• A total of 21, 433 children were enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start in Missouri in 2009 with 16, 793 of those children having their enrollment funded.

• In our state, 84% of the children enrolled live below 100% of the federal poverty line.

• The average cost per child in Missouri was $7, 326 for the last program year. 

Celebrating Diversity-

• 52% of children served are Caucuasian
• 36% of children served are African American
• 4% of children served are Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial
• 7% of children served are other ethnicities

The Families-

• 84% of Head Start families participated in family goal setting and family partnership building
• Over 95% of Missouri Head Start Programs had a regularly scheduled program to involved fathers/father figures with 36% of them participating in fatherhood activities.
• Of the 388 homeless families served last year, 44% acquired housing during the enrollment year

The Staff-

• 95% of classroom teachers and 43% of assistant teachers have an Early Childhood Education degree, Child Development Associate degree or state certification
• Of the 227 teachers who left the program during the year, 26% left for higher compensation in the same field.
• The average annual salary for teachers is $11.90 per hour and $8.83 per hour for an assistant teacher.