Head start and early head start

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded Lutheran Social Services of The South, Inc. $3.852 million under the Head Start federal grant program (CFDA 93.600) on April 1, 2026.

The award funds comprehensive Head Start and Early Head Start services in Texas serving pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children in low-income communities. Services include early learning instruction, health screenings, nutritional services, and family engagement programming to enhance cognitive, physical, behavioral, and social-emotional development and promote school readiness.

The recipient, doing business as Lutheran Social Services and based in Austin, Texas, operates as a tax-exempt nonprofit providing early childhood education and family support services. Performance runs through March 31, 2031 across multiple locations in Texas including existing operations in Corpus Christi, McAllen, and El Paso.

This is one of multiple five-year Head Start project grants the Office of Head Start has awarded to Lutheran Social Services effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031, with individual awards ranging from $3.8 million to $5.87 million. Head Start awards are made for five-year periods; recipients meeting specified criteria remain eligible for non-competing continuations, while those not meeting criteria face service area and funding availability through competition.