At Child-Parent Centers
- We envision strong communities filled with successful children and families
| We work everyday to better serve parents and children, nurturing their ability to meet their goals by providing educational opportunities for both adults and children. |
Our History
Head Start Begins
The Head Start program began as a summer program through local public schools.Funding was $96,400,000, enrollment was 561,000. Lyndon Johnson, president
Child-Parent Centers Founded
Child-Parent Centers was founded as Child Development Centers, a Tucson-based community action group. Operating as a not-for-profit organization we served a small number of children and families in the Tucson area.
Child-Parent Centers Incorporates
The Tucson-based community action group incorporated. Child-Parent Centers became a delegate agency for Head Start; thus we became the original Head Start grantee for Pima and Santa Cruz Counties.
First Expansion
Child-Parent Centers expanded to add Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee Counties. Head Start changed from a summer program to a school-year program.
Sole provider of Head Start in Southeastern Arizona
Federal changes to teacher certification requirements caused school districts to end Head Start services; thus Child-Parent Centers became the sole provider of Head Start in southeastern Arizona.
Awarded Grantee Status
Applies and was successfully named Head Start grantee for southeastern Arizona. Child-Parent Centers began to open centers in Marana, Nogales, Rio Rico, Safford, Pima, Duncan, Bisbee, Willcox,and other Tucson surrounding areas. The total number of children served by Child-Parent Centers increases to over 700.
Service Expansion Begins
Congress increased funding for Head Start nationwide Child-Parent Centers Expands: 1993 - served 1,128 children in 28 centers. 1996 - served 1,712 children in 39 centers. 1997 - served 1,997 children in 41 centers. Increased service options; added full day-full year, family literacy (parent and child both attend school), and home-based services.
Early Head Start Funded
Child-Parent Centers, Inc. began the implementation process of the Early Head Start program with 199 pregnant women, infants and toddlers in Tucson and Safford. Through a unique partnership, 70 of these participants received Early Head Start services through the Blake Foundation. The emphasis on delivery of quality services continued with the restructuring of program support and supervision. Child-Parent Centers also partnered with CODAC Behavioral Health Services for a full-day Head Start Program. CPC's partnerships with the public schools include collaboration on services for children with disabilities, curriculum models and food programs.
Emphasis on School Readiness
The Head Start Outcomes Framework was published in 2003 and CPC commits to developing its own classroom curriculum, Languages of Learning, inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Enrollment expands to 2285 with the addition of 430 children in the Early Head Start program.
Child-Parent Centers Today
Forty-seven years later and over 2700 children enrolled at the start of 2013, we continue to provide high quality early childhood education services in southeastern Arizona. Children leave Head Start ready for school. Sadly, due to federally mandated budget cuts 161 children have lost the opportunity to attend our Head Start program, along with 57,000 children nationwide. Parents and communities have rallied to restore lost Head Start services and we are hopeful the U.S. Congress will resend these unnecessary budget cuts.
