IHSA Public Policy Breakfast 

 “Impact of Policy on Serving 3’s and 4’s in Head Start”

The theme of this year’s Public Policy Breakfast is the “Impact of Policy on Serving 3’s and 4’s in Head Start”.  Did you know that over the last three years Head Start in Illinois is serving almost seven thousand less children and families?  This means that almost seven thousand of our most vulnerable 3’s and 4’s are not getting that Head Start experience.  This is one of the largest changes to our enrollment in our history.  We know what is driving this change.  But yet we know what research tells us about a Head Start experience   Illinois’ continued investment  in PFA, the Head Start Program Performance Standards language on serving younger children, and  ESSA, Every Student Succeeds Act, bring systematic changes to the Head Start world.  Let’s explore the impact together!  Our speakers will address what we know about the impact, what does this mean for the future of our communities, and discuss strategies to better maneuver in this new complex landscape.  Help inform the work and lets have this much needed conversation.  Be the first to review the IHSA draft White Paper that shares the data, addresses impacts, policy implications and also includes recommendations.

Meet our speakers:

Dr. Tim Nolan 

President and Director Affiliate Region V Head Start Association Representative, National Centers for Learning Excellence Head Start & Early Head Start

George Davis 

City of Rockford Human Services, Executive Director

Tommy Sheridan

Tommy Sheridan is the Director of Government Affairs for the National Head Start Association (NHSA), where he has worked since 2009. He is the main liaison between the Head Start community and the powers that be in DC. Prior to NHSA, he worked in the MN State Senate and on several political campaigns.