Head Start at 60: Six Decades of Opportunity, Growth, and Community Impact

In January 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson stood before Congress and declared a bold new initiative: the War on Poverty. His vision sparked the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act, establishing the Office of Economic Opportunity and paving the way for programs that would change the course of millions of lives. Among the most transformative was Head Start, a program designed to ensure that children from low-income families entered school ready to succeed.

This year, Head Start turns 60 - a milestone that invites us to reflect on its legacy, celebrate its impact, and recognize its continuing relevance here in Greater Cleveland through Step Forward.

The Early Days: Planting the Seeds of Head Start

• 1965: The Council for Economic Opportunity in Greater Cleveland (CEOGC, now Step Forward) was incorporated as a nonprofit to bring federal anti-poverty programs to Cuyahoga County. That same year, Project Head Start launched as an eight-week summer program, funded locally with $815,000. The first centers opened at Carver Park and Dare, serving Cleveland’s children with health, nutrition, and early learning support.

• CEOGC quickly expanded, approving grants for preschool nursery programs, opening neighborhood opportunity centers, and launching adult education and work-study initiatives alongside Head Start. This holistic approach underscored a simple truth: breaking the cycle of poverty requires supporting the whole family.

A Growing Movement: Families at the Center

From its inception, Head Start has recognized that parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. In 1970, the program formalized this belief by creating Policy Councils, giving parents and community members decision-making power. That tradition of shared leadership continues today, ensuring families remain central to the program’s mission.

During the 1970s and 1980s, CEOGC expanded services further, supporting children with disabilities, opening comprehensive health centers, and extending Head Start to infants and toddlers through Early Head Start. By the mid-1970s, Cleveland’s program was serving nearly 4,000 children annually.

Building for the Future

• 1977: CEOGC completed construction of its first dedicated Head Start facility, with 14 classrooms and GED literacy programs for parents.

• The Louis Stokes Head Start Facility, opening later in the Lee-Harvard neighborhood, became the first Head Start building in the nation built entirely with federal funds—a symbol of Cleveland’s leadership in the movement.

• By the 1990s and 2000s, new facilities like the George Forbes Early Learning Center expanded opportunities for children, while innovative efforts like fatherhood programs and the beloved Father Engagement Pancake Breakfast recognized the importance of strong family bonds in early childhood success.

Adapting to New Challenges

As the decades passed, Head Start adapted to new realities. From navigating recessions to expanding special education services to meeting families’ health and nutritional needs, the program remained resilient.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Step Forward mobilized quickly, expanding qualifications for emergency assistance, covering months of overdue bills, and even funding temporary housing to stabilize families in crisis. These efforts ensured that children could continue learning in safe, supportive environments despite unprecedented challenges.

Today and Tomorrow: Continuing the Mission

Today, Step Forward’s Head Start program serves thousands of children across Greater Cleveland, operating centers in neighborhoods from Friendly Inn to the Louise C. Stokes Scholar House. Through innovative initiatives like the People as Teachers in Training (PATT) program, which helps parents and community members become credentialed educators, the program continues to invest not just in children but in entire families and the local workforce.

Head Start at 60 is more than a milestone. It’s a testament to what happens when communities believe in every child’s potential and commit to building pathways out of poverty.

Why It Matters

For six decades, Head Start has been a promise fulfilled that every child, no matter their zip code, deserves a fair chance to thrive. Here in Cleveland, that promise has been nurtured by countless educators, parents, volunteers, and community leaders who saw beyond barriers to envision brighter futures.

As we look ahead, Step Forward will continue to carry this legacy forward: empowering parents, preparing children, and strengthening families. Because poverty should never stand in the way of a child’s potential.

Step Forward Early Head Start serving children from birth to age 3 and Head Start serving Children ages 3 - 5 is enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year and is FREE for eligible families! Give your child a Head Start and enroll today!

Step Forward Head Start is hiring!

The agency is offering a sign-on bonus of $5,000 for full time employees.

Positions include teachers, family service workers, nutrition aides and more. Step Forward Head Start is looking for education staff passionate about preparing young students for the future and helping them develop a love for learning early. Take a step toward a new fulfilling career today! Learn more and apply to open positions here.