Head Start and Military and Veteran Families in Wisconsin
When we think about who Head Start serves, military and veteran families aren’t always the first to come to mind. But Head Start military and veteran families in Wisconsin tell a different story. Nearly 300 of them have a direct connection to U.S. military service, and that’s no coincidence.
Head Start was designed to meet them where they are.
Head Start was founded in 1965 and provides comprehensive services to children and families, including early childhood education, health, nutrition, and social services. For military and veteran families navigating the realities of service life, those wraparound supports can make a real difference. Reference
Eligibility rules account for military income.
One practical reason military families qualify for Head Start is how their income is calculated. In 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services updated eligibility rules to make it easier for military families to enroll their children, requiring that certain types of military pay and allowances not be counted as income for the purposes of determining Head Start eligibility. That means families who might appear to earn too much on paper can still access services they genuinely need. Reference
The services go beyond the classroom.
Head Start and Early Head Start programs that serve military and veteran families work to support positive parental involvement in children’s lives, and help maximize the ability of military and veteran caregivers to provide their children emotional, physical, and financial support. For a family managing the stress of deployment, reintegration, or relocation, that kind of support extends well beyond academics.
In Wisconsin, these families are part of our community.
At WHSA, we represent 16,000+ Head Start and Early Head Start students, 4,000+ employees, and 6,500+ community volunteers across Wisconsin. Among those families are veterans and active duty service members who rely on the stability and consistency that Head Start provides. Their children deserve the same strong start as any other child, and Head Start helps make that possible.
