The Head Start grant is awarded to preschools in order to prepare pre-kindergarten-aged children for elementary school by promoting cognitive and social development. Health and nutritional services are also provided to children who are enrolled in a Head Start preschool. Low-income preschoolers benefit from the Head Start program, as well as young children living on reservations and children of migratory farmers. In order for preschools to be eligible for the grant, 90 percent of the preschoolers enrolled must come from families whose income is below the poverty line, families who are receiving public assistance, or children in foster care. Once a preschool submits an application to receive the Head Start grant, the approval process takes anywhere from 90 to 120 days.
The Ready to Learn Television Grant is indirectly awarded to preschools and elementary schools for the purpose of providing educational programming and support materials to children and their families. The grant is not awarded to the preschools themselves, but to television stations that can distribute educational materials to preschool-aged children nationally. The programming can focus on educational topics such as teaching children how to read or develop basic math skills; also, materials such as books or flash cards are distributed to the parents of preschoolers, as well as Head Start preschools. Approvals for the Ready to Learn Television grant are usually made 60 days after the application is submitted.
In order to help preschoolers master language and literacy, the Early Reading First grant is awarded to public and private preschools and elementary schools. Funds from the Early Reading First grant help to create educational centers that teach young children the basics of reading and comprehension, and money is allotted to conduct pre-screening tests for preschoolers who may be at risk for reading poorly. The grant is awarded by the Department of Education, and applicants will be notified of grant approval within 60 to 120 days. The grant is also renewable for up to six years, as the Department of Education sees fit.