Welcome
Content for the Office of Head Start (OHS) is created by many organizations and individuals. Decisions made during content development affect our audience’s ability to find, understand, and use it. The Web and Communications Standards ensure consistent use of language, design, and styles across products, regardless of their authorship. Consistency in these matters is key to creating a unified voice for OHS, as well as complying with federal regulations. These choices are kept current using research into best practice and input from OHS and the National Training and Technical Assistance Centers Communications Workgroup, as well as evolving federal standards.
The Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) is the official website of OHS. It provides the latest evidence-based information, training materials, and resources that respond to the needs of Head Start programs. Use of consistent editorial style, plain language, robust metadata, tags, and design elements are key to a successful ECLKC.
Read the OHS standards thoroughly and share them with everyone involved in the content creation process. National Centers and other content creators are strongly encouraged to include all relevant requirements in any vendor contracts. Failure to include the requirements in vendor contracts may result in unforeseen development costs.
The Head Start Information and Communications Center (HSICC) is committed to supporting the success of Head Start information products from the moment authors start outlining and creating a new product through the timely promotion of the product over subsequent years. HSICC enforces federal requirements and validates their correct implementation by content creators. HSICC also maintains ECLKC consistency and provides best practice recommendations to ensure a successful product. To that end, HSICC maintains these Web and Communications Standards.
To ensure equal opportunities and optimal outcomes for all children and families, we must advance equity, inclusiveness, and culturally and linguistically responsive practices in early childhood education. The EI&CLRP Guiding Principles should be used throughout all content created, published, and disseminated, based on the working definition of equity.
Please read each section carefully and share the requirements with everyone involved in the content creation process. Visit the Head Start Logo page to download the public logo pack and review branding guidelines.
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Last Updated: July 23, 2024