Sustainability Planning and Head Start Programs
Explore sustainability strategies that can help programs thrive in the face of anticipated and unexpected opportunities and challenges.
Program Planning
Thoughtful planning is critical to programming. Explore these resources for guidance throughout the five-year Head Start grant cycle. Learn how to establish continuous cycles of improvement that involve key stakeholders in data-based decision-making. Find resources to help build on achievable program and school readiness goals and fiscal objectives. Discover materials that guide grantees in creating community and self-assessments, and achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
Program planning and service system design together make up one of the 12 management, planning, and oversight systems of the Management Systems Wheel.
Readiness for Change Assessment Tool
Use this tool to engage teams in discussions that gauge their thinking and readiness to move forward with a change initiative.
How the Planning Cycle Helped a Program Achieve a Key Goal
This Management Minute video shares how one Head Start program used the program planning cycle to achieve a key goal.
Intentional Planning and Quality Improvement in Family Child Care
Use these resources and materials to help plan to deliver services within a family child care setting.
Strategies to Support Family Child Care
Explore available resources to learn more about ways to support the family child care workforce. Find out how to promote quality care, family engagement, school readiness, and professional growth and development.
Foundations for Excellence
Review a range of planning topics to support programs’ successful completion of the Head Start grant application, and to ensure programming is responsive to community needs throughout the five-year grant period.
Make the Most of Program Planning and Service System Design
Learn how program planning and service system design guides Head Start programs through their five-year grant. This system design includes service plans that directly impact children and families.