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NHSA National Head Start Association is a private not-for-profit membership organization representing the 865,000 children, upwards of 180,000 staff and nearly 2,100 Head Start programs across America. It is governed by a 49-member Board of Directors composed of a director, staff, parent and friend representative from each of the 12 federal regions and the immediate past Chairman of the Board. NHSA provides a national forum for the continued enhancement of Head Start services for poor children ages birth to 5 and their families. It is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to the concerns of the Head Start community.
WVDOE West Virginia Department of Education (WV Board of Education) is established in the West Virginia Constitution. The Board is vested with general supervision of the state’s 834 elementary and secondary schools. The board meets monthly to determine the educational policies of the elementary and secondary schools and to establish the rules that carry into effect state law regarding education. The State Board of Education also has general control, supervision and management of the business and educational affairs of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind.
Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well being of families, children, individuals and communities. ACF programs aim to achieve the following: families and individuals empowered to increase their own economic independence and productivity; strong, healthy supportive communities that have a positive impact on the quality of life and the development of children; partnerships with individuals, front-line service providers, communities, American Indian tribes, Native communities, states, and Congress that enable solutions which transcend traditional agency boundaries; services planned, reformed, and integrated to improve needed access; and a strong commitment to working with people with developmental disabilities, refugees, and migrants to address their needs, strengths and abilities.
Bureau for Children and Families - Early Care and Education
The mission of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Children and Families is to provide an accessible, integrated, comprehensive quality service system for West
Virginia's children, families and adults to help them achieve maximum potential and improve their quality of life. A division of the Bureau for Children and Families is Early Care and Education which serves as the link to programs across West Virginia as they offer safe, nurturing environments for young children who utilize licensed child care and preschool services.
This division also oversees the distribution of grants awarded to early parenting programs throughout West Virginia. Another duty of this division is to partner with the West Virginia Department of Education to provide 4 year olds access to preschool in accordance with laws established by the West Virginia Legislature in 2002.
Head Start Bureau is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families which oversees the operations of the Head Start program on a federal level.
Head Start Information and Publications Center
provides resource materials and publications to better serve the Head Start and Early Head Start management staff and overall program operation. Only Head Start programs can place orders; however, valuable information is provided to the public at large through the website.
NAEYC National Association for the Education of Young Children is the nation's largest and most influential organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of programs for children from birth through third grade. Founded in 1926, its membership reaches over 103,000 members and a national network of nearly 450 local, state and regional Affiliates. NAEYC Affiliate Groups work to improve professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education and to build public support for high quality early childhood programs.
Regional Office
The Department of Health and Human Services, The Administration for Children and families, Region III—Philadelphia serves five states, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The office is responsible for a wide range of federal programs that promote the economic and social well being of children and families. They work closely with state and local government as well as with community-based organizations to help families achieve economic independence, to assure the safety of children and to help promote the independence of people with developmental disabilities.
Early Head Start National Resource Center at Zero to Three This support system was created by in 1995 by the Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children, Youth and Families and is currently operated by Zero to Three, Washington, DC. in collaboration with WestEd of Sausilito, CA. The EHS NRC partnership with the Infant/Toddler Specialists at the regionally-based Quality Improvement Centers to ensure that Early Head Start programs have information and training on "best practices" and range of topics, including: developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive services for infants/toddlers and families; building effective relationships with families; creating developmentally appropriate environments; effective networking, collaboration, and community building skills; inclusive services for children with special needs; comprehensive services for pregnant women; program and professional development; and program evaluation and continuous improvement.
WVDHHR
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources promotes and provides appropriate health and human services for the people of West Virginia, in order to improve their quality of life.
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