Head Start: Lyndon B. Johnson

The birth of the Head Start Program was a direct result of President Johnson’s War on Poverty Act. The Office of Economic Opportunities was originally in charge of the program until its transfer to the Office of Child Development in the Department of Health and Human Services. This department is the cabinet department of the United States charged with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. The Head Start Act passed in 1981. Today it is a program within the Administration of Children and Family. The Administration of Children and Families is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, (H.H.S.). The Assistant Secretary heads it for Children and Families; it also has a $47 billion budget for 65 programs that targets children, youth, and families.

Head Start is a federally funded, education development program that was created in 1965. The program provides education and services for eligible children from low-income families. Head Start 's philosophy focuses on the development of social-emotional, physical and mental health, nutrition, and working with families and the community and stated “low-income people should help plan and run their own programs” (p. 41-42). Head Start has truly expanded their resources over the years by providing a full school year for ages 3-6 years old and offering services such as health screenings, referrals, and social services (p. 42). Most importantly, each and every Head Start program must follow the federal Head Start Program Performace Standards that address all areas of development (p. 42). The program is truly committed to support low-income families and creating an education system that supports all aspects of the child.

Research for Head Start has found many lasting benefits for learning and educational achievement for its attendees. Including school progress and educational attainment, social behavior, and reduction of delinquency and crime that is usually found within disadvantaged families. Head Start addresses all the guidelines within the Family Impact checklist on providing all adequate services to low income families. As mentioned above, under Family Support and Responsibilities, Head Start is a federally funded program, which also receives donations and grants. Therefore, the federal government must increase funding to the Head Start program so children from low-income families, get early education services to help them succeed in school. Since Head Start programs have minimal funding there are not enough spots available to include every child in need of the services provided by this program, especially within certain regions.

Head Start has already accomplished the goal of affecting services available for low-income families and children. This is being accomplished due to better resource and referral services (Blank, 2002). 20,302,000 children have been enrolled in the

The research finds that participants with the lowest initial skills are the most beneficial from public Head Start programs. But this study also states that Head Start program has lots of limitation. At the beginning of this research paper, the author introduces the history and definition of Head Start program and its main purpose. He states, “The federal Head Start program is the largest early childhood education initiative in the United States, giving matching grants to preschool centers that provide parent training, early education, and health services to poor children and their families” (Healy, 2015, para. 1). As the author emphasis, the Head Start program is not suitable for all children but only offers to children from the low-income families. There are still many families left who need the public

Head Start was created in 1965, during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential administration, as part of the Great Society plan and the War on Poverty (Currie , 2001). After observing the quality discrepancies between low income and high income educational settings, Johnson realized that “Five and six year old children are inheritors of poverty 's curse…(Johnson, 1965)” As a result, he called for the creation of a program that would allow “…preschool children of poverty [to] get a Head Start on their future (Johnson, 1965).” Soon, Head Start was established, with the goal of “enhance[ing] children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development (Mississippi Head Start Association, 2012).”

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which serve children from birth to age five, pregnant woman and their extended families. They are child-focused programs that have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families. . These programs try to prepare young children intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically for their future educational and social endeavors. ( U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002).. The programs prepare the parent(s) to be supportive in the endeavor. Head Start has the philosophy that parents are a child's first and most influential teacher. The Head Start program is beneficial to early learning.

In 1964, the Economic Opportunity Act transpired which included quite a lot of organizations like Job Corp, Vista, and Project Head Start. The top organization listed above is Project Head Start created in the year 1965. The plan is to help children ages three to five years old of low income families. The goal and attention remains to introduce these young kids to an early start to education, to help with thinking skills, as well as academic skills, good nutrition, health services, and parent involvement to make them successful in the future. The program not only helps children but aids in helping the family as a whole. For example, a number of parents are taught the English language; others learn to read. Head Start also assists family members

In Larry L. King’s, Trapped: Lyndon Johnson and the Nightmare of Vietnam, Larry King makes his assessment of Lyndon Johnson. King states, “His personal history simply permitted him no retreats or failure in testing.” (Portrait of America page 313) What King is trying to say about Lyndon Johnson in this statement is that his past does not allow him to retreat or to fail. King describes Lyndon Johnson’s history by saying, “LBJ’s mother, who smothered him with affection and praise should he perform her pleasure and expectations, refused to acknowledge his presence should displease or disappoint her. His father accused him of being a sleepy head, a slow starter and sometimes said in town had a two hour head start on him.” (Portraits of America

