Children and their families come to Head Start and Early Head Start rooted in a culture that gives them meaning and direction. The same statement is true of the staff and administrators who work in Head Start and Early Head Start. These principles were developed to guide Head Start/Early Head Start staff in meeting program goals and to serve as a framework for multicultural programming.
Revisiting and Updating the Multicultural Principles for Head Start Programs Serving Children Ages Birth to Five
This document has two main goals: first, to present all Head Start programs (which include Head Start, Early Head Start, American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start) with an updated version of the Multicultural Principles; and second, to provide a selective review of research conducted since the Multicultural Principles were first published in 1991.
Learning Extension Principle 1: Every Individual is Rooted in Culture
Multicultural Principle Learning Extensions are professional development activities that correspond to each multicultural principle. They highlight the importance of understanding and addressing culture and home language in Early Head Start and Head Start program systems and services. They are designed to help program staff extend and apply thinking based on each of the 10 multicultural principles.
Last Updated: January 14, 2021