Data-for-Equity Research Brief: Unequal Availability of Head Start, How Neighborhood Matters

Research shows that over half of the children in the United States who are eligible for Head Start are not served by the program. There are important differences in Head Start participation by race/ethnicity: nationally, only 54% of eligible black children and only 38% of Hispanic/Latino eligible children are served by Head Start preschool. This brief explores how residential segregation may translate into inequitable access to Head Start programs at the neighborhood level for two time periods. National and state level patterns are discussed.