today, but for the generations who will need its vital supports in the future.”