February brings welcome clarity for our Head Start community.

With the passage of the FY26 Labor–HHS–Education appropriations bill, programs now have funding certainty through September 30, 2026, including an $85 million increase—$75 million of which provides a modest COLA of less than 1%. While this offers some stability for the dedicated workforce serving children and families, it does not meet the rising costs or the workforce challenges programs are facing.

As we turn our attention to Fiscal Year 2027, FHSA remains hopeful that Congress will invest in Head Start at a level that reflects today’s realities.

Every day, our programs demonstrate that Head Start is more than a classroom—it is opportunity, stability, and a pathway forward for children and families. FHSA will continue to elevate these truths and advocate for the resources our communities need to thrive.

FHSA is pleased to welcome Victoria Tharpe as our new Operations Coordinator. Victoria brings a strong background in people-focused operations, administrative leadership, and process improvement across both corporate and community-serving organizations. Most recently, she supported the Commercial Engineering Department at Eastern Shipbuilding Group, where she led employee onboarding, developed internal procedures, managed budgets and invoices, and built systems that strengthened communication and efficiency across multiple teams. Her broader experience includes coordinating complex events, managing logistics, and delivering high-quality support in fast-paced environments.

Victoria holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of West Florida, with a minor in Management. Known for her organization, adaptability, and collaborative spirit, she is excited to support FHSA’s mission and enhance our operational excellence.

Every three years, FHSA conducts a comprehensive Wage and Compensation Study. This study plays a critical role in helping Florida programs evaluate and establish fair compensation rates while supporting compliance with Section 653 of the Head Start Act.

To help programs use this data effectively, FHSA is hosting a Lunch & Learn focused on the findings of the 2026 study. The session will be led by study author Kevin Whorton, President of Whorton Research, in collaboration with the Florida Head Start Collaboration Office.

During the Lunch & Learn, participants will explore wage levels and how they have changed over the past several years, and learn how to use the study as a practical planning tool to analyze their compensation policies and practices to ensure that they are equitable, competitive, and supportive of recruitment and retention.

Kevin is a labor economist, a former analyst with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and research director for several major associations. He has conducted more than 600 research projects for 450 association clients nationwide, including our study and similar ones for other state Head Start associations.

Target Audience:

• Head Start/Early Head Start Directors
• Assistant Directors/Deputy Directors
• Human Resource Managers/Directors
• CFO
• Finance Directors
• Operations Manager/ Directors
• ERSEA Managers
• Center Managers/ Site Supervisors
• Data & Quality Assurance Managers

History is often remembered through notable figures and historical moments. However, history is shaped through daily practices, carried forward by people who remain committed to a shared vision over time.

Black History Month invites us to look beyond names and milestones and consider how progress actually happens. At its core, Black history is a record of resilience activated in response to adversity. Resilience is the ability to bounce back when something difficult occurs. When resilience is activated, it shows up through action.

Resilience shows up as daily practice.

It shows up as getting up again.

It shows up as consistent, mission-aligned work.

It shows up as communities continuing forward because they believe a better tomorrow is possible.

For example, when we think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we often recall a historical figure who experienced a series of historical moments: Birmingham. Montgomery. Being jailed. The “I Have a Dream” speech. His assassination. A national holiday. A monument. But history is not made by notable figures or moments alone. History is made by the communities who supported those figures and by the daily work that led to those moments.

That’s the movement.

History is formed through unseen, repeated decisions made long before the spotlight appears. It is shaped by daily practice—by people committed to a shared vision, even when outcomes are not yet visible. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who got up, went to meetings, worked late, showed up tired, and kept going while balancing responsibilities to family, community, and mission. He did this work in collaboration with others who shared the vision. Together, they supported one another, practiced resilience daily, and did the work that made the moments we remember possible.

That is how progress happens—and that same truth lives in the work of Head Start. Head Start’s legacy lives through people showing up together, aligned around a shared mission, and practicing resilience through consistent, community-building work in service of children and families.

For more than 60 years, Head Start has engaged in consistent legacy-building work. Opening doors each morning. Welcoming children and families. Creating safe and nurturing learning environments. Partnering with families as their children’s first and most important teachers. Advocating for the needs of eligible children and their families. Responding to challenges with care and showing up again even after hard days—because the mission is understood and the vision is clear.

This is how movements are made.

This is how progressive positive change happens.

Black History Month gives us space to reflect on this truth: daily practices, carried out by people aligned around a shared vision, create a movement. Commitment to that movement—day after day—produces desired outcomes. Those outcomes become legacy. And a shared observable legacy makes history. Therefore, each of us is positioned to be part of the history because how we serve and advocate for children, families, and communities today shapes the world our children will live in tomorrow. And when they are living in that better world, they will remember our resilience, decisions, and actions as their history.

Head Start is legacy work.

The Office of Head Start continues to highlight several national priorities that closely reflect the work Head Start programs have led for decades. Recent federal initiatives include Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) and A Home for Every Child reinforce the importance of strong health support, family partnership, and coordinated services for children in foster care.

These priorities don’t signal a shift in what Head Start programs should be doing they simply shine a brighter light on what programs already do exceptionally well.

Federal Focus Areas

• Expand Parent Choice:Supporting families as the primary decision‑makers in their child’s learning and care.
• A Home for Every Child: Strengthening continuity and trauma‑informed support for children in foster care.
• Fatherhood: Expanding meaningful engagement with fathers and father figures.
• Make America Healthy Again (MAHA): Elevating nutrition, health, and wellness support for children and families.
• Reducing Administrative Burden: Encouraging simpler processes so more time can be spent serving children and families.

Head Start programs have always been leaders in comprehensive, family‑centered early learning. These federal priorities simply reinforce what programs already do well and highlight the need for smoother cross‑system coordination, so families experience the seamless support they deserve. Head Start has always been built for this work, and these national priorities simply reaffirm the value of what programs do every day for children and families.

