Competition or Collaboration?

Abstract

Over the past decade states have surpassed the federal Head Start program as the primary public funder of preschool slots. This paper investigates trends in Head Start enrollment in the context of increased state investment in early childhood. Using national, longitudinal data I find no evidence Head Start programs in states with expanding state programs experienced drops in enrollment. However, programs operating near expanding pre-kindergarten programs serve higher percentages of children age three and younger. The results suggest that Head Start programs, particularly those located near expanding pre-kindergarten programs, may be reinventing themselves in response to the expanding state sector.