Explore community assessment standards and best practices. Learn how community assessments help programs remain responsive to the children and families they serve.

Learn about the standards, expectations, and best practices that guide a community assessment, an essential first step in designing responsive programs.

The community assessment is a way to jumpstart the program planning process. Learn how the assessment helps Head Start programs provide key services to the children and families that need them.

This checklist is helpful in determining when and how to conduct a needs assessment. Program directors and services area managers can use it when identifying local needs and resources.

Find strategies to ensure vulnerable and underserved populations are included in your community assessments.

Community and self-assessment systems highlight the two starting points for the program planning process. Community assessment is the initial focus on external factors for new and existing programs, ensuring they are providing the right services to the right population. Self-assessment, with its focus on internal factors like ongoing monitoring data, supports the continuous quality improvement process which occurs annually.

Nothing ensures the success of a program more than community participation in assessing their perceived needs, strengths, and hopes for the future. Programs can use this resource to plan and coordinate their community assessment. It provides insight into public forums and listening sessions. Learn how to conduct them to engage your community in identifying and solving problems.

The community assessment describes the context in which Head Start and Early Head Start programs operate and is useful for ensuring that the correct services are provided to the appropriate population. This resource can assist program staff in coordinating their efforts to gather information required for a community assessment. The assessment paints a picture of the community and describes the diverse needs of families who may receive services. In addition, the community assessment covers the community's history, its economic and political scene, and its strengths and challenges.

Understanding the quality and availability of transportation services to Head Start families is an integral part of the community assessment. Program directors and transportation coordinators can use this tip sheet as a starting point in conducting a community assessment of transportation. Local needs and conditions should be considered when a program establishes its own transportation services.