Data Dictionary – Head Start Map
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): HHS oversees all federal agencies, programs, and funding related to health and social services, including the Office of Head Start.
- Head Start (HS): Head Start is a federal program that delivers comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to families with children birth to age 5 who are experiencing poverty
- Head Start Preschool: Head Start programs that specifically serve children ages 3 to 5.
- Early Head Start (EHS): EHS is a federally funded program that provides intensive, comprehensive child development and family support services to infants and toddlers under age 3, pregnant women, and their families experiencing poverty.
- American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAIN): AIAN Head Start and Early Head Start programs serve children ages five and under both in American Indian and Alaska Native and non-tribal programs.
- Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS): MSHS Head Start programs serve children age 5 and under who live in families working as seasonal or migrant farm workers.
- Grants: A funding mechanism that HHS uses to support the delivery of Head Start. Grants can be awarded to public and private agencies, local entities, tribal governments, non-profit organizations, and schools. One Head Start grant usually funds multiple program sites.
- Programs: Federally funded comprehensive early learning and care services administered by a Head Start grantee. Head Start programs may operate one or multiple individual sites. There are four primary types of Head Start programs: Head Start Preschool, Early Head Start, AIAN Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start.
- Site: The physical location where a program delivers services to children and families.
- Slot: A space available for a child to enroll in a Head Start program.
- Funding: The total dollar amount from grants awarded to local entities by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Head Start Program Settings
- Center-Based: Services located in child development centers.
- Family Child Care: Services located in a family-based child care setting.
- Home-Based: Services delivered in a family’s own home, along with planned group socialization activities.
- Locally Designed: Services delivered through a combination of settings, responding to the needs of the community.
Population Density Definitions
The categories for population density data were created by the Congressional District Health Dashboard, a project of NYU Langone Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. More information on their methodology can be found on their website.
- Pure Urban: Almost entirely dense urban neighborhoods.
- Urban-Suburban Mix: A mix of urban areas and inner-ring suburbs.
- Dense Suburban: Predominantly suburban, denser suburbs.
- Sparse Suburban: Predominantly suburban, with some exurb-style neighborhoods.
- Exurb: Community located on the outermost part of a metropolitan area, beyond typical suburbs, with lower housing density.
- Rural-Suburban Mix: A mix of suburban and rural populations.
- Pure Rural: Very rural areas with some small cities and suburban-style areas.
