Head Start California

09/04/2026

⏰ Hotel Discount Ends TODAY!
Book your room in Ontario by Friday, Sept. 4 at 11:59 PM

The clock is ticking on discounted hotel rates for the 2026 Wellness Symposium — but there's still time to join us!

👉 Registration is still open. Even if you miss tonight's hotel deadline, you can still join us September 21–23 for three days built just for Head Start professionals — space to reconnect, recharge, and bring real strategies back to your team.

📅 View the full schedule: https://bit.ly/HSCwellness2026

09/03/2026

✨ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 ✨

💙 Tell us your Head Start story!

As we prepare for Head Start Awareness Month this October, we’re calling on YOU—our families, staff, alumni, and community—to share how Head Start has made a difference in your life.

Your voice helps show policymakers, leaders, and the public the real impact of Head Start—and why these programs must stay strong for the children and families who rely on them.

📢 Right now, your story is especially important as changes are being considered that could affect Head Start programs nationwide. We need decision-makers to hear directly from YOU.

👉 Not sure what to say? Share a memory, a moment, or even a short quote—it all matters.

🗓️ Submit by September 30, 2026 at https://bit.ly/HS-story

💬 Share your and help us show why Head Start matters.

𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧

09/02/2026

𝗛𝗛𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 “𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.” 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁.

The proposal could mean larger class sizes, fewer teachers and home visitors, fewer program hours, reduced health, mental health, and dental services, lower wages in key positions, weaker safety protections, and additional barriers and paperwork for families.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔.

The Pennsylvania Head Start Association is sharing a new 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 outlining what is included in the proposal, what HHS’s own Regulatory Impact Analysis projects, and why these changes raise serious concerns for Head Start children, families, staff, and programs.
Read the 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳: https://bit.ly/PHSA-policybrief

Take Action Now: Tell Congress to Protect Head Start Quality!
Send a one-click email directly to your Representative and Senators. Share your experience with Head Start and urge them to ask the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw the current proposal and develop a replacement that preserves clear, consistent, evidence-based standards for effective, high-quality Head Start programs nationwide.

Take Action: https://bit.ly/Action-NPRM

09/02/2026

🩺 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀!
Kick off your 2026 Health Institute with a powerful Pre-Institute training designed for both new and experienced health professionals.

📅 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘃. 𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
⏰ 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
📍 Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa

Go beyond regulations and dive into the 𝟱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀:
✔️ Regulations
✔️ Policies & Practices
✔️ Data
✔️ Resources
✔️ Partnerships

Connect with peers across California, share insights, and explore proposed changes to Head Start standards impacting 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

💡 Open to all—no need to be registered for the full conference!

Start strong—add the Pre-Institute to your experience!

👉 https://bit.ly/HSC-HI26

09/02/2026

📣 Exhibit at the 2027 HSC Annual Conference!

Put your organization in front of 500+ Head Start educators, parents, family service professionals, home visitors, and leaders at Head Start California’s signature statewide gathering!

📅 February 8–10, 2027
📍 Hilton Universal City
🎪 Exhibiting: February 8–9

This year, our Education Conference and Parent & Family Engagement Conference come together for one bigger, more connected event—giving exhibitors twice the audience and even more opportunities to connect with the Head Start community.

✨ Reserve your exhibit space early to secure a prime table location!
👉 Apply to exhibit: https://bit.ly/AC27exhibit

09/01/2026

What could the proposed changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards mean in practice for children, families and Head Start programs?

Join Start Early and Together for Head Start to 𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱.

📢 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿: What the Proposed Changes to Head Start Could Mean in Practice, and How to Respond
📅 Wednesday, September 9, 2026
⏰ 2:00–3:00 p.m. CT / 3:00–4:00 p.m. ET
𝗥𝗲𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://bit.ly/4qM58sy

𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹:
Explore key proposed changes and what they could mean for programs, children and families.

Understand what could be at stake if the proposed changes are finalized.

Take action with practical tools and templates to submit a federal public comment before the October 6 deadline.

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱: Head Start programs, parents and families, community partners, advocates and others who care about protecting comprehensive services for young children and families.

𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 by Start Early as part of Together for Head Start, a national coalition committed to protecting and strengthening Head Start.

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁!
Check out our professional development library at https://bit.ly/4vVZipD

𝗨𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀:
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲—𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 - Gain tools and strategies to lead your team through change, ensuring stability, engagement, and a future of success.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Oct. 7, 2026 at 10:00 am PT

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽: 𝗙𝗔𝟭 – 𝗙𝗔𝟮 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Master the tools, strategies, and confidence your team needs to prepare for FA1 and FA2 monitoring reviews.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Oct. 20-21, 2026 at (1:00-4:00 pm on Oct. 20 and 9:00 am – 12:00 pm PT on Oct. 21) OR Dec. 15-16, 2026 at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm PT. 3 hours each day

𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 - Explore practical Relationship Marketing strategies that deepen family engagement, strengthen community partnerships, and support meaningful outreach.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 9:00 AM (PT) to Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 12:00 PM (PT)

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗔 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 - Strengthen monitoring practices, improve eligibility determination, align recruitment with community needs, and proactively address attendance challenges.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Nov. 16 at 9:00 am – 10:30 am PT, OR Feb. 22-23, 2026 at 9:00 am – 10:30 am PT. (1.5 hours each day)

𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁: 𝗔.𝗜. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 -Strengthen monitoring practices, improve eligibility determination, align recruitment with community needs, and proactively address attendance challenges.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Sept. through Dec. 2026. First session on-demand; live sessions begin Sept. 24. 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙚.

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽 - Build a stronger understanding of how to use data to support your Head Start program. Participants will explore key data concepts, the TMPO framework, and continuous quality improvement strategies to strengthen program practices and outcomes.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Thursday, Sept. 17 and Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, 8:30 am–11:30 am PT each day

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘀!
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, in Partnership with California Head Start Collaboration Office – Perfect for Head Start educators, home visitors, health and mental health staff, ERSEA staff, managers and directors, homeless liaisons, county office of education homeless coordinators who want to learn how to share McKinney-Vento implementation with Head Start partners.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at 1:00 - 2:30 pm PT

𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 – For home visitors, center-based staff, teachers, father engagement specialists, family service workers, family engagement coordinators, supervisors, managers, coaches, directors, and anyone having conversations with caregivers and families
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026 at 3:00 pm PT

𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗨𝗦!

09/01/2026

The CACFP Roundtable's 35th Annual CACFP Conference will be held in Coronado, CA next month, bringing together providers, educators, sponsors, advocates, and agency leaders from across the country.

Expect hands-on workshops, expert keynotes, and real conversation on where the CACFP field is headed next.

🗓️ October 26-28, 2026
📍 Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Coronado, CA
🎟️ Registration is open!

Register today: https://bit.ly/4wIqNTQ

08/31/2026

𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱: A Public Comment Workshop for Head Start Educators

CSCCE and EDvance College are hosting this webinar to help educators understand the proposed changes to 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 and participate in the public comment process.

Monday, September 14, from 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Registration link: https://bit.ly/4itLAqM