What is Policy Council?
Policy Council is a group of Head Start and Early Head Start parents who help lead their program's decision making. Members are elected by other parents of children in their program. Meeting monthly as a group, parents can serve for one year terms for up to five years. They provide overall direction for their program by working with its management team and governing body.
Resources
Why Join Policy Council?
Through Policy Council, parents have a voice in the decision-making process about how a program spends their funding, what children do in the classroom, and how a program works with community partners.
Additionally, children, parents, and the program benefit when parents take on leadership roles. Children learn more and experience healthier development at school and at home. Parents can become more confident, gain skills, and connect with other parents and staff. Program staff learn about the strengths, interests, and needs of the children, families, and community they serve.