Grant funding—if awarded—will be used to continue the Head Start Pre-K Program and the Early Head Start Program.
Long story short
The council ordinance allows SADHS to submit and accept federal funds of up to $31.458 million to be used from Feb. 1, 2025 to Jan. 31, 2026. According to city documents, SADHS will allocate $28.547 million to support the Head Start Pre-K Program and $2.910 million to support the Early Head Start Program.
Program funds will provide education services from Edgewood ISD, San Antonio ISD and Blessed Sacrament Academy, dental services from the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and the University of Incarnate Word for health services.
The Head Start program serves children at or below the federal poverty line and prioritizes the most vulnerable children, including children with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness and children in the foster care system. The mission of the program is to prepare children and families for school readiness and lifelong success.
The backstory
The city has been a grant recipient for the Head Start Program for 45 years, which is a federal program that promotes school readiness of children up to the age of 5 from low-income families.
According to city documents, the Head Start Program focuses on the organization and development of the next generation of leaders by providing early childhood education, family support and comprehensive support services to eligible children between the ages of six-weeks to five years old and their families.
The grant will fund the second year of a five year project within the city. Funds will be used on operational costs, provision of direct family and community support, mental wellness services and service provider operations.