FHSA is calling on all parents and program staff in Florida to join the NHSA nationwide Parents Unite campaign. This parent‑driven initiative is designed to strengthen and protect Head Start by amplifying families' voices across the country.

Parents Unite welcomes parents, caregivers, staff, directors, and anyone who believes in the power of Head Start. The campaign’s goal is for every member of Congress to meet with a group of current Head Start parents from at least one program in their district by April.

To achieve this, we need participation from families and programs in all 28 Florida congressional districts. We will coordinate local visits during the congressional recess, April 1–11, while representatives are home.

Additionally, FHSA will select two parents and one support person to travel to Washington, D.C., April 21–23, 2026, to meet with Florida’s senators and representatives and further elevate the voices of our Head Start community.

If you are interested in participating, please complete the Parents Unite DC Fly-In Participants form. Your involvement is vital to ensuring Florida’s voice is heard in this important campaign.

Registration is open for the 2026 National Head Start Conference and Expo, the premier gathering for the Head Start community. This annual event brings together leaders, staff, and partners from across the country to learn, connect, and strengthen the work that supports children and families.

With more than 130 sessions, the conference offers rich learning opportunities tailored to the real challenges and innovations programs are navigating today.

The FHSA monthly newsletter aims to provide you with important information about the Association, upcoming events, and national industry updates. We encourage you to make sure your information is up-to-date so you don't miss out on important information.

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Important Upcoming Events

FHSA EVENTS

FHSA Directors Affiliate Group Monthly Check-in
March 3, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

FHSA Lunch and Learn: 2026 Florida Head Start Wage Study
March 11, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

FHSA Professional Development Committee Meeting
March 18, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

STATE TRAININGS or EVENTS

20-Hour Breastfeeding Counselor Certificate Course
March 12 - 26, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

DCF Palm Beach Area Florida Refugee Task Force
March 20, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

REGIONAL TRAININGS or EVENTS

RIVHSA Board of Directors Meeting
March 6, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

NATIONAL TRAININGS or EVENTS

 The Conversation Guide for Professionals on Substance Use, Children & Families Training
March 5, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

Emergency Preparedness Institute: Strengthening Your Emergency Preparedness Plan Through Practice & Integration
March 18, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

Strategies for Developing Behavior Support Plans for Young Children
March 19, 2026
Virtual
Click here for info

FHSA celebrated our State Award winners who advanced to receive regional recognition from the Region IV Head Start Association (RIVHSA). First honored during FHSA’s Annual Awards Luncheon in October, these outstanding leaders, staff, parents, and partners were also recognized at the RIVHSA 2026 Awards Gala this month in Atlanta, GA.

Read the full list of honorees and details in our press release.

The Florida Head Start Association dashboard is a practical tool for advocacy, created to help inform policymakers and other state leaders about the critical role Head Start programs play in Florida—and the unmet need for additional funding.

We encourage all programs to take a moment to review their data on the dashboard to ensure its accuracy. Up-to-date and accurate information strengthens our collective voice and ensures your program is represented correctly in statewide advocacy efforts.

FHSA is proud to serve as a sponsor once again of the 2026 One Goal Summer Conference, taking place July 8–10, 2026, at the Hilton Tampa Downtown. Now in its 39th year, this statewide conference brings together early learning professionals to share strategies that strengthen program quality and improve outcomes for Florida’s children and families.

FHSA encourages Head Start leaders, educators, and practitioners to submit presentation proposals that showcase innovative practices, effective family engagement strategies, and approaches that support whole‑child development.

Deadline: March 27, 2026

Proposal form: www.onegoalsummerconference.org

Presenters are asked to connect their content to the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards, the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework, and CLASS®, demonstrating how these tools can be integrated into daily practice to promote positive classroom interactions.

Presenter Details

• The Primary presenter receives a waived registration fee
• Co‑presenters register at the standard rate
• Presenters cover their own travel and lodging

Questions? Contact Conference Coordinator Frankie Allen at (850) 893‑6270 or email.

During NHSA’s Winter Leadership Institute in January, Children First Sarasota was honored with the Program of Excellence Award for delivering high‑quality early learning and comprehensive family services. This national recognition celebrates programs that demonstrate strong leadership and achieve positive, measurable outcomes for children, families, and communities.

The Program of Excellence commendation is awarded to top Head Start and Early Head Start programs that provide a well‑rounded classroom experience and robust, relationship‑based services supporting children from birth to age five, expectant parents, and their families.

Congratulations to Children First on this outstanding achievement!

Congressman Scott Franklin visiting with RCMA

RCMA’s Mulberry Community Academy welcomed Representative Scott Franklin for a tour of their campus and a glimpse into the joyful learning happening every day. From classroom visits to a special student performance, the visit highlighted the strong, community‑centered work supporting children and families in Mulberry.

Senator Alexis Calatayud reading to families

The Early Learning Coalition of Miami‑Dade/Monroe proudly hosted a vibrant literacy celebration at the Homestead Cybrarium, bringing families together around the joy of reading. They were honored to welcome Florida State Senator Alexis Calatayud as their guest reader. She shared What Is America? with children and families in English and read Cocina during the Spanish session, highlighting the power of bilingual storytelling and the importance of cultural connection. It was a meaningful day of learning, language, and community.

We are proud to celebrate the above Head Start professionals who earned their Infant and/or Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® in 2025.

Earning Endorsement is a meaningful professional milestone, and these accomplishments reflect both the dedication of the individuals and Head Start's strong commitment to prioritizing high‑quality, relationship‑based practice for young children and families.

Please join us in applauding their hard work, passion, and leadership in advancing IECMH best practices across Florida’s Head Start community.