Head Start and Families' Recovery From Economic Recession: Policy Recommendations for COVID ‐19

Abstract

Objective This article examines whether the availability of Head Start during the Great Recession mitigated the impact of this crisis on poverty rates among families with young children. Background The first 2 decades of the 21st century have witnessed two major economic crises: the Great Recession and the COVID‐19 pandemic. Poverty rates among families with young children grew substantially during the Great Recession. Families with young children are also more vulnerable to instability during the COVID‐19 pandemic because job losses have been steeper and childcare availability has been significantly curtailed. Programs such as Head Start that support at‐risk families may mitigate such negative consequences. Method This study used data from the American Community Survey from 2006 through 2016 and state‐level data on Head Start availability from Program Information Reports. Growth curve modeling was used to examine how the availability of Head Start predicted poverty growth during the Great Recession and the speed of recovery post‐recession. Results States with higher rates of Head Start enrollment had a smaller increase in family poverty during the Great Recession and a more stable recovery than states with lower Head Start enrollment. Conclusions These findings suggest that greater access to Head Start programs prevented many families from falling into poverty and helped others exit poverty during the Great Recession. Implications The findings provide clear, evidence‐based policy recommendations. Increased federal funding for Head Start is needed to support families during a COVID‐19 recession. States should supplement these allocations to expand Head Start enrollment for all eligible families.

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