Who We Are and What We Do

Our Mission: Pennsylvania Head Start Association improves the future for children, families, and communities who are economically challenged.

Our Vision: The Pennsylvania Head Start Association advocates for children and families who are economically challenged to ensure all children reach their full potential. As a responsive, collaborative, and thriving organization, we embrace diversity, promote comprehensive services, and unify the early childhood community by leading the charge for professional development, information sharing, and advocacy.

The Pennsylvania Head Start Association is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, a non-partisan association serving as a voice for Pennsylvania's most vulnerable children and families.

 Celebrate the successes of Head Start programs by honoring a Head Start Alumni!

On behalf of the Jeff Koppel Memorial Committee, the Association is currently accepting applications for the Jeff Koppel Memorial Head Start Scholarship Competition. Please spread the word with the High School Guidance Counselors in your community.

Download and Complete the
Scholarship Application Today! 

 We are now accepting parent and staff nominations for the 2024 Francine Bunch Award!  

This honor is presented to a parent and a staff person from a PHSA member organization who has exemplified many of the characteristics of Francine Bunch. Click here to learn more about Francine and her dedication to Head Start. 

Staff from a PHSA dues paying program may nominate a parent, former parent and/or current coworker for the Francine Bunch Award. To nominate a candidate, staff completes the Francine Bunch Nomination Form in full and attaches a Narrative that describes how the nominee meets the criteria listed on the application.

Click the button below to nominate a parent and/or staff from your organization.

View/Download the Application

Both, Scholarship Recipients and the Francine Bunch Award winners, will be recognized and awarded at our Annual Membership Meeting, May 22. 

Click the image above to learn more!