Head Start Agency Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Head Start Agency - Research Paper Example The agency operates in accordance with the description of services stipulated in the Head Start Performance Standards and also the Head Starts Act of 2007 (Diane, 2007). The agency is funded the government through the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Head Start Agency started in May 1965. The idea of its formation was initiated by President Lyndon Johnson while working as a teacher in in the hardscrabble of West Texas where he witnessed immense poverty and developed an ideology that education was the only powerful tool for eradicating poverty (Sawhill &  Haskins, 2003). His idea turned into reality during the â€Å"heady, idealistic days of the Great Society’s war on poverty† (Palmaffy, 2011). The war on poverty was spearheaded by the Community Action Programs (CAPs) with an intention of rallying the poor for their own sake. Following the wrangles in CAP the local officials became uneasy to apply for the CAPs grants (Sawhill &  Haskins, 2003). However, due to a budget surplus and administrative pressure that required the officials either to use or lose the grants there was an emerging need of getting another way of helping the poor community (Butler et al., 2004). Sargent Shriver, the director of the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), went looking for viable political anti-poverty project that led to the establishment of Head Start program (Diane, 2007). The program received great support and funding in 1970s and 80s following the establishment that children had higher gain in IQ during their early years, and that diminished with age (Sawhill &  Haskins, 2003). That led to increased support for the program to ensure its success. The formation of Head Start agency was based on policy for eradicating poverty following the passage of Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The formation of Head Start agency was based on believe that providing quality education to the children from a poor