Northwest Arkansas Head Start is a federally funded non-profit agency serving 504 children and their families.  In the tri-county area we serve (Benton, Carroll, & Madison), there are 11 local program sites which includes 1 Home Based program in Madison County.  Though the popular opinion may be that we are a pre-school, we are much more.

Northwest Arkansas Head Start Human Services Inc. (NWAHSHS) is a comprehensive development program designed to meet the needs of children and their families from low-income households. Our program builds on the strengths of children and parents, identifies areas that need improvement, and provides an opportunity for all family members to overcome the challenges that repress them. The overall goal of our program is to bring about a greater degree of social competence to disadvantaged children by meeting their educational needs and providing for their social, physical, psychological, health and nutritional needs.

By providing quality services to our children and families to help them reach their full potential, NWAHSHS enhances the opportunities and services provided in our community. Our agency’s philosophy is reflective of our mission statement, “Head Start enables children and their families to realize the opportunities for developing their full potential.”

To aid families in successfully establishing and meeting their goals, Northwest Arkansas Head Start has divided the program into eight “component areas”: Education, Health, Disabilities/Special Needs, Parent/Community Involvement, Social Services, Mental Health, Nutrition and Early Literacy.