Helpful Links

Educational resources and training to help promote active learning and healthy habits in young children.

The Office of Head Start (OHS) helps young children from low-income families prepare to succeed in school through local programs. Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote children's development through services that support early learning, health, and family well-being.

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is a nonprofit organization committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in life. NHSA is the voice for more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 1,600 Head Start grantees in the United States. Since 1974, NHSA has worked diligently for policy changes that ensure all at-risk children have access to the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family and the community.

The NC Pre-Kindergarten programs of Cabarrus County provides free, high-quality learning opportunities for children who are 4 years old and are income eligible.  If you live in Cabarrus County and would like more information, please contact Cabarrus Partnership for Children at 704-933-8278 option 1 or search  https://cabarruspartnership.org/early-education .

Rowan Smart Start in Rowan County, provides free, high-quality early learning opportunities for children who are 4 years old and who are income eligible.  If you live in Rowan County and would like more information, please contact Rowan Smart Start at 704-603-3369 or search their website at https://www.rowan-smartstart.org/nc-pre-k/

The North Carolina Head Start Association (NCHSA) represents 59 federally funded Head Start Grantees across North Carolina. This includes a Tribal (Cherokee) and Migrant programs, as well as community action, private non-profit, county government, board of education and single purpose agencies.

The Office of Early Learning focuses on Pre-K - Grade 3 to support children's success in the early grades. The Office of Early Learning combines the Department's staffs in primary education and prekindergarten and promotes other linkages for reforming early education for North Carolina's children.

Teaching Strategies provides the most innovative and effective curriculum, assessment, professional development, and family connection resources to programs serving children from birth through third grade.