Head Start

Head Start is designed to help break the cycle of poverty by meeting the social, emotional, health, nutritional, and psychological needs of preschool children of low-income families. Families must meet income guidelines established by the federal government. The guidelines are updated annually and are equal to the federal poverty rate.

The overall goal of Head Start is to bring about a greater degree of social competence in the preschool children enrolled in the program. Social competence refers to the child's everyday effectiveness in dealing with both his or her present environment and later responsibilities in school and life.

The Head Start program locally is administered by the Berks Community Action Program (BCAP), which receives the federal grant to operate the program in Berks County. BCAP, in turn, contracts with the BCIU to operate the program throughout the county.

Currently, the BCIU Head Start program serves 640 children in 38 classrooms located at 16 sites.

Children ages 3-5 attend classes approximately four hours per day, four days a week during the school year; transportation is provided. In addition, we have three classes that provide services to children in the afternoon at the Oley Center, the Reading Muhlenberg Center, and the Blue Marsh Center. These sites serve also as hands-on experience for high school students enrolled in Berks Career and Technology Center's Occupational Child Development programs.

For more information on the Head Start programs and services offered, click on the links to the left.