The Head Start Directors Tour: What we learned
Head Start directors wear many hats. They have the pulse on what’s happening in classrooms and in the lives of the children and families their programs support. They work closely with teachers and staff to support their professional development. They make decisions about their program’s operations, and those decisions are frequent and difficult in the time of COVID-19. As one director put it, “Head Start is doing as Head Start does — stepping up, being creative, looking at data, readjusting, moving forward, and repeat.”
To understand what’s happening in Head Start programs across the country, what challenges have emerged, and what successes could inspire others, NHSA embarked on the virtual Head Start Directors Tour. Since July, NHSA has met with well over 300 Head Start directors from every corner of the country, including a dedicated conversation with Head Start Tribal program directors. In these candid, small-group discussions, we heard about unique experiences, and common challenges and goals. The takeaways from these conversations are now influencing NHSA’s advocacy before Congress and the resources we are creating and sharing with the Head Start community.
The common themes
Workforce. Head Start directors are in consensus that support for the Head Start workforce is a top priority, and an issue of concern. Many directors expressed that salaries are too low to compete with their local school districts, making it difficult to retain quality, qualified staff. This is not a new issue in the early childhood education field, but with COVID-19 creating additional staffing challenges — including staff needing to quarantine due to COVID exposures at home, staff needing to care for their own children while schools remain closed, and programs needing to hire additional staff to separate children into smaller class sizes — it is a significant concern for many programs.
“It is difficult to know what is the ‘right’ thing to do when official guidance is always changing and school district plans are uncertain, all of which is taking a toll,” one director shared over the summer.
“When we announced we were reopening our center in August, we had three teachers say they were not coming back. I expect more will do so in upcoming weeks. Now, I have to scramble to find qualified replacement teachers, which is not easy.”
Facilities. Over and over, Head Start directors spoke up about the need to upgrade and expand facilities. Excluding new facility needs created by COVID-19, directors shared their goals for redoing playgrounds, renovating classrooms, or moving out of modular units into new buildings.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created added facility needs that are necessary to keep children and staff safe. Some programs need more classrooms to keep children in separate, small groups or need dividers within their classrooms. Others are looking to build outdoor classrooms or acquire additional busses.
“My program partners with our school district, but this year the school will only have room for our four-year-olds in order to comply with social distancing requirements,” a Head Start director shared. “We are trying to find a place for our three-year-olds, but so far have not been successful.”
Mental Health. Head Start directors across the country expressed concern about the mental health of their programs’ children, families, staff, and even themselves. This is also not a new concern — NHSA was already advocating for funds specifically to address the effects of trauma before COVID-19 — but with the trauma of living through the pandemic, and for many families, the loss of a job or a loved one, mental health concerns have increased exponentially.
“Staff mental and physical health have always been a top priority, but recently, we are seeing it play out in new ways.”
“It is difficult to know what is the ‘right’ thing to do when official guidance is always changing and school district plans are uncertain, all of which are taking a toll.”
Innovation amid crisis
The Directors Tour also gave Head Start directors the opportunity to share the most innovative and successful changes they’ve made recently. Many directors shared that they were proud of the way their staff have adapted to use new technology. Some programs set up YouTube channels or Facebook groups for children to see their teachers and watch lessons. At other programs teachers connected with families individually over regular video calls.
“Once the public schools closed, we never shut all the way down but most of the kids stopped coming,” one director shared. “I am proud of the fact that our teachers who do not have much technology background made weekly videos and circle time videos to send to the parents. I was proud of them for even trying and our parents did respond back saying that their kids were glad to see someone they knew talking about things they’re used to.”
Several directors shared that they were excited to see increased parent engagement at their programs. Parent engagement is a critical piece of the Head Start model, so programs had strong relationships to build on. When some programs transitioned to remote services, they saw parents eagerly take an active role in their children’s learning at home, sending photos of children completing projects to their teachers and logging their development in online systems. With the flexibility to join from home, some programs even saw more parents joining parent cafes and policy council meetings.
These innovations and adaptations come with a price tag, however. The insights Head Start directors shared on the tour aligned with the funding needs NHSA has learned about from the Head Start community through extensive surveying. That’s why we’re advocating for Congress to close the $1.7 billion funding gap — the sum of the shortfall that nearly 1,600 community-based programs are facing due to COVID-19. Head Start providers nationwide need these funds to reopen safely for in-person instruction and continue to provide virtual and home-based services.
Head Start directors have demonstrated outstanding leadership during an exceptionally difficult year. They are working with their communities to turn challenges into opportunities and provide children and families with what they need. NHSA is grateful for the hundreds of directors who took the time to share their experiences so openly and honestly. Now, we’re doing our part and advocating to meet the needs that directors shared with us.
