State(s) of Head Start is the first report to describe and analyze in detail Head Start enrollment, funding, quality, and duration, state-by-state. The report focuses on the 2014-2015 program year but also provides longitudinal data beginning with the 2006-2007 program year. Despite the fact that Head Start is a federally funded, national program, the report reveals that access to Head Start programs, funding per child, teacher education, quality of teaching, and duration of services all vary widely by state.
This report’s findings underscore the need for greater coordination between Head Start and state and local government agencies to build high-quality early learning programs with widespread reach and adequate funding. The authors call for an independent bipartisan national commission to study the issues raised in this report and develop an action plan to ensure every eligible child in every state has an equal opportunity to benefit from Head Start.


Report Contents
The links below open PDF documents.
- Full Report
- Report Digest
- Executive Summary
- National Profile
- National Figures
- Guide to Interpreting State Information
- Methodology
- National Press Release
- Informe de Prensa Nacional
- Media Coverage
State Profiles
Alabama
Profile Press ReleaseAlaska
Profile Press ReleaseArizona
Profile Press ReleaseArkansas
Profile Press ReleaseCalifornia
Profile Press ReleaseColorado
Profile Press ReleaseConnecticut
Profile Press ReleaseDelaware
Profile Press ReleaseDistrict of Columbia
Profile Press ReleaseFlorida
Profile Press ReleaseGeorgia
Profile Press ReleaseHawaii
Profile Press ReleaseIdaho
Profile Press ReleaseIllinois
Profile Press ReleaseIndiana
Profile Press ReleaseIowa
Profile Press ReleaseKansas
Profile Press ReleaseKentucky
Profile Press ReleaseLouisiana
Profile Press ReleaseMaine
Profile Press ReleaseMaryland
Profile Press ReleaseMassachusetts
Profile Press ReleaseMichigan
Profile Press ReleaseMinnesota
Profile Press ReleaseMississippi
Profile Press ReleaseMissouri
Profile Press ReleaseMontana
Profile Press ReleaseNebraska
Profile Press ReleaseNevada
Profile Press ReleaseNew Hampshire
Profile Press ReleaseNew Jersey
Profile Press ReleaseNew Mexico
Profile Press ReleaseNew York
Profile Press ReleaseNorth Carolina
Profile Press ReleaseNorth Dakota
Profile Press ReleaseOhio
Profile Press ReleaseOklahoma
Profile Press ReleaseOregon
Profile Press ReleasePennsylvania
Profile Press ReleaseRhode Island
Profile Press ReleaseSouth Carolina
Profile Press ReleaseSouth Dakota
Profile Press ReleaseTennessee
Profile Press ReleaseTexas
Profile Press ReleaseUtah
Profile Press ReleaseVermont
Profile Press ReleaseVirginia
Profile Press ReleaseWashington
Profile Press ReleaseWest Virginia
Profile Press ReleaseWisconsin
Profile Press ReleaseWyoming
Profile Press ReleaseAmerican Samoa
Profile Press ReleaseGuam
Profile Press ReleaseNorthern Mariana Islands
Profile Press ReleasePalau
Profile Press ReleasePuerto Rico
Profile Press ReleaseVirgin Islands
Profile Press ReleaseAmerican Indian and Alaska Native Head Start (AIAN)
Profile Press ReleaseMigrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS)
Profile Press ReleaseSuggested Citation: Barnett, W. S., & Friedman-Krauss, A. H., (2016). State(s) of Head Start. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.