Careers with Head Start

We have a strong belief in career development, for our staff and the parents of the children who attend our programs 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 and administrative staff, teachers, family case managers, and supervisors.

Our staff members are also supported to achieve professional development and career growth by taking classes and gaining further hands-on experience. For example, teacher’s assistants at Head Start frequently receive financial support to gain the additional education and credentials necessary to become teachers.

We are committed to helping members of the local community develop careers in the early childhood education field. We do this through employment opportunities at Head Start, by providing access to the highest quality comprehensive career advancement services available, and through our partnerships with local colleges and training programs. At ABCD Head Start, a high percentage of current staff members were first introduced to the program as parents of Head Start enrollees.

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. It 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, 332 teachers and teacher’s assistants have earned their first CDA 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.  ABCD Head Start’s CDA program has helped the agency stabilize the classroom workforce by maintaining a 15 percent turnover rate.

Family Child Care CDA Program:
Through a collaboration with the Boston  Community Partnerships for children pregram 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.