The Head Start State Collaboration Office (HSCO) is located on the Department of Education's Early Learning Team, serving as a bridge between federal Head Start programs and state-level early childhood systems. The Head Start Collaboration Director works across state agencies and with numerous partners, including Maine's 10 Head Start programs and a variety of state departments and interested parties, to strengthen coordination, align policies, and improve access to comprehensive services for low-income children and families.
In Maine, the HSCO Director is housed within the Department of Education on the Early Learning Team and collaborates closely with colleagues in the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Child and Family Services. The Director supports statewide initiatives that focus on school readiness, strengthening the mixed delivery of early childhood education, promoting family engagement and choice, and enhancing professional development opportunities across the early childhood sector. The HSCO also works to support specific priorities set by the Office of Head Start's national and regional offices.
By fostering partnerships and identifying opportunities for system coordination, the HSCO ensures that Head Start's voice and expertise helps to inform and strengthen state policies and initiatives affecting young children and families.
Head Start 101
- Head Start: Building Bright Futures for Children and Families
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Head Start is a comprehensive, community-driven, federally funded program that gives young children, especially those from low-income families, a strong foundation for lifelong success. Head Start focuses on the whole child and family, supporting not just early learning but health, nutrition, and overall family well-being.
What Head Start Offers
- Early Learning & Development: Engaging, high-quality, play-based education that builds skills in language, math, social-emotional growth, and problem-solving and prepares children for school.
- Health & Nutrition: Regular screenings, nutritious meals, connections to medical, dental, and mental health services.
- Family & Community Partnerships: Resources that strengthen families and empower parents as their child's most important teacher and advocate.
Why It Matters — For Everyone
- For Parents & Families: Head Start is a trusted partner. Programs work hand-in-hand with families to support children's development and connect them to vital services.
- For Policymakers: Head Start is a proven investment. It improves educational outcomes, promotes equity, and strengthens communities by addressing root causes of poverty early on.
- For Community Partners: Head Start is a collaborative opportunity. We welcome partnerships with health providers, educators, businesses, and nonprofits to expand our impact.
The Head Start Advantage
Research shows that children who attend Head Start programs:
- Enter school more prepared.
- Exhibit stronger social skills.
- Are more likely to graduate and thrive long term.
Together with Head Start, parents, partners, and supporters help to build healthier families, stronger communities, and a brighter future for all.
Head Start in Maine is supported by ten local grantees providing comprehensive early learning and family support across the state. Use this list to find and connect with grantees serving your region.
Find a Head Start
This annual report highlights how Head Start programs are serving children and families across Maine. Developed by the Collaboration Office in partnership with Maine's Head Start directors, the report uses annual Program Information Report (PIR) data to illustrate impacts and outcomes statewide.
Annual Report
Learn more about the key areas and priorities guiding the work of the Head Start Collaboration Office, including shared goals and initiatives designed to strengthen partnerships that support children, families, Maine's early childhood education system and its workforce.
- Head Start Collaboration Office National Priorities: The Office of Head Start (OHS) established four priority areas to guide the work of the Head Start Collaboration Offices (HSCOs). Click here to learn more.
- Promoting Healthy Eating and Nutrition for Head Start Children and Families ACF-OHS-IM-25-03: Head Start programs play a vital role in supporting healthy eating and nutrition for enrolled children and families. This Information Memorandum (IM) affirms the critical role of Head Start programs in ensuring children and families have access to healthy food and comprehensive nutrition services and includes an overview of relevant statutory and regulatory requirements, resources and partnerships available to support robust nutrition services for children and families. Click here to learn more.
- Mixed Delivery Workgroup: Designed to help strengthen and align the many necessary components that make up Maine's Early Education and Mixed Delivery System.
- Preschool Development Grant (B-5) Steering Committee: A cross-department leadership team that works with the Maine Children's Cabinet Early Childhood Advisory Council, ECE Mixed Delivery Workgroup, and other ECE system decision makers to provide various levels of program, activity, policy, and fiscal oversight and authority required to successfully fulfill grant deliverables.
- State Literacy Team: The State Literacy Team supports the Maine DOE by guiding the development and dissemination of the State Literacy Plan, Literacy for ME. Originally released in 2012 and updated in 2022, the plan provides a framework for literacy education efforts statewide. The team meets quarterly to advise on literacy initiatives connected to Literacy for ME and to promote literacy awareness throughout Maine.
- Physical Activity and Nutrition Advisory: State-wide coalition of Physical Activity and Nutrition in Early Care and Education (PAN in ECE) specialists committed to PAN best practices for Maine's ECE practitioners.
- Whole Student and Community Collaborative Team: An integrated team that works collaboratively across multiple state offices and agencies to coordinate projects and programs that support children and families from birth and beyond. Through supported community connections, the WSCC seeks to ensure comprehensive services exist within a statewide framework of safe, coordinated, engaged, healthy systems specific to the needs of families throughout Maine.
HeadStart.gov is a trusted, comprehensive hub for early childhood educators, offering high-quality, research-based tools, training, and resources that support child development, family engagement, program quality, and professional growth.
- The Head Start Approach: Learn how Head Start programs are helping children get ready to succeed in school and in life through learning experiences tailored to their changing needs and abilities.
- Head Start Performance Standards: The Head Start Program Performance Standards outline the federal requirements that guide how Head Start programs operate and deliver services. This resource provides a comprehensive framework covering education, health, family engagement, governance, and program management.
- Children with Disabilities: Resources and guidance on how Head Start programs support children with disabilities and their families, including information on inclusion, individualized services, and coordination with special education systems.
- Head Start Act Section 642B — Collaboration Office: Section 642B of the Head Start Act establishes the role of the Head Start Collaboration Office and outlines its responsibilities related to state early education and care systems. This section describes how collaboration supports coordination, alignment, and improved outcomes for children and families.
Contact
Stacie McCoy
Maine State Head Start Collaboration Director
Phone: 207-816-2334
Email: stacie.mccoy@maine.gov