Our Mission

View the 2022 Early Head Start Policy Statement

Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families.

NYSHSA seeks to represent the interests of the entire New York State Head Start/Early Head Start community – children, families and programs – at the State, Regional, and National levels. NYSHSA represents the collective interests of the state`s 260 grantees, over 48,000 Head Start children and families.

Head Start is our nation's premier provider of developmental and educational services to pregnant moms, babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their families, who live in poverty and struggle to meet the basic needs of life.

The New York State Head Start  Association was founded in the mid 1980s and is the training, education and advocacy voice for Head Start and Early Head Start programs in New York State.