History

Early childhood education as we think of it today is commonly described as having its beginnings in the mid-1960s with President Johnson’s War on Poverty programs. Head Start was the program designated to offer early childhood services to low-income and disadvantaged families and children. Head Start has evolved and grown over the years since its inception, and it is now considered one of the premier — and certainly the largest — early childhood education program in the country.

Nationally the program serves over 900,000 children each year and has served 27 million since the program began in 1965.

Head Start services began in our area in 1965 as well, and the program has grown to where Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program serves over 600 families and their children each year, 74 of which are funded by the State of Washington’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program.

We have multiple centers and classrooms in five counties in Idaho and Asotin County in Washington. LCECP employs 120 staff and brings over $4.5 million in federal and state dollars into our communities each year.