A federal program that provides comprehensive developmental services for low-income, preschool children ages 3-5 and social services for their families. Head Start began in 1965 and is administered by the Administration for Children and Families of the U.

A federal program that provides grants to states and jurisdictions to support the planning of service systems and the delivery of services, including evaluation and assessment, for young children who have or are at risk of developmental delays/disabilitie

Child care programs that are not regulated. The term often refers both to child care that can be legally unregulated as well as those programs that should be but are not regulated.

A process through which child care programs voluntarily meet specific standards to receive endorsement from a professional agency. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Accreditation Commission for Early Car

The principle of enabling all children, regardless of their diverse abilities, to participate actively in natural settings within their communities.

A subsidy payment system that offers higher payments for child care that meets higher quality standards or for child care that is in short supply.

A ratio of the qualified caregivers to children in a child care program.

Educational programs and services for disabled and/or gifted individuals who have intellectually, physically, emotionally, or socially different characteristics from those who can be taught through normal methods or materials.

The state of early development that enables an individual child to engage in and benefit from first grade learning experiences. Researchers, policymakers, and advocates have described school readiness in different ways, but generally they refer to childre

A credential earned by an early childhood educator who has demonstrated his or her skills in working with young children and their families by successfully completing an established credentialing process. The CDA credentialing process is administered by t

A child under the age of 18 who requires a level of care over and above the norm for his or her age.

Information that must be reported to comply with federal or state law. Under the CCDF, states must report information about child care subsidy expenditures, numbers and characteristics of children and families who receive subsidies, the types of services

A range of services designed to enhance the development of children with disabilities or at risk of developmental delay. Early intervention services under public supervision generally must be given by qualified personnel and require the development of an

Part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act legislation of the U.S. Department of Education. Section A of Title 1 describes how funds under this Act may be used to provide early education development services to lo-low-income children through a loc

Initiatives that are designed to increase the quality or availability of child care programs or to provide parents with information and support to enhance their ability to select child care arrangements most suited to their family and child's needs. The C