Denver Public Schools Head Start

Spanish line- (720)423-8216

Denver Public Schools, a Delegate Agency of the Denver Great Kids Head Start (DGKHS), serves 285 children in classrooms in 11 public schools in the city and county of Denver. The program is part of the Early Education Department in Denver Public Schools which currently serves approximately 4000 preschool children in public schools and community sites. Head Start has been part of the department since 1997 when DGKHS was initially funded.  The program option available to families is full day (6 ½ hours per day). All classroom teachers have Colorado Professional Teacher Licenses.

The program serves a diverse population with a majority of the participants being of African American and Latino decent. Over 1/3 of the enrolled children are second language learners.  All Head Start classrooms are located in schools where a majority of the children qualify for free lunches. 

Early Childhood Development and Health

Education: Children in the Head Start classrooms attend school on the same schedule as other children in the elementary school which they attend. Thecurriculum in Denver Public Schools Early Childhood Education classrooms is used in Head Start classrooms in conjunction with the Work Sampling System.

Screening: Children receive vision, hearing, height, weight and dental screenings. All children receive a physical exam paid for by private, community, or Head Start funds. The results of the screening tool, Early Screening and Inventory, in combination with teacher observations and parent input are used to determine whether standardized assessment is necessary. Based on observations and the results of the standardized tests, children with disabilities are identified and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that outlines adaptations and additional services is developed. Sewall Child Development Center staff provides in-classroom service to children identified through the IEP process.

Parent Involvement in the Child’s Education: Teachers ensure that the classroom curriculum supports and respects the home language, culture and family composition of each child by gathering parent ideas during home visits and conferences. The parents are given the opportunity to carry out activities linked to the Head Start Outcomes and individualized for each child’s development. Teachers gather the parent’s input into curriculum four times a year and incorporate the information into the child’s goals. They complete a Work Sampling System Summary Report and share the information with parents three times a year.

Family and Community Partnerships

Families work with a Family Liaison Specialist to identify needs and goals and develop a plan for meeting these goals. DPS HS supports families in accessing community resources through the broad array of service providers identified by the school district and Denver Great Kids Head Start.

Program Design and Management

The DPS HS parent policy group receives extensive training in leadership, parliamentary procedures and the requirements of the Head Start program. Parents gain experience by presenting reports to the group and participating in subcommittees that review the budget, grant and program plans. The training and experience gained by participating in the policy committee provide parents the needed skills to be actively involved in decisions that effect their children’s education. Many parents move on to participate in the Collaborative School Committee (CSC) at their elementary school. 

The DPS School Board is the governing board of the DPS HS program. Communication between the School Board and the DPS HS Parent Policy Committee occurs in a variety of ways which include exchange of minutes, communication through the Director of the Early Education Department and opportunity for a formal report to the Board or informal participation in the public hearing during the regularly scheduled school board meetings.  The shared governance calendar outlines each group’s responsibilities for decision making.