Careers with Head Start

Advance your Career by partnering with ABCD Head Start.

We have a strong belief in career development, for our staff and the parents of the children who attend our programs.  Parents are encouraged to become involved as volunteers and staff members. A variety of employment opportunities are available through Head Start, including positions as food service, administrative staff, teachers, family case managers, and supervisors.

Program initiatives and resources include the following:

Professional Enrichment in Early Childhood Education (PEECE):
This high quality, research-based professional development program assists Head Start parents, volunteers, education staff, and other early education educators across the city. PEECE is run with funding from the United States Department of Education, and in collaboration with Urban College of Boston, Lesley University, Child Care Choices of Boston, and ABCD Learning Works.

Child Development Associate (CDA):
An integral part of the agency’s staff development process, this program provides the opportunity  for teacher’s assistants to become credentialed teachers by earning a Child Development Associate credential through the National Child Development Associate (CDA) Program.   The National Child Development Associate (CDA) program grants competency-based early childhood credentials to Head Start teachers and teacher’s assistants. Since 1988, a total of 332 teachers and teacher’s assistants have earned their first degree through ABCD Head Start’s CDA program. Infant/Toddler Teachers and Assistant Preschool Teachers in the the CDA program earn up to 12 academic credits as they attend the training program administered by ABCD Head Start.  The program has, also helped ABCD Headstart stabilize the classroom workforce by maintaining a 15 percent turnover rate.

Family Child Care CDA Program:
Through a collaboration with the Boston  Community Partnerships, Family Child Care Providers, are able to earn a CDA credential that is geared to the family child care home.

Urban College of Boston:
A close partnership with the Urban College of Boston has enabled ABCD Head Start to develop career and educational ladders for our staff members that emphasize the importance of higher education and provide college credit for appropriate coursework.

Learning Works:
This childcare training program allows welfare recipients to receive 20 weeks of education and training in early childhood education, improving their ability to find work and enhancing the pool of eligible early childhood education workers. Now in its fifth year, 30-40% of the program’s graduates have found employment with ABCD Head Start.