When you review history, it always look as if to repeat itself. For example, in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson brought about the first change for a health care system that required help. He signed into law a bill that would provide health care for retirees, the disabled and the poor. The health coverage led to Medicare and Medicaid under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide health insurance, (CMS. Gov., 2015). Likewise on March 23, 2010, President Barrack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. Although it was a victory to some, it too would not only provide health care coverage to people who did not or were unable to afford health care, but it would also provide expansions in the health care coverage, the bill would also work to controlled health care cost and improve the delivery of health care to the public. This is would appear to be a success. Yet, to others that oppose the bill, it was an injustice because it forces changes in how health care was provided in the past year. This new system would force people to purchase coverage, it did not give people options. If one did not purchase health insurance, they would have to pay a penalty. In addition, it required much more documentation from physicians and it held health care facilities to a higher standard of health care delivery

Throughout history, there is a common trend that can be seen: political figures can “change” to gain more political control. Lyndon Baines Johnson (L.B.J.) was a man hailing from Stonewall, Texas, a hardcore Texan who went on to be a senator with his southern political bonds. Integration was highly opposed in the South, and the question remains: Why did L.B.J. sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964, eliminating segregation nationally? Political decisions often benefits those who have or want high power, and so the Public Opinion Polls, the Sincerity Question, and the 1957 Stumbling Block depiction, believably, influenced to L.B.J. to sign the Civil Rights Act for his own political gain.

After the assassination of President Kennedy, many presidents have followed, including President Lyndon B. Johnson and President Ronald Reagan. Although both men had a significant impact on the nation’s history, the circumstances in which they took office differs. As Vice President to Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson took the Oath of Office as President after the tragic assassination of President Kennedy. The nation under Kennedy had witnessed the failure of the Bay of Pigs, been encouraged by the Cuban Missile Crisis, and was inspired by the success of the space program. Furthermore, economic conditions were starting to improve.

The one president that is phenomenal is Lyndon Baines Johnson. Lyndon has changed society from 1963 to 1969, with his Great Society Programs, Civils Rights Act, and many more that has impacted society since he came to office. Johnson was born in August 1908 Stonewall, Texas and died in Stonewall, Texas in January 1973, he was the 36th president, married to Lady Bird Johnson. LBJ succeeded by Richard Nixon. He was Vice President under JFK, John F. Kennedy, from 1961 to 1963 then became president in 1963 after the assassination of JFK. President Lyndon B. Johnson was much loved and greatly hated, his personality was kind and he was passionate, considerate, decent and devoted to advancing the well-being of the least advantage. But some describe him as cruel, dictatorial, grandiose, and vicious. As a child, he manifested character traits that shaped as behavior throughout his life, he suffered a sense of emptiness; couldn 't stand being alone, needed constant companionship, attention, approval, affection. Furthermore, he had insatiable appetites too, meaning he was rarely satisfied, it had to meet his standards for him to like what he has done or what the people had done. For example; for work, women, food, drink, conversations, material possession. Simple as a conversation can be insatiable, even a drink. All of the services have to fill him up. The insatiable appetites given him a sense of self-worth, giving him a sort validity. His neediness translated into a number of traits

believe President Lyndon B. Johnson was shown in a whole different light. The 60's were a time of unrest in the United States. The conflict in Vietnam was very unpopular and the political cartoons of the time seem to reflect the opinion of most people. Johnson's escalation of Vietnam made him a target for offensive cartoons. It overshadowed some of the good things Johnson accomplished during office, Civil Rights legislation and Education Act to name a few. The cartoons featuring President Johnson in some cases were very

The purpose of this essay is to offer a concise description of the Head Start program, discuss the historical background of the policy, and analyze the economic and political forces that have influenced the development of the program. The essay also seeks to evaluate both the manifest and latent functions of the policy, consider the current debate around Head Start, describe the ideologies and values that have framed the debate around Head Start, and offer recommendations regarding the program.