Head Start and Early Head Start

Carter Edmund displays his artwork at the Alakanuk Head Start. Photo by Nancy Stallings

Download the 2016 Head Start Annual Report (PDF).

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs serving low-income children and their families. RurAL CAP has operated Head Starts in rural Alaska since 1965. Head Start serves children ages three to five and Early Head Start serves prenatal women and children ages birth to three. The programs promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other related services.

The programs also help parents make progress toward their own education, literacy and employment goals. Local Parent Committees are formed at each Head Start Center to assist the staff in curriculum development, increase community support and offer advice on programmatic and fiscal decisions. Parents help determine the cultural appropriateness and responsiveness of program services.

2015 Head Start and Early Head Start Highlights

910 children were served
44 families who were homeless were served
children with special needs were served

Early Head Start	Head Start
Akiak	Akiak	Kake	Nunapitchuk
Hooper Bay	Alakanuk	Ketchikan	Pilot Station
Kwethluk	Anchorage	Kluti Kaah	Savoonga
Nunapitchuk	Chevak	Kodiak	Stebbins
Pilot Station	Emmonak	Kwethluk	Sterling
St. Mary’s	Haines	Marshall	Tok/Tanacross
	Homer	Mountain Village	Toksook Bay
	Hooper Bay	Napaskiak

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal and, where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at this link, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form.

You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities and wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).

Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.