Head Start Policy Council—Tips for Parents and Families: What Is the Policy Council?
Parents and family members often have questions about their program’s Policy Council. Explore this tip sheet to learn answers to common questions about the Policy Council.
As a parent, you may wonder what the Policy Council is and about its role in Head Start and Early Head Start. You may have questions about how to join, serve on, or leave the Policy Council. We encourage you to discuss your questions with your child’s teacher, your family service worker, the program director, or other staf. They can partner with you to make your Policy Council experience the best it can be. What is the Policy Council? The Policy Council is a group of Head Start and Early Head Start parents and community members who help lead and make decisions about their program. Policy Council members are elected by the parents of children enrolled in the program. Parents often join the Policy Council after serving on a parent committee. The Policy Council meets regularly as a group. Members can serve for one year at a time, and for up to fve years. They work closely with the program’s management team and Governing Body to provide overall direction for the program.
This document was developed with funds from Grant #90HC0014 for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Ofce of Head Start, and Ofce of Child Care, by the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement. This resource may be duplicated for noncommercial uses without permission.
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