Press Conference to Highlight Expansion of Head Start to a Full-Day Program in 10 Title I Schools

Full-day Program Responds to Research Citing the Value of Increasing Access to Early Education Opportunities

A press conference to highlight the expansion of Head Start to a full-day program for 13 classes located in 10 Title I schools will take place at Montgomery Knolls Elementary School on Tuesday, August 21, at 10 a.m.

Full-day Head Start, which will serve 260 students this year, is a critical component of the school system’s Early Success Performance Plan. The expansion is being funded through an increase of approximately $715,000 in Title I federal funds for the 2007–2008 school year.

Head Start programs administered by Montgomery County Public Schools are led by certified teachers and trained paraeducators. They provide a high quality prekindergarten learning experience for young children who are disadvantaged by poverty. This opportunity to increase the amount of time during which these students will receive instruction will help them enter kindergarten with the academic skills that they need to be successful.

The success of this pilot program will be carefully evaluated in anticipation of possible expansion into additional classrooms in the 2008–2009 school year.