Parents and families advocate for their children and take on leadership roles in Head Start programs. They participate in decision-making, policy development, and organizing activities in communities and states to improve children's safety, health, development, and learning experiences.
Key Resources
- Enhance Parents’ Advocacy and Leadership Skills
- Understanding Family Engagement Outcomes: Research to Practice Series – Families as Advocates and Leaders
- Family and Community Partnerships for School Readiness
Research
- Auerbach, S. (2010). Beyond Coffee with the Principal: Toward Leadership for Authentic School-Family Partnerships. Journal of School Leadership, 20(6), 728-757
- Bruckman, M., & Blanton, P. W. (2003). Welfare-to-Work Single Mothers’ Perspectives on Parents' Involvement in Head Start: Implications for Parent-Teacher Collaboration. Early Childhood Education Journal, 30(3), 145-150\
- Love, J. M., Kisker, E. E., Constantine, J., Boller, K., Chazan- Cohen, R., Brady-Smith, C., ... Vogel, C. (2005). The Effectiveness of Early Head Start for 3-Year-Old Children and Their Parents: Lessons for Policy and Programs. Developmental Psychology, 41(6), 885–901.
- Green, C. L., Walker, J. M. T., Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Sandler, H. M. (2007). Parents' Motivations for Involvement in Children's Education: An Empirical Test of a Theoretical Model of Parental Involvement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(3), 532–544. doi: 10.1037/0022-0663.99.3.532
- Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Walker, J. M., Sandler, H. M. (2005). Parents' Motivations for Involvement in Their Children's Education. In E.N. Patrikakou, R.P. Weissberg, S. Redding, H.J. Walberg (Eds.), School-Family Partnerships for Children's Success. (pp. 40–56). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
- Powell, D. R., Son, S. H., File, N., San Juan, R. R. (2010). Parent-School Relationships and Children's Academic and Social Outcomes in Public School Pre-Kindergarten. Journal of School Psychology, 48(4), 269–292.
- Rosenblatt, Z., Peled, D. (2002). School Ethical Climate and Parental Involvement. Journal of Educational Administration, 40(4), 349–367.
Regulations
- Purpose, 45 CFR § 1301.1
- Policy council and policy committee, 45 CFR § 1301.3 (a), (b), (b)(1)-(2), (c), (c)(1)-(2), (d), (d)(1)-(4), (e)
- Parent committees, 45 CFR § 1301.4 (a), (b), (b)(1)-(3)
- Training, 45 CFR § 1301.5
- Determining program structure, 45 CFR § 1302.20 (c), (c)(1)-(2)
- Purpose, 45 CFR § 1302.40 (b)
- Family partnership services, 45 CFR § 1302.52 (b), (c), (c)(1)-(4), (d)
- Additional services for parents, 45 CFR § 1302.62 (a), (a)(1)-(2)
- Coordination and collaboration with the local agency responsible for implementing IDEA, 45 CFR § 1302.63 (c), (c)(1)-(2)
- Transitions from Head Start to kindergarten, 45 CFR § 1302.71 (b), (b)(1)-(2), (b)(2)(i)-(iv)
- Transitions between programs, 45 CFR § 1302.72 (a)-(c)
- Family partnership services for enrolled pregnant women, 45 CFR § 1302.82 (b)
- Personnel policies, 45 CFR § 1302.90 (a), (b), (b)(1), (b)(1)(i)-(ii), (b)(2), (b)(2)(i)-(ii), (b)(3)-(6), (c), (c)(1), (c)(1)(i)-(ii), (c)(1)(ii)(A)-(I), (c)(1)(iii)-(v), (c)(2), (d), (d)(1)-(2)
- Management system, 45 CFR § 1302.101 (b), (b)(4)
- Achieving program goals, 45 CFR § 1302.102 (a), (a)(1)-(4), (d), (d)(1), (d)(1)(i)
- Implementation of program performance standards, 45 CFR § 1302.103 (a), (b)
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Last Updated: February 24, 2